Five-goal Spurs thump Addicks
A summer signing for Bayer Leverkusen, Dimitar Berbatov is settling into life at Spurs
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Saturday, 09, Dec 2006 09:26
Tottenham Hotspur's strikeforce finally clicked to rip apart a dispirited Charlton side at White Hart Lane and set up a resounding 5-1 win.
It had all started so differently however with the visitors, buoyed by their midweek win over Blackburn Rovers, having the best of the opening minutes.
Winger Lloyd Sam, a product of the Addicks youth academy, had been at the heart of that vital victory and went closest to an early goal as Tottenham were saved by skipper Ledley King's full-stretch intervention.
After that bright start, however, Les Reed's side found themselves a goal down on the half-hour mark as Bulgarian striker Dimitar Berbatov's clinical finish rewarded Aaron Lennon's delicate flick.
Teemu Tainio doubled the lead just three minutes later, burying a ball that bobbled out to him on the edge of the area with a fierce low shot to leave the south London outfit shellshocked.
Andy Reid, playing against his old club, offered a glimmer of hope when his dangerous cross found the back of Paul Robinson's net via the outstretched foot of Michael Dawson just before the break. Any chance of a comeback withered in the second period, however.
Steed Malbranque scored his first in Spurs colours ten minutes after the restart before goals from Jermain Defoe and a second from Berbatov sent Charlton back to the Valley with relegation worries back at the forefront of their minds.