Source: Daily_Mail
Tottenham Hotspur 3 Wolves 1: Rafael van der Vaart inspires comeback as Spurs end bogey side jinx
[LNB]Tottenham produced a remarkable late comeback to record their first Barclays Premier League home win of the season as Wolves self-destructed at White Hart Lane. [LNB] The visitors looked set to complete a hat-trick of victories over Spurs after Steven Fletcher handed them a shock lead on the stroke of half-time. [LNB]Despite dominating, Tottenham were becoming increasingly frustrated but were gifted an equaliser when Stephen Ward brought down Alan Hutton in the box and allowed Rafael van der Vaart to level 13 minutes from time, before substitutes Roman Pavyluchenko and Hutton completed the turnaround. [LNB] Deadly finish: Roman Pavluchenko makes no mistake to give Spurs the lead[LNB]Spurs, who handed Robbie Keane hisfirst start for the club since January and recalled William Gallas,were looking to avoid the kind of Champions League hangover theysuffered when they lost to Wigan in their previous home game. [LNB]Wolves began with typicalcommitment, although Kevin Foley was adjudged to have crossed the linewhen he tripped Gareth Bale from behind 19 minutes in, earning thegame's first caution. [LNB]Seeking their first home goal of thePremier League season, Spurs finally forced Marcus Hahnemann to make asave in the 24th minute, the American sprawling to thwart Bale beforeMichael Mancienne and Ward threw themselves in front of Keane'sfollow-up. [LNB] Hahnemann was called into actionagain six minutes later after the ball sat up perfectly for Van derVaart to smash a volley after looping off the head of Foley. [LNB] [LNB] [LNB] Spot on: Rafael van der Vaart equalises from the penalty spot to open his account for Spurs[LNB] [LNB] The goalkeeper got fingertips tothat effort and also to Peter Crouch's 33rd-minute header following asuper far-post cross from Bale. [LNB]Crouch was winning almost everythingin the air but it was strike partner Keane who had the best headedchance of the half six minutes before the break. [LNB]Bale skinned Foley down the left and produced a cross Keane somehow nodded wide from eight yards. [LNB]Tom Huddlestone was booked forhandling Jarvis' attempted cross before Wolves snatched the lead whenthe recalled Fletcher slammed in Foley's low cross from point-blankrange. [LNB] [LNB] Splitting the defence: Wolves' Steven Fletcher gets between William Gallas and Younes Kaboul to give Wolves the lead [LNB] [LNB] [LNB] [LNB]Harry Redknapp was then forced to replace Younes Kaboul with Hutton, the right-back's first Spurs appearance since January. [LNB]Jermaine Jenas nearly weaved his waythrough the entire Wolves defence in the opening moments of the secondhalf before Jody Craddock finally robbed him. [LNB]Hutton then cut inside from theright and curled a 20-yard left-footer that sailed inches wide. Wolves withdrew Jarvis for Jelle van Damme in the 54th minute beforeVan der Vaart bent an excellent shot wide on the turn. [LNB]Keane almost produced a spectacularequaliser three minutes later, his scissors-kick from anotheroutstanding Bale cross just failing to find the target. [LNB]Wolves boss Mick McCarthy immediately threw on Dave Edwards for Fletcher to further bolster his side. [LNB] On target: Hutton scores Tottenham's third as Spurs complete a remarkable turnaround [LNB]Van der Vaart and Van Damme wereinvolved in an angry 65th-minute exchange after the former clatteredinto the latter, earning a booking. [LNB] Redknapp then replaced thedisappointing Keane with Pavyluchenko before Wolves defender RichardStearman - starting his first league game since January - went close togetting his head on David Jones' corner. [LNB]Spurs were running out of ideas butWard handed them an equaliser with 15 minutes remaining when he scytheddown Hutton in full flight just inside the area. [LNB]Van der Vaart sent Hahnemann thewrong way from the spot for what was his first Tottenham goal. Huddlestone sent a shot on the turn straight at Hahnemann as Spurspushed for a winner, but Wolves were also refusing to settle for apoint. [LNB]They were almost caught out on thebreak when Van der Vaart dragged wide from 18 yards on his weaker rightfoot. Crouch then got a vital block in on a close-range rocket fromVan Damme, who was booked for impeding Carlo Cudicini as the keepertried to clear. [LNB]Hahnemann just beat Bale to Van derVaart's long ball before the latter was replaced for the final fourminutes by Aaron Lennon. The substitution proved inspired as thewinger helped set up Spurs' second goal moments later. [LNB] Lennon's cross was partially cleared but played back into Huddlestone, whose shot was blocked straight to Pavyluchenko for the simplest of finishes. [LNB]Pavyluchenko ripped off his shirtand ran to the jubilant Spurs fans to celebrate, earning himself abooking, while Hahnemann was also cautioned for dissent. [LNB]Wolves sent on Marcus Bent forMancienne but there was worse to come for the visitors in stoppage timeas a mix-up between Stearman and Hahnemann allowed Hutton to nip in andbundle the ball home.[LNB] Premier League live: All the action as it happenedModern boots or bad luck: What's behind all these nasty injuries?Wolves aren't dirty, we just refuse to be the fall guys, insists boss McCarthyTOTTENHAM HOTSPUR FC
