TUESDAY 26TH SEPTEMBER, 2000
WORTHINGTON CUP 2ND RD 2ND LEG
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 2 (0) BRENTFORD 0 (0)

Agg:- 2-0

Scorers:-
Leonhardsen, 52
Iversen, 81

Referee:- A. Butler

Attendance:- 26,909

Teams:-
Spurs (4-3-3):- Sullivan; Carr, Perry, Vega, Thatcher; Freund, Sherwood (Capt.), Leonhardsen; Rebrov, Ferdinand (sub Dominguez, 71), Iversen

Subs not used:- Walker; Thelwell, Doherty; Clemence

No bookings

Brentford (4-4-2):- Gottskalksson; Crowe, Marshall, Ingimarsson, Quinn; Rowlands (sub Williams, 650, Evans (Capt.), Mahon, Folan; Partridge, Pinamonte (sub Dobson, 73)

Subs not used:- Smith(GK); Graham, Theobald

Booked:- Pinamonte

During the interval, we had the most entertaining moment of the night up till that point, when an advert was shown on the Jumbotron which featured a load of gooners at a bus queue in their disgusting kit. Naturally, this scene was met with resounding boos by the gathered throng of allegedly 26,909 (they must have counted the absent season ticket holders!), until the bus came along, driving right past the stop, ignoring said gooners, and (you guessed it) was revealed to be driven by a Spurs fan!

You want me to talk about the football? Spurs either showed the greatest respect to the second division visitors, or lacked confidence, because they fielded their best available side. The supposed chasm in class hardly told though, until Brentford tired in the closing stages. Amazingly we were treated to nearly 20 minutes of wing play when out of favour Jose Dominguez made his first appearance in any competitive game for Spurs this season. Jose was received with rapture, but didn't get a touch for five minutes. When he did, he roasted his defender, and led to several chances. Stephen Carr sent him one fantastic long pass, which (ahem) reminded me of similar events when we had a Frenchman on the wing. Dominguez replaced Les Ferdinand, and personally, I think we played better with the conventional 4-4-2 formation. In particular, Rebrov looked more threatening during the closing stages.

The first half was pretty much a tale of woe, although Spurs manager will no doubt say we threatened their goal throughout the game. Sherwood's name was booed before the game, but I felt that in the second half, he was the fulcrum for Spurs, and had a decent game. Thatcher got booed on one occasion during the first half, when he botched up some good build up play with a wasted hoofed ball beyond danger. However, I would say that he improved in the second half, as did the team. One thing I will say about Thatcher is he does not shirk at fifty-fifty challenges. On the other hand, Steffen Iversen was often reluctant to commit himself in the same way, and despite scoring, was often slow to react. In fact, he nearly didn't react to the chance provided for him by Leonhardsen, who had an energetic box to box game.

An early cross from Carr, was fed to Iversen by Ferdinand, and Steffen tried the goalie with a decent 25 yard shot. Then followed half chances for Freund and Iversen, set up by Rebrov and Ferdinand respectively. On 11 minutes Iversen had a header from Rebrov's corner cleared off the line. Iversen was in action soon after when Leonhardsen chipped a Freund throw over the defence, and Iversen tried to chip the goalie, but he hit the ball too high. Ferdinand was allowed a free header following a lovely build up from the right involving his attacking partners, but he was closer to the corner flag than goal.

Iversen was to have two more chances following Thatcher throws. One followed a beautiful cutting pass from Rebrov, when Steffen's shot was saved, and the second chance was headed over. Les Ferdinand turned in a Carr cross but was offside. Rebrov got deserved applause for a reaction shot from 20 yards which went straight to the goalkeeper. I know this report reads as if it was exciting stuff, but despite the chances, Spurs were not playing any flowing football, and there were moments of genuine danger at the other end. One came when Lorenzo Pinamonte turned Perry at the half way line, and beat him in a race to the penalty area. Pinamonte went down, but the referee was having none of his penalty appeal. Paul Evans always looked a threat from dead ball situations, and Martin Rowlands was allowed a free run in from the right to bring a save from Sullivan. Right back Jason Crowe was to repeat this trick before the interval.

Another Carr cross was headed down by Les, and Leo followed up to force the goalkeeper to save at the second attempt. Leonhardsen had been adjudged offside anyway.

Spurs had clearly been given a half time shake down, and stepped up a gear. Sherwood fed the ball to Steffen Freund attacking down the inside right channel. Freund's shot was saved, and he hit the rebound goalward, with Iversen flagged offside as a defender cleared in front of the goal. Ramon Vega made a couple of characteristic errors, when Partridge ran on to one miskick, only to hit wide, and then Les Ferdinand of all people had to clear at the back post, when Ramon miscued another clearance.

Spurs finally took the lead, when Leonhardsen pounced upon a Sherwood header into the area, to leave the defence standing, and to slide the ball round the goalkeeper. Once again some of the best chances were falling to Leo, when a genuine striker would have provided the necessary touch. Rebrov had an exciting run from right to left, riding his luck a little to retain the ball, but his threaded pass was hit at the keeper by Leonhardsen. Rebrov, with Sherwood provided an opportunity for Iversen who failed in a one on one situation with Gottskalksson.

After Jose's insertion, Thatcher ignored him to hit a thunderbolt over the bar, but then some wing play led to Carr having a typical shot go over the target. Having been discussing the possibility of extra time if the Bees scored an equaliser, it was a relief when Spurs doubled the lead. Carr showed great speed and determination down the line, sent a long ball to Leo, who was slightly lucky to keep control as the ball, ran down his back. His shot was saved, and for a split second Iversen stood rooted, before reacting just in time to make the easy finish, for his first goal of the season.

There was time for some genuine entertainment from the hosts, and I would love to see Dominguez get another outing.

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