Premier League - Hull compound Spurs' misery

Eurosport - Mon, 06 Oct 08:17:00 2008

Premier League new boys Hull City completed a memorable week by beating Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 at White Hart Lane.

FOOTBALL 2008-2009 Premier League Tottenham-Hull City - 0

Brazilian winger Geovanni was the hero once again, rifling a superb free-kick from all of 35 yards straight into the top corner. Tottenham carved out enough chances to win the game, with the best falling to Jonathan Woodgate, but he could only find the woodwork, while Spurs' three strikers all misfired again.

At the other end, Hull almost benefited from more awful defending, with Dean Marney striking a post and Marlon King missing a one-on-one with Heurelho Gomes.

Juande Ramos' side remain rooted to the bottom of the table, while Phil Brown and his Hull side can look at the table from the dizzy heights of third position.

If there was a nervous atmosphere around the capacity crowd at White Hart Lane after the team's poor start to the season, it did not seem to affect Aaron Lennon, who tore into Hull right from the kick-off, and won the home side a corner, from which Gareth Bale had a snap-shot cleared off the line.

It wasn't long before alarm bells were ringing in the Spurs defence though, as a flick-on from Daniel Cousin fell to Geovanni, only for the Brazilian to blaze over with only his compatriot Gomes to beat.

The frenetic pace and shambolic defending from both sides continued, and Roman Pavlyuchenko was the next to have the goal open up in front of him, though he saw his shot saved by Boaz Myhill after a cross from Lennon had caused a scramble in the Hull area.

There seemed to be little concern around the home fans when Vedran Corluka went straight into the back of King to concede a free-kick, such was the distance from goal, but those who remembered Geovanni's wonder strike against Arsenal had due cause to worry. The Brazilian stepped up and rifled the ball straight into the top corner with Gomes rooted firmly to the spot.

The pace and trickery of the elusive Lennon kept alive the home fans' hope of a quick equaliser, though their sieve-like defence ensured Hull looked just as likely to grab a second goal - never more so than when a sharp turn on the edge of the area from Marney somehow saw him with time to pick out the bottom corner, though he dropped to his knees with head in hands as the ball rebounded away off the inside of the post, Gomes once again beaten.

Gareth Bale then showed his own dead-ball prowess, forcing Myhill to tip a superbly-struck free-kick from long distance onto the cross bar.

Pavlyuchenko, who has earlier landed heavily on his right knee, was replaced by Darren Bent on 35 minutes, before Spurs' best chance of the half fell to Woodgate. A superb pull-back from Lennon found the big defender unmarked 15 yards out, but his volley was deflected onto the post and away.

For a man that commanded a hefty £16 million transfer fee, Luka Modric has been decidedly anonymous so far in his short Tottenham career, though he gave a glimpse of his undoubted talent as he chipped a glorious ball over the defence for Bent to race onto, though the striker saw his delicate chip round Myhill roll agonisingly past the post.

Frazier Campbell headed wide before David Bentley was also off-target with a vicious right foot shot, while Didier Zokora also picked out the increasingly frustrated North Stand with a long-range effort.

After a neat exchange between Lennon and Bent it finally it seemed to have opened up for Bent on the penalty spot, but he then took an unnecessary touch to bring the ball onto his favoured right-foot, allowing Paul McShane the time to get across and make the block.

For all Spurs' huffing and puffing, neither Bent nor Campbell looked like they were about to pull out the all-important equaliser, and it could have got even worse for Spurs when Marlon King raced through on goal, though Gomes saved well with his feet.

Giovani dos Santos was brought on to replace Lennon, though Spurs' creativity seemed to disappear along with the little winger, and Hull were able to make it a second memorable trip to North London for their noisy band of travelling fans in the space of a week.

Mick Fitzgerald / Eurosport

Comment 9 - 28 of 68

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  1. g

    From tommyshin12, on Sun 5 Oct 7:24PM
  2. T.H are playing liuke @#$% faries!

    From lee, on Sun 5 Oct 7:17PM
  3. Today Spurs dominated possession, hit the woodwork, but­ didn't get the rub. Other side of middle east need­ to take over and change the luck - star of david to­ change to moon and crescent !!! Bye bye levy n comolli,­ please sell up - take ramos with u

    From ispurs, on Sun 5 Oct 7:12PM
  4. Spurs at this very moment in time are hot hot­ favourites for the drop.
    I s that good or bad for­ football.
    I dont know.
    But For Daniel Levy its sweet­ justice.
    You reap what you sow mate,and the seeds you­ set last year in your treatment and betrayal of Martin­ Jol has now come back to haunt you.
    Yess indeed there­ is justice in this world.

