Villas-Boas revels in overdue win

24 September 2012 06:48

Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas was overcome with emotion after watching his players deliver him his first home win in charge against QPR.

With his team 1-0 down at half-time, Spurs left the field to a chorus of boos but they regrouped after the break and put in a much-improved performance to leave White Hart Lane with three points thanks to a strike from Jermain Defoe and an own goal from Alejandro Faurlin.

"We have wanted this home win for some time but for whatever reason it has escaped us," Villas-Boas said. "It's an important win for the team. We wanted to repay the fans for the trust they have put in us so that's why everyone felt emotional at the end."

Villas-Boas' team had drawn 1-1 in their previous Barclays Premier League home games against West Brom and Norwich while three disallowed goals prevented the Portuguese from registering his first victory in north London against Lazio on Thursday night.

In the end it took two goals in 95 seconds to win the game for Spurs as QPR folded in the second half.

First Steven Caulker's cross-box header flew in via the chest of Faurlin and Defoe added a quick second when he reacted well to Gareth Bale's shot, which cannoned off the bar into the England international's path. The calmness with which Defoe stroked the ball home typified a striker in supreme confidence.

"He [Defoe] is performing at the top level," Villas-Boas said. "He has had his opportunities this season and he is taking them tremendously."

QPR, meanwhile, remain without a win despite a summer spending spree that saw Mark Hughes bring the likes of Esteban Granero and Julio Cesar to the club. The west Londoners are second from bottom of the table, but Hughes was happy with his team's performance.

"I thought we deserved to win, absolutely," the Rangers boss said.

"In the first half we dominated proceedings. It was only 1-0 because of Brad Friedel. Then they went 4-4-2 in the second half and tried to press the game, they got a break at the right time obviously with an own goal which lifted them."

Source: PA