Source: Daily_Mail
Fulham 1 Tottenham 3: Wing wizards Bale and Lennon give Harry the perfect tonic
Tottenham survived a second-half onslaught at Craven Cottage to deny Fulham manager Martin Jol a satisfying Barclays Premier League victory over his former club.[LNB]Gareth Bale and Aaron Lennon struck to give Spurs a commanding interval lead in a lively London derby, but they were over-run when play resumed.[LNB]Fulham dominated with Younes Kaboul's 57th minute own-goal the direct result of relentless pressure from the rampant home side.[LNB] Hot Spurs: Tottenham extended their unbeaten run to eight Premier League games[LNB] [LNB]MATCH FACTSFULHAM: Schwarzer, Grygera (Kelly 46), Baird, Hangeland, Riise, Duff (Ruiz 71), Murphy (Etuhu 76), Sidwell, Dempsey, Dembele, Zamora. Subs Not Used: Etheridge, Kasami, Frei, Briggs[LNB]Goals: Kaboul 57 og[LNB]TOTTENHAM: Friedel, Walker, Kaboul, King, Assou-Ekotto, Lennon (Sandro 78), Parker, Modric, Bale, Van der Vaart (Defoe 66), Adebayor. Subs Not Used: Cudicini, Bassong, Corluka, Livermore, Pienaar[LNB]Booked: Kaboul[LNB]Goals: Bale 10,Lennon 45,Defoe 90[LNB]Att: 25,698[LNB]Ref: Peter Walton (Northamptonshire)[LNB]But despite their overwhelming superiority, the Cottagers were unable to secure the equaliser after failing to convert a series of chances.[LNB]Controversy reigned during a chaotic five-minute spell of injury time when Tottenham right-back Kyle Walker clearly handled the ball, but referee Peter Walton declined to award a penalty.[LNB]To rub salt into the wound, substitute Jermain Defoe scored with virtually the last kick of the game.[LNB]Jol will have felt the disappointmentmore than anyone as he oversaw his first encounter against his former paymasters since leaving White Hart Lane in acrimonious circumstances three years ago.[LNB]The victory was Spurs' seventh in eight games and places them on the cusp of the Champions League spots with only goal difference separating them from fourth place Chelsea.[LNB]Harry Redknapp, watching from home ashe continues his recovery from a heart procedure, will be content with the three points but this was not the Tottenham that dazzled against QPRlast weekend.[LNB]The starting line-up may have been identical, but today they rode their luck like never before to stay snapping at the heals of the top four.[LNB]Just two minutes into the match Brad Friedel, who was superb throughout, was forced to display lightening reflexes to deny Fulham.[LNB] First blood: Gareth Bale's fierce cross-cum-shot was turned into his own net by Chris Baird[LNB]A corner by Danny Murphy was met by the onrushing Steve Sidwell only for his glancing header to be kept out on the line by Friedel.[LNB]The pace was frantic and Mark Schwarzer had to punch the ball to safety as slick passing from Tottenham swept them deep into Fulham's half.[LNB]Both teams attacked with vigour but Spurs were more dynamic and they surged ahead in the 10th minute througha goal from Gareth Bale.[LNB] [LNB] Rough and tumble: Scott Parker needed treatment after a clash with Steve Sidwell[LNB]Lennon threaded a dangerous pass across goal which Schwarzer pushed to the side of the area where Bale was stationed.[LNB]The Wales international drilled the ball back across goal and it was deflected into the next by helpless Fulham defender Chris Baird.[LNB] [LNB] Luka comfortable: Tottenham's Modric shone for the club he was so desperate to leave[LNB]Scott Parker required treatment after taking an accidental elbow from Sidwell on his nose, which was left bloody.[LNB]Spurs' defence was caught napping when Sidwell slipped a pass to Clint Dempsey but the American failed to connect cleanly on a glorious chance and Friedel saved.[LNB] [LNB] Next out: Zdendek Grygera was carried from the pitch on a stretcher after falling awkwardly[LNB] [LNB]Just as an increasingly lifeless first half entered injury-time, Tottenham struck for a second time through Lennon.[LNB]The England winger jinked his way into the area, skipping around Baird in the process, and directed a shotinto the bottom right corner of the net a heartbeat before two Fulham players came sliding in.[LNB] Lightning Lennon: On the other wing to Bale, Aaron Lennon notched the second [LNB]The Cottagers then endured further misery when Zdenek Grygera had to be stretchered from the pitch after appearing to injury his right knee while making a routine tackle on Bale.[LNB]Excellent link up play between Bale and Emmanuel Adebayor, who was enduring a quiet afternoon, concluded with the Welshman failing to seriously test Schwarzer.[LNB] [LNB] Three's a crowd: Joe Jordan (right) , Kevin Bond (second right) and Clive Allen (second left) stepped into the breach for the stricken Harry Redknapp who is expected to miss four weeks[LNB]Brede Hangeland saw a goalbound header tipped over by Friedel and moments later Kaboul nearly nodded a shot by Bobby Zamora into his own net.[LNB]However, Kaboul succeeded in beating his own keeper in the 57th minute as rampant Fulham deservedly hit back.[LNB] [LNB] Lifeline: Younes Kabul gave Fulham hope when he mistakenly helped a corner into his own net[LNB] [LNB]Hangeland jumped to meet a corner andhis presence disrupted Tottenham's defence with Ledley King nodding theball against Kaboul's back and into the goal.[LNB]Fulham's dominance continued as they poured forward in search of the equaliser, the hapless Kaboul conceding afree kick that Baird smashed at Friedel.[LNB] Safe hands: Kyle Walker escaped censure for a clear handball in the penalty area[LNB] [LNB]Only last-gasp intervention from King prevented Dempsey supplying the equaliser after the USA midfielder had rounded Friedel.[LNB]Once more Friedel came to the rescue, this time after Zamora had expertly timed his run into the box to outfox King.[LNB] Jermain man: Substitute Defoe completed the scoring in stoppage time[LNB]Greater drama was to follow during injury time as first Kyle Walker handled the ball during a frantic goalmouth scramble, an offence that went unpunished, and then Luka Modric cleared a late effort off the line.[LNB]Fulham then suffered the cruel blow of seeing Defoe prod home to end an action-packed encounter.[LNB] Redknapp blow for Spurs: Boss warned not to return to work for 'four or five weeks'Tottenham lead chase to sign Beckham as former United star turns back on PSGDefoe to stay at Spurs and fight for his place ahead of Euro 2012Cudicini hopes Spurs can keep putting the frighteners on the Premier League[LNB]
