The Official THFC thread

[Owenmoresider]

Jaysus, defences on top eh? Just a good thing we can actually score them, most goals scored in the league now, but not far off the bottom for shipping them either. Reading score four goals away and get walloped again! Oh and that's another place moved up the table, and 9 points away from the relegation scrap, which will hopefully increase in margin in the new year.

Tottenham 6-4 Reading 
By David McIntyre 


Dimitar Berbatov scored four goals for Tottenham as they won an amazing game.

Berbatov put Spurs ahead with a tap-in before Kalifa Cisse levelled and Ivar Ingimarsson headed Reading in front.

Berbatov smashed home an equaliser, Dave Kitson restored Reading's lead and Berbatov completed his hat-trick only for Kitson to then put Reading 4-3 up.

Steed Malbranque equalised and Jermain Defoe scored from the rebound after Robbie Keane's penalty was parried, before Berbatov got Spurs' sixth.

Tottenham - with defender Ledley King playing his second match following his comeback from a knee injury - made the perfect start, going ahead after six minutes.

Keane beat the offside trap to collect Malbranque's clever pass and cross for Berbatov to score from eight yards.

The home side looked in control but then conceded an equaliser against the run of play.

Spurs keeper Paul Robinson could only punch Nicky Shorey's long free-kick to the feet of Cisse, who made no mistake from the edge of the penalty area.

Keane then missed a golden chance to regain the lead for Spurs just before the break.

Ingimarsson slipped under pressure from Berbatov, whose low cross from the right flank left Keane with the goal at his mercy but the Irishman was unable to connect.

Keane's miss was punished eight minutes into the second half, when Ingimarsson put the Royals in front by heading in Shorey's corner.

The header was almost straight at Robinson, but the England keeper failed to react and not for the first time this season was arguably at fault for the goal.

Robinson later redeemed himself by twice diving at the feet of Kitson to deny the Reading striker.

Kitson's hesitation after Cisse's deflected shot dropped to him allowed Robinson to intervene, and the keeper again thwarted Kitson after he had linked up well with Royals midfielder Bobby Convey.

A third Reading goal seemed to be on the cards but a mistake by Graeme Murty gifted Spurs an equaliser.

Substitute Defoe found space on the right and his ball into the box was poorly dealt with by Murty, whose clearance straight to Berbatov allowed the Bulgarian to fire into the roof of the net.

But Reading - without an away win all season - hit back almost straightaway.

Again a Shorey corner was Tottenham's undoing, with Kitson heading in the full-back's perfect delivery.

Almost every attack seemed to result in a goal and with the Reading defence standing still, Berbatov poked the ball beyond keeper Marcus Hahnemann, completing his hat-trick and levelling the match at 3-3.

Astonishingly, Reading regained the lead with their next attack. This time Kitson was released by Stephen Hunt's perfect pass and calmly lifted the ball over Robinson.

Spurs' response was equally emphatic.

They dug out another equaliser on 76 minutes when Tom Huddlestone picked out Malbranque, who shrugged off Sonko's challenge and found the corner of Hahnemann's net.

Three minutes later, Tottenham were awarded a penalty after Sonko fouled Keane.

Hahnemann saved Keane's spot-kick but Defoe was on hand to score from the rebound with a close-range header.

The outstanding Berbatov still managed to have the final say, latching on to Younes Kaboul's long ball and shooting past the beleaguered Hahnemann to finally complete the scoring.

[spiritof91and94]

Out with the old in with the new - Tottenham just keep it all the old - Happy New Year!

[T Fearon]

All those years of hurt washed away in 90 glorious minutes!

Were you watching Shane O'Neill?

[Square Ball]

here we go, Tony I was expecting you to be on at half time, were you hiding incase you scudded them?

[thewobbler]

Arsenal has their three best players (Fabregas, Gallas, Adebayor) on the field tonight amongst a host of regular first teamers, but Spurs were not to be denied. Malbranque, Keane, Jenas and Lennon just too good for the Gooners.

[stiffler]

Flights on the day of the final, back the next day belfast to stanstead are 30 quid return on ryanair.

[T Fearon]

Already booked, early morning and back to Dublin from Stanstead at 9.45 pm on Sunday night!

[Dinny Breen]

Didn't have to wait long...

(Fabregas, Gallas, Adebayor)

yea they all played the full 90 

In fairness the Spuds beat a decent Arsenal, a side better on paper than that Spurs side but that's football ain it....

[GalwayBayBoy]

Didn't have to wait long...

(Fabregas, Gallas, Adebayor)

yea they all played the full 90 

In fairness the Spuds beat a decent Arsenal, a side better on paper than that Spurs side but that's football ain it....

Well Gallas did play the whole game and Fabregas came on early.

[Puckoon]

Arsenal has their three best players (Fabregas, Gallas, Adebayor) on the field tonight amongst a host of regular first teamers, but Spurs were not to be denied. Malbranque, Keane, Jenas and Lennon just too good for the Gooners.

The sun has to shine on every dogs arse once in a while.

[thewobbler]

The sun has to shine on every dogs arse once in a while.

In fairness, Spurs played Arsenal off the pitch a fortnight ago and at least deserved a draw at Emirates a month ago.

[Canalman]

Great stuff lads.

Here's hoping the Spurs can win final and wash that Blackburn final bad taste out of the mouth.

[Solomon Kane]

23rd time lucky

[nifan]

Spurs where very good tonight to give credit where it is due.

Walcott was absolute rubbish

[ONeill]

Congratulations to Spurs. After 23 matches, I'm glad their victory came in this competition. We'll take the league's 6 points thank you!

Badly missed Flamini and Rosicky tonight, our two best players in recent games.