Chris Armstrong signed off for a one-match suspension with a superb
second-half hat-trick which took his Tottenham goal-tally for the season into
double figures and left shattered Everton still waiting for their first win at
White Hart Lane in 14 years.
The former Crystal Palace striker, who was sent off against Chelsea last week
and misses next Saturday's FA Cup tie against Watford, landed a sparkling treble
in a golden 20 minutes spell which left the Merseysiders flat out after they had
threatened to come away with at least a point.
Ibrahima Bakayoko headed a 30th-minute equaliser to wipe out Les Ferdinand's
opportunist strike six minutes earlier.
And, with former Spur Nick Barmby a lively Everton presence just behind the
front two in his first start for three months following a hernia operation,
Tottenham's unbeaten home record under George Graham looked in danger.
But the second half belonged to Armstrong as he registered a wonderful trio
with perfect finishing to blow Walter Smith's team away.
It might have been a different story had referee Graham Poll - who sent off
Armstrong at Stamford Bridge - decided that Ferdinand's careless elbow on
Everton goalkeeper Thomas Myhre early in the second half merited a red card
rather than the yellow he delivered to the apologetic striker.
But that left the stage free for Armstrong to punch home Tottenham's clear
superiority in the second half and he gleefully took his cue.
Darren Anderton won a tackle 30 yards out to feed a forward chip into the box
in the 63rd minute when Armstrong beat Myhre to the ball, lifted it over him and
despatched it into an empty net.
Everton skipper Don Hutchison was booked for protesting that Armstrong's
challenge was dangerous but there could be no dispute when, on 76 minutes,
Ferdinand and Armstrong both broke away onto substitute Stephen Clemence's
clearance, with Ferdinand unselfishly setting up his partner for a conclusive
finish.
And Armstrong was unstoppable again nine minutes from time when he lashed in
another Anderton pass for his hat trick.
It was Spurs best home win since Armstrong struck twice in a 4-1 win over
Manchester United nearly two years ago.
In the first half though, Spurs were not anything like as convincing. Two
sloppily-conceded goals characterised a fragmented opening 45 minutes in which
injury-hit Everton had to call upon two substitutes.
Ferdinand produced an exemplary sharp finish to give Spurs a 24th-minute lead
but profited immensely from a ball-watching defence after David Unsworth had
beaten Armstrong in the air to Ginola's curling cross only to see the ball
rebound off team-mate Slaven Bilic.
While Everton were still trying to sort themselves out, Ferdinand chased the
loose ball and hooked it into the roof of the net.
Campbell headed Anderton's free kick just over and Armstrong wasted a great
chance to double the advantage when trying to pull the ball back for Ferdinand
after Ginola's chested pass sent him clear inside the box.
But Spurs were then guilty of dozing off and they handed Everton an equaliser
on the half-hour.
Alex Cleland, who had replaced injured Craig Short after just seven minutes,
tried to put the ball into the Spurs box and when it came back into him he laid
it square for Hutchison, who picked out Bakayoko for a free header.
The Ivory Coast striker had to go off just three minutes later having pulled
up with what looked like a hamstring injury but Danny Cadamarteri's recruitment
as substitute only gave Spurs some extra pace and spark to deal with.
The newcomer was soon booked for a late lunge at Luke Young who was let off
with a lecture by Graham Poll for his understandably angry reaction.
But it was Young's error which allowed Dacourt to set up Richard Dunne for a
clear chance which the Irish defender flashed across goal and just wide of the
far post two minutes before the break.
Spurs, who had Anderton playing a deep central midfield role, rarely found
real cohesion even though Ferdinand, Campbell and Armstrong had Everton in
trouble every time the ball came over from Ginola's crosses.
But, strangely, Ginola was rarely give possession in the first half even
though the threat from him was obvious as early as the fourth minute when he
outpaced Dunne down the left to fling over a tempting centre which Armstrong
headed over the bar.
Anderton's corner from the other flank led to two chances for Allan Nielsen to
hit the target but as Everton failed to clear, the Dane's first shot was bravely
blocked by Myhre and the follow-up struck Bilic before running away to safety.
Teams:
Tottenham: Walker, Carr, Nielsen (Clemence 46), Fox, Anderton,
Ferdinand, Armstrong (Iversen 89), Ginola, Sinton, Campbell,
Young.
Subs Not Used: Baardsen, Calderwood, Edinburgh.
Booked: Ferdinand.
Goals: Ferdinand 24, Armstrong 63, 76, 81.
Everton: Myhre, Ball, Dacourt, Unsworth, Collins (Oster 76),
Barmby, Hutchison, Short (Cleland 6), Bakayoko (Cadamarteri 33),
Dunne, Bilic.
Subs Not Used: Simonsen, Grant.
Booked: Cadamarteri, Hutchison.
Goals: Bakayoko 31.
Att: 36,053
Ref: G Poll (Tring).
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