At this rate, Tottenham fans will be double-checking their calendars to make
sure the year does not end in one.
History says that when the year ends in one, Spurs more often than not pick up
a trophy.
But they are not doing to badly in 2002. Already looking forward to next
Sunday's Worthington Cup Final, Glenn Hoddle's men booked their place in the FA
Cup quarter-finals with a professional victory over Second Division Tranmere.
The real hero was Germany international Christian Ziege, who made a
spectacular return after missing the previous seven matches with a knee injury.
He settled the nerves against a potential banana skin as he fired Spurs ahead
after only eight minutes. Gustavo Poyet grabbed the second goal after 35 minutes
as Tranmere failed to cope with the home side's slick passing.
Teddy Sheringham slotted home an easy third goal after 64 minutes and it was
rough luck on Rovers skipper Clint Hill when he deflected Poyet's shot into his
own net in stoppage time.
Darren Anderton (hamstring) and Ledley King (tonsilitis) were rested after
pulling out of England's friendly international in midweek, and with no fresh
injuries today, it was a thoroughly satisfying afternoon for Spurs.
Ziege's impact in his first match for more than a month was significant,
starting with him giving the home side the lead with a blistering finish.
Simon Davies found him unmarked on the left edge of the box and Ziege had time
to bring down the pass and steady himself before hitting a left-foot thunderbolt
past goalkeeper John Achterberg for his sixth goal of the season.
Les Ferdinand should have doubled Tottenham's lead after 15 minutes, but the
club's 14-goal leading scorer was guilty of a poor finish.
Ziege floated a cross into the box and Ferdinand used his upper body strength
to lose his marker Clint Hill on the turn. But with only Achterberg to beat, he
hit a weak shot past the far post from 10 yards.
Achterberg had to be alert after 17 minutes as he dived acrobatically high to
his right to beat away a 25-yard half volley from Poyet, who was back in the
Spurs team after serving a one-match suspension.
Ziege was clearly glad to be back, and after being fed by Sheringham on the
left edge of the box after 22 minutes he drilled a low shot just past the far
post.
The German turned provider after half an hour with a low cross from the left,
and it was a surprise to see skipper Sheringham slot the ball wide of the target
from six yards.
Ziege and Sheringham combined from the opposite flank after 33 minutes, and
this time the German saw his cross headed over the crossbar.
Tottenham's passing began to flow, and they totally outclassed their lower
division opponents after 35 minutes with a vintage move which produced their
second goal.
It started on the right flank as Taricco headed inside to Poyet, who fed
Sheringham, and he helped it out wide to Ziege. The low cross came in first
time, and it was Poyet who had made the run to finish it off with a sweeping
shot from close range and notch his 10th goal of the season.
The only danger to Spurs was when they let their concentration slip, and
Tranmere almost punished them for doing just that when they had two good chances
in the space of a minute.
After 57 minutes Nick Henry had a shooting chance from six yards but could not
muster the power to trouble Neil Sullivan. Then veteran striker Paul Rideout
dummied Dean Richards before shooting into the side netting.
But it was a brief respite for Rovers as Spurs put the game beyond their reach
with a third goal after 64 minutes.
Taricco sent a high cross towards the six-yard box and Ferdinand jumped up to
challenge Achterberg. As they collided, the loose ball dropped at the feet of
Sheringham who calmly slotted home his eighth goal of the season.
It was rough luck for Hill when he deflected Poyet's shot into his own net in
stoppage time to complete Tranmere's defeat.
Tranmere battled bravely, but that alone does not win matches and in the end
they were out-classed by a Spurs side who now head in high spirits to Cardiff's
Millennium Stadium to face Blackburn.
Teams:
Tottenham: Sullivan, Perry, Thatcher, Richards, Taricco,
Sherwood, Poyet, Davies, Ziege (Etherington 88),
Ferdinand (Iversen 78), Sheringham.
Subs Not Used: Keller, Leonhardsen, Thelwell.
Goals: Ziege 9, Poyet 36, Sheringham 64, Poyet 90.
Tranmere: Achterberg, Roberts, Allen, Hill, Price, Koumas,
Sharps, Henry (Mellon 71), Navarro, Parkinson,
Rideout (Barlow 71).
Subs Not Used: Murphy, Allison, Hinds.
Booked: Sharps.
Att: 35,696
Ref: D Elleray (Harrow-on-the-Hill).
E-mail Article 
Print-Friendly
Subscribe to RSS Feed 
Post to del.icio.us
Facebook