NB This post superseded by Sunderland 3 Spurs 1. three sublime points
Two first half goals for Darren Bent, a fabulous chance to score a hat trick before the interval and a fourth afterwards. And then Peter Crouch made life uncomfortable until Zenden’s eased the nerves….
Sunderland’s first-half tenacity and surging pressure made them great value for the two-goal lead.
Bent’s second came from a penalty for a clear handball, though Spurs will question the intent.
The third that eluded him would have been from a second penalty, this one harsher after Campbell seemed to run into an outstretched foot rather than actually be tripped by it. Outcome: reasonable spot kick, excellent save.
The third penalty was the clearest, but again Gomes defied Bent.
But only a Spurs diehard would have doubted that SAFC fully deserved the lead. And we’ve certainly paid our dues in terms of dodgy decisions against us.
Now, with Pete Sixsmith inside the ground and the other half of Salut! facing distraction by family commitments that threaten access to screens or radio commentary, it remains only to hope nothing goes wrong.
Tottenham’s livelier start after the break – and our second penalty miss – makes that caution appropriate. And then Crouch’s simple header put Spurs straight back in the game when we should have been out of sight.
Zenden’s goal came as Salut! struggled to keep in touch with the game, live commentary via the SAFC club site failing again for some reason and the dodgy streams dodgier than ever. It couldn’t have been more welcome.
Whatever happens, we look forward to the completely partisan second-half reports that may, for all we know, appear in the comments box between now and this evening.
* football beginning to mount a selfish rearguard action against family obligations.
NB I am a cretinous- and now linkless- web parasite
“It’s evidently very difficult to restrict activity on the Internet. But the politics do have a purpose in trying to regulate this sort of extreme pornography of children, both in their countries, and through the Internet,” said Bien-Aime.
Come on Steve; Modric left his leg there. Got to be a penalty. Gomes made up for the abysmal attempt to save from Campbell in the first minute.
Entertaining and deserved win with everything that makes football as brilliant as it is.
Next stop? Midtable mediocrity!
Neither were pens but we’re getting what we deserve after a terribly sluggish start. The way Cattermole is going, I would be surprised if he finishes the game.
PMSL
Goalkeeper pushes ball out and it goes straight to someone’s arm
THAT IS NEVER A PENALTY AND IF IT HAD GONE TO SPURS YOU WOULD BE QUITE RIGHTLY OUTRAGED