Tottenham Hotspur 9-1 Wigan
Defoe scores five as Tottenham on cloud nine after Wigan romp
Sunday, 22, Nov 2009 08:08
By Lewis Bazley.
Jermain Defoe scored five goals as Tottenham Hotspur beat Wigan Athletic 9-1 at White Hart Lane to seal their biggest top-flight win.
Peter Crouch gave the home team the lead in the ninth minute but the 1-0 half-time score gave no hint of the rout that was to follow.
Defoe capitalised on some slack Wigan defending to claim a seven-minute hat-trick - the second fastest in the Premier League - with the visitors' only reply coming from a Paul Scharner strike that elicited boos from the home support over an alleged handball.
Aaron Lennon, making a brilliant return to first-team action after injury, scored with a low drive before Defoe added two more to cap a fantastic performance.
Spurs' eighth came in fortunate fashion as a David Bentley free-kick rebounded off Chris Kirkland's back before an unmarked Niko Kranjcar smashed home a ninth in injury time.
Tottenham move to fourth, three points ahead of fifth-placed Aston Villa, and only goal difference separates Spurs and north London rivals Arsenal.