Source: Daily_Mail
Hull City 1 Tottenham 2: Blood, sweat and cheers for Woodgate
He scored his first Tottenham[LNB]goal to win the Carling Cup a year ago and now, as they prepare for their defence of the trophy at Wembley, Jonathan Woodgate has taken his team a step closer to Barclays Premier League safety. [LNB]He suffered a deep head wound in an aerial collision with Vedran Corluka moments after he had powered Benoit Assou-Ekotto's cross past Matt Duke but insists he will be fit for Sunday's final against Manchester United[LNB]. [LNB]'I got caught by Vedran's elbow but it's OK,' said Woodgate after guiding Spurs within a point of Hull City[LNB]and giving them their first away win in eight games.[LNB]'It was a massive result for us and this game was more important than Sunday's final.' [LNB][LNB] Heads up: Jonathan Woodgate towers to gift Spurs a precious win on their travels[LNB] Hull 1 Tottenham 2: How the action unfolded[LNB]Harry's game: Sportsmail's guide to how Tottenham will (or won't) survive [LNB]HULL CITY FC NEWS FROM ACROSS THE WEB[LNB]TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR FC NEWS FROM ACROSS THE WEB[LNB] Woodgate, who was still having four stitches above his left eye as Spurs players celebrated with an excellent away following, rose above Hull left back Andy Dawson five minutes from the end to meet Assou- Ekotto's cross from a clever short corner after he had tricked and sprinted past Sam Ricketts and into the Hull area. [LNB]Manager Harry Redknapp said: 'I thought we deserved the win. The second half we were terrific. It puts us in a much better position and keeps Hull in the relegation battle. And it will give us confidence.' [LNB]The winner had seemed unlikely in the first half as Tottenham struggled to contain a Hull side encouraged by the indecision and uncertainty of goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini, who is cup-tied for Sunday's final.[LNB] Calamity Carlo: Cudicini suffers a case of the 'Gomes' to hand Hull an equaliser[LNB] [LNB]Cudicini was one of Redknapp's more obvious transfer window reinforcements following the haphazard performances of Heurelho Gomes earlier in the season. [LNB]The former Chelsea[LNB]keeper, making only his fourth Spurs start, made a dreadful error at a routine corner which gave Hull a simple equaliser after Aaron Lennon had put the visitors in front against the run of play. [LNB]Cudicini, who looks as happy in the air as a penguin, decided to become embroiled in a personal contest with referee Lee Probert who, to his credit, had little sympathy with the Italian as he flapped and floundered at anything over waist height. [LNB]As early as the third minute, City's stand-in striker Richard Garcia and Kamil Zayatte caused trouble at a corner and Kevin Kilbane almost got on the end of a teasing Dean Marney cross from the right. Cudicini was nowhere.[LNB]Woodgate then very nearly embarrassed himself and Cudicini with a routine back header to break down City's next foray but the keeper just managed to scurry back and grab the ball on the line.[LNB] Aaron Lennon (L) drills in a sublime shot to score a well worked opener for Spurs[LNB]Cudicini was furious when Probert failed to award a foul after Gardner had bundled into his back and knocked him to the floor. [LNB]Perhaps that challenge was still on his mind as he flapped at Dawson's follow-up cross seconds later, missed the ball completely and it inadvertently clipped the ankle of Wilson Palacios, landing perfectly for Michael Turner to slide in on the goal-line and beat Ledley King to score. [LNB]The opener came from Spurs' first serious attack after Anthony Gardner, making only his fourth Hull start since quitting White Hart Lane, made a perfectly-timed challenge to deny the recalled Darren Bent, wrapping his leg round the Spurs striker to clear for a corner.[LNB] Sight for sore eyes: A bloody Woodgate trudges off nursing a horrific eye injury[LNB] [LNB]But a short corner worked between Robbie Keane and Luka Modric was played to the unmarked Lennon at the edge of the City area and Turner turned his back at the crucial moment as a firm right-foot shot flew past him and through a crowded area to beat Duke. [LNB]MATCH FACTS [LNB]HULL CITY (4-4-2): Duke 7; Ricketts 6, Turner 7, Gardner 7, Dawson 7; Marney 6, Ashbee 6, Zayatte 7 (Geovanni 87min), Kilbane 7; Garcia 6 (Manucho 79), Cousin 6 (Mendy 67). Booked: Dawson, Ashbee. [LNB]TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR (4-4-2): Cudicini 5; Corluka 6, Woodgate 7 (Dawson 89), King 6, Assou-Ekotto 6; Lennon 6 (Zokora 87), Jenas 6, Palacios 7, Modric 7; Bent 5 (Pavlyuchenko 72), Keane 5. Booked: Modric.[LNB]Man of the match: Michael Turner. Referee: Lee Probert.[LNB] Hull 1 Tottenham 2: How the action unfolded[LNB]Harry's game: Sportsmail's guide to how Tottenham will (or won't) survive [LNB]HULL CITY FC NEWS FROM ACROSS THE WEB[LNB]TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR FC NEWS FROM ACROSS THE WEB[LNB] [LNB] [LNB]
