FA CARLING PREMIERSHIP
SATURDAY 14TH AUGUST, 1999
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 3 (1) EVERTON 2 (1)

Spurs scorers:-
Sherwood, 34
Leonhardsen, 82
Iversen, 85

Everton Scorer:-
Unsworth ( 2 pens ) 24, 76

Referee:- Paul Alcock

Attendance;- 34,539

Teams:-

Spurs ( 4-4-2 ):- Walker; Carr, Perry, Scales, Taricco; Leonhardsen, Anderton ( sub Freund, 84 ), Sherwood ( capt ), Ginola; Ferdinand, Iversen

Subs not used:- Baardsen; Young; Fox, Korsten

Booked:- Walker ( when conceding his second penalty ! )

Everton ( 3-5-2 ):- Gerrard; Dunne, Weir, Gough; Ward ( sub Cleland, 72 ), Gemmill ( sub Hutchison, 72 ), Collins, Barmby, Unsworth; Jeffers ( sub Cadamarteri, 80), Campbell

Subs not used:- Simonsen; Short

Booked:- Gemmill, Ward.

The white haired gentleman in Row 1, seat 253 rose to leave the stadium after 79 minutes. No doubt, he considered that the omens were bad, and that Everton were going to gain their first league win at White Hart Lane since 1985, and only their second Premiership win over the home side. Spurs have a habit of scoring late goals against Everton though, and for the second consecutive game, they came from behind to score twice in a rousing conclusion, with goals from new boy Leonhardsen, and his fellow countryman, Steffen Iversen. Richard Gough, once a Spur, was visibly choked, and reacted as if he had lost a cup final.

Everton played standard away tactics, no doubt seeking a draw, and hoping to score on the break, through the pace of the re-instated Jeffers, and Kevin Campbell, who predictably drew the attention of the home fans for his old allegiance to a certain other club. These tactics so nearly bore fruit, as Walker was penalised twice for bringing down Jeffers, and Unsworth converted the penalties with ease. No doubt the visitors will feel aggrieved that Walker stayed on the pitch. I thought he was unlucky with the first offence, as Jeffers looked offside, but there was little doubt about the second, as he grabbed the youngster's ankles, and got away with a booking. Spurs fans will feel that they got what they deserved, but that they were made to work too hard for their victory which carries them to 4th position at this early juncture. Gerrard made at least three great saves, but eventually succumbed to the pressure.

Spurs had an early shot on goal from Anderton, with a free kick that was won by Ferdinand. Anderton surprisingly was the one who got his head on the end of a Taricco cross, but he glanced wide. For Spurs, both Anderton and Sherwood had excellent games. Both were playing box to box, with Sherwood bearing a little more of the defensive work, and Anderton finding himself in scoring positions with greater regularity than normal.

After 15 minutes, Dunne cruelly brought down Ginola ( escaping a booking ), and Iversen's header from Anderton's free kick brought the first of Gerrard's saves. Two minutes later, Anderton ran into the area, beating several players in the move, but his right foot shot was saved. Taricco and Ginola had combined to give Anderton this chance.

It wasn't all one way traffic, though, as Campbell gave Scales some problems at the other end, and managed to lob Ian Walker. The ball fell on top of the bar, and never quite looked as if it was going in. Everton then appealed in vain for a penalty, when Scales fairly shoulder-barged Barmby off the ball. Ginola responded with one of his solo efforts that culminated in a swerving left foot shot, wide of goal.

Then, after 24 minutes, came the visitors' first goal, against the run of play. Jeffers had won a corner, which was initially cleared but returned through the defence. Jeffers was to the fore, and carried the ball to the bye line about three yards left of the goal. Ian Walker scrambled to try and retrieve the ball, and whilst Jeffers did look offside, Walker may have been unlucky to have been penalised on this occasion. Unsworth coolly slotted the ball into the corner, just beyond Walker's reach.

Spurs were shaken into a higher gear, and the pressure started to build. After 33 minutes, Carr sent a lovely ball to Ginola, whose cross was met by Iversen's head, but again, Spurs were foiled by Gerrard. Anderton took the resulting corner, and captain Tim Sherwood rose to head his second goal of the season. There was time for some superb skill from Ginola before half time when he beautifully trapped a ball that fell from at least 50 feet. Anderton closed the half with another powerful free kick that Gerrard batted away.

Following the interval, Leonhardsen, and Iversen looked sharp, and combined well, with some sharp passes, and running into space (this is becoming a pleasant habit for Spurs !). Perry showed some superb defensive skill with a fine tackle on Campbell, which also turned into an excellent pass for Ginola. Spurs needed an early goal to truly assert themselves, and it nearly arrived after 51 minutes, when Sherwood chipped into the area, for Les Ferdinand to force another fine save. A surging break from defence led to Leonhardsen and Iversen setting up Darren Anderton who from the left of the area, only had the goalie to beat, but his left foot shot was off target. Stephen Carr (who so much deserves a goal at the lane), had a shot tipped over the bar, and Jeffers was the last man to gather the Iversen header on the line. Jeffers was then fouled by Scales as he came out of the area, and spent more time on the ground in this match, than Les Ferdinand has so far this season !

Everton made a double substitution, and after 76 minutes took another lead against the run of play. Jeffers was on his own, from a long ball into the area. Walker dived at his feet, and brought him down. This time, I don't think there was much doubt about the decision, and even George Graham admitted after the game, that Walker had been lucky to stay on. Again, Unsworth made no mistake.

Five minutes later, Spurs were on level terms. Ginola lofted a cross from the left, that just beat Gerrard, and reached Leonhardsen at the far post. With Unsworth and Gerrard to beat, Oyvind turned and hit a powerful short range shot high into the net.

Freund came on for the tiring Anderton, and with five minutes left on the clock, Steffen Iversen got on the end of a Carr cross to head home the winner. Freund himself had a powerful low drive go just wide. He will score one day !

Match of the Day tonight will probably not have time to show the passing demonstration that Spurs gave before the whistle. I lost count, but I suspect that it reached at least thirty. The man from Seat 253 will have missed that as well.

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