FA CUP 4TH ROUND
WEDNESDAY 7TH FEBRUARY, 2001
CHARLTON ATHLETIC 2 (1) TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 4 (0)

Charlton scorers:-
Powell, 11
Svensson, 48

Spurs scorers:-
Rufus (og), 58
Anderton, 62
Leonhardsen, 63
Rebrov, 85

Referee:- S. Dunn

Attendance:- 18,101

Teams:-
Charlton (3-5-2):- Ilic; Todd, Fish, Rufus; Kishishev (sub Newton, 66), Stuart, Jensen, Parker (sub Solako, 67), Powell; Svensson, Bartlett (sub Lisbie, 72)

Subs not used:- Caig; Brown

Booked:- Powell, Todd, Svensson

Spurs (3-5-2):- Sullivan; Perry (sub Carr, 88), Campbell, King; Anderton, Freund, Sherwood, Leonhardsen, Young; Doherty, Rebrov

Subs not used:- Walker; Clemence; Etherington, Armstrong

Booked:- Freund, Sherwood.

With little over half an hour remaining, it looked as though the FA Cup dream was over for Spurs, but a miraculous turn-around sparked by a Rufus own goal (created by Gary Doherty playing up front tonight) gave us a marvellous win that keeps life in our season.

Here is a contemporary match report:-

Spurs performed their own version of 'The Great Escape' as they came from two goals behind to earn a fifth round tie at home to Stockport after their 4-2 win over Charlton.

A cup run can hinge on a moment of luck and if Spurs do go all the way to the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, they will look back at an own goal by Richard Rufus as that defining moment.

George Graham's team appeared to be heading out of the FA Cup early in the second half, as they trailed to goals from Chris Powell and Mathias Svensson.

But the team who had gone more than six hours without scoring a goal, suddenly struck three times in the space of five minutes to sensationally turn the tie on its head - and even Sergei Rebrov got on the scoresheet for Spurs.

A Rufus own goal, followed by strikes from Darren Anderton, Oyvind Leonhardsen and Rebrov, kept alive Tottenham's romantic cup notion.

They say that when the year ends in one, Spurs win trophies. They have done so in 1901, 1921, 1951, 1961, 1971, 1981 and 1991.

It had all looked so different when Powell scored his first ever goal for Charlton against the team he supported as a boy to set Spurs rocking in this delayed fourth-round tie.

Svensson lobbed the ball into the Spurs box and as Darren Anderton and Chris Perry dithered, Powell nipped in to nod the ball over advancing goalkeeper Neil Sullivan.

Powell has made 115 starts since moving from Derby, and his goal was worth the wait because of its importance. Unfortunately he celebrated a little too enthusiastically by removing his shirt and was booked by referee Steve Dunn.

Coming into this match it was 491 minutes since Spurs last conceded a goal, but the home side applied most of the early pressure and made the early breakthrough.

Sullivan was smartly off his line to save at the feet of Svensson after just three minutes. Two minutes later Claus Jensen carved open the defence as he cut into the box from the left, but his pass found Shaun Bartlett in an offside position.

A less happy statistic for Spurs was the fact that coming into this game they had gone six hours since scoring their last goal.

We were given an indication as to why, after seven minutes when Rebrov had time and space on the left edge of the box but wildly drove the ball high and wide.

Spurs tried to respond to their early setback by forcing a succession of corners, but the Charlton defence coped well. One of them came when Sol Campbell joined the attack and saw a good 25-yard drive tipped over by Sasa Ilic.

Spurs almost had a lucky break on the half-hour mark, but Ilic came to Charlton's rescue with an important block.

Darren Anderton played a low ball into the feet of Rebrov on the edge of the box and in one movement the little Ukrainian turned and unleashed a shot. The ball struck Mark Fish, but deflected into the path of Tim Sherwood 10 yards from goal. His first touch was not the best and he drove the ball at Ilic who spread his body well.

Spurs should have equalised after 34 minutes, but Rebrov was again the culprit as a golden chance went begging.

Man-of-the-match Gary Doherty did well to find space in the box on the right hand side. Instead of shooting he squared the ball to Rebrov, but the £11 million man scooped his shot wide from eight yards.

Spurs looked to be heading out of the cup when Svensson doubled Charlton's lead within three minutes of the second half. But the game turned sensationally as Spurs hit back with three goals in five minutes.

It all started with Powell getting behind Anderton and sending in a dangerous cross from the left, which Campbell cleared at the near post for a corner. But Spurs failed to clear it properly. Rufus stayed forward and found Jensen on the left edge of the box. He turned the ball inside for Svensson to drive it home.

That was the signal for Tottenham's travelling fans to turn on their manager and go into chorus with their familiar chant of: "We want Graham out."

Charlton were ripping Spurs apart, and Svensson had a chance to increase the lead after 52 minutes, but he trod on the ball. Spurs had a couple of scrambles in the Charlton box, but they were no more than that, and Ilic was not called into action.

The Addicks looked dangerous every time they went forward and a Bartlett drive from 25 yards was well held by Sullivan. The Cup can turn on a moment of luck, however, and Spurs came back into the game thanks to a huge slice of it after 57 minutes, when Rufus scored an own goal. Doherty made a powerful run down the right and cut into the box, and when he drilled the ball low across the face of goal it was turned into his own net by Rufus. It was Tottenham's first goal for just under seven hours, even if it came courtesy of an opponent.

Spurs almost equalised with a carbon copy on the hour, but this time Doherty's cross was deflected behind for a corner.

Charlton were suddenly looking edgy, although Powell went close at the other end a minute later, deflecting a cross wide.

Amazingly, Spurs equalised a minute later when they won a free-kick on the right edge of the box. Sherwood tapped it to Freund, he stopped it and Anderton curled the ball around the wall and into the bottom corner, although Ilic might have done better at his near post. Charlton were stunned, and two minutes later Oyvind Leonhardsen broke into the box and slotted home Tottenham's third.

Rebrov should have made it safe for Spurs after 70 minutes, but he drove his shot straight at Ilic from eight yards.

Skipper Graham Stuart - an FA Cup winner with Everton - wasted a good chance when he hit his shot at Sullivan following a corner after 74 minutes. But the night belonged to Tottenham and Rebrov finally scored the goal his sagging confidence needed, when he ran on to Doherty's through-ball after 82 minutes and deftly flicked the ball past Ilic.

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