    From MICHAEL M, on Sun 5 Oct 7:11PM
  5. Spurs will win the premiership DUDH

    From connorgardener, on Sun 5 Oct 7:04PM
  6. Bien joué les Tigres !!! Allez Hull City­ !!!
    Congratulations from France - That will be an­ unforgetable week !!!

    From Olive76130, on Sun 5 Oct 6:53PM
  7. The Housemartins had an LP called "London 0 Hull­ 4". Perhaps this was prophetic. First Fulham, then­ Arsenal and now Tottenham. Next match is West Ham for­ the set!

    From maggie.shields, on Sun 5 Oct 6:51PM
  8. Tottering Hotspur !

    From Old Mr Happy, on Sun 5 Oct 6:41PM
  9. Yes, I've supported Spurs since 1961, and Daniel­ Levy and the rest of the board have got exactly what­ they deserved after their despicable treatment of­ Martin Jol last year.

    Sad...

    From jj1471, on Sun 5 Oct 6:40PM
  10. well am so happy for spurs and there supporters ....­ they are where they belong.. and headin south , last­ season the board and supporters hung out the best­ manager they had in years to dry , martin jol he done­ an outstanding job with an average club and average­ players. then went off to spain an poached the clem­ thehave in charge now ... hahahaha, spurs are only a­ stop over club for any player whos half decent just a­ selling club where decent players sell there skills so­ the can be bought by bigger clubs THATS A FACT carrick­ sheringham keane berbatov kanuote lineker gasgoine(if­ they didnt drive him to drink)sol campell too name a­ few there careers picked after moving on. where there­ fans get these elevated expections is laughable..
    more­ of the same please Juande ...

    From jonathan c, on Sun 5 Oct 6:39PM
  11. I have been supporting Spurs since 1948 and I can­ honestly say this is the worst Spurs team I can­ remember. They play like Sunday morning pub teams ( no­ offence Pub teams!)and considering the transfer fees­ and saleries are a disgrace to the greats of White Hart­ Lane. Time for Ramos to be sent packing and a British­ manager to be appointed, if only, to save us from­ relegation!

    From Striker, on Sun 5 Oct 6:27PM
  12. As a Chelsea fan I have to say Hats off to Hull - Nice­ one :)) And Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha to Spurs

    What a waste of­ money you all are - Bring back Venables!!! Isn't­ that whats happening at Newcastle - Moving backwards in­ time, ready to see the Championship next year.

    From H C, on Sun 5 Oct 6:25PM
  13. Most of the new signings were a direct result of Mr­ Damien Comolli's executive decision making - enough­ said -
    Goodbye Damien, or is it going to be Hello the­ Championship!

    From Paul, on Sun 5 Oct 6:24PM
  14. hahah tot are done for this seasoon!! see you next year­ :D

    From Amin E, on Sun 5 Oct 6:21PM
  15. HULL FOR EUROPEAN FOOTBALL!

    From Ted, on Sun 5 Oct 6:19PM
  16. hull in europe next year ?????????

    well done the­ tigers

    From andy w, on Sun 5 Oct 6:12PM
  17. Go home you Spanish idiot. This is the English Premier­ League. This is where football is played as it should­ be. A game for men competing against men. We don't­ pass the ball between defenders for 10 minutes at a­ time, and then try to move towards the mid-field in the­ hope that they will move the ball to a forward about 10­ minutes later whilst the defenders stand and look at­ their manicure, take out their mobile phones and phone­ their hairdressers to confirm their appointment for­ 10.00am on Monday.

    Now you have learnt the truth go­ back home to your gay Spanish league

    Haha haha haha

    From trouble, on Sun 5 Oct 6:10PM
  18. get rid of ramos &co bring back venables at least­ he can speak english .
    from pete

    From NO 1 GARDENER, on Sun 5 Oct 6:01PM
  19. Just a week ago the Spurs fan were laughing at us­ Gooners but who's laughing now!!
    Spurs bottem its­ good to be a Gooner.

    From tc, on Sun 5 Oct 5:57PM
  20. Whats the average cost of tickets in the championship?­ It got to be cheaper than this scam at WHL.

    From Steve M, on Sun 5 Oct 5:54PM
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