Carling Cup - Tottenham onslaught stuns Burnley

Eurosport - Wed, 07 Jan 10:25:00 2009

A sensational second half display from Spurs gave them a 4-1 win over Burnley in their Carling Cup semi-final first leg at White Hart Lane.

2008-2009 Carling Cup Tottenham-Burnley - 0

Martin Paterson gave the visitors a shock first-half lead, but Harry Redknapp's side came roaring back to score four times after the break as Burnley 's defence imploded.

Michael Dawson headed home from a corner to equalise from Jamie O'Hara's corner before the provider turned scorer when the midfielder netted a second five minutes later.

Roman Pavlyuchenko then came alive with a clinical finish after an incisive run into the Burnley area to give the hosts a two-goal cushion, before Michael Duff's unfortunate headed own-goal gave the scoreline a lop-sided appearance - and one that was very harsh on the visitors.

Jermain Defoe had been paraded in front of a vociferous home crowd prior to kick-off and the match started at a heady pace, with both sides keen to zip the ball around.

But White Hart Lane was stunned in the 15th minute as Chris Eagles bypassed the challenges of David Bentley and Gareth Bale to deliver a pin-point cross, which found Paterson at the back post for the simplest of tap-ins.

And it could have been worse for the hosts minutes later. Eagles whipped in another precise cross from the right, and the seemingly invisible Robbie Blake ghosted in to meet it with his head, the ball narrowly drifting wide of Heurelho Gomes's far post.

Immediately Spurs were shocked into action, and when Bentley's cross was headed down by Jonathan Woodgate into the path of Roman Pavlyuchenko they thought they had equalised - but the Russian brought out a point-blank stop by Brian Jensen.

Owen Coyle then made an enforced change as Kevin McDonald, who was adjudged to be unfit to start the match, replaced the injured Joey Gudjohnsson.

But Harry Redknapp then delivered a stirring half-time team-talk which prompted a rejuvenated Spurs display in the second period, while Burnley 's previously stout defence proceeded to implode.

Just after half time substitute O'Hara, with almost his first touch, floated in a corner which Dawson powered past Jensen after rising above Clarke Carlisle.

Then, in the 52nd minute, O'Hara turned scorer with a scuffed shot which squirmed between the legs of Jensen, who really should have saved the midfielder's effort.

The keeper, who had been lauded for his contribution earlier in the competition, appeared distraught after referee Martin Atkinson refused to let him wear his lucky grey shirt for fear of a kit-clash, and he was left bemoaning his luck after his aberration.

Pavlyuchenko then produced a touch of brilliance to add a third in the 65th minute, with a sharp turn and run into the visitors' box before drilling a shot past Jensen into the bottom corner of the net.

Three minutes later, Clarets defender Duff, who had looked sprightly in the first half, epitomised his team's demise with a hapless headed clearance which beat his own keeper at his near post and gave Spurs their fourth.

Yet just as the Championship side's capitulation threatened to end the tie entirely Owen Coyle's men denied further damage being inflicted, despite looking clearly jaded.

Burnley went into the game looking to add a fourth Premier League scalp to their Carling Cup campaign - having already knocked out Fulham, Chelsea and Arsenal - but they ended the evening despondently with a mountain to climb at Turf Moor in two weeks' time.

Dan Quarrell / Eurosport

Comment 20 - 39 of 39

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  1. Reply to 34: I went back to The Lane last night and sat high up in the Paxton end. I honestly couldn't believe the savage treatment being meated out to Bently and Bale. It was obvious ently was having a mare and should have been substituted earlier, not to mention I think he's gained a stone in weight since he arrived.
    However, Garath Bale IS a good player, he's young, he's fit, he's skillful, and he's got the energy down the wing we need. Slating him every time he got the ball - before he even passed it, was out of order. Opinions - yes, constant criticism and calling him "monkey boy" won't make him better.
    I was watching Modric in the first half and he was doing nothing, poor Zakora had the whole midfield to cover and was being pulled from pillar to post.
    Furthermore, the morons calling him these types of names were made to shut up in the second half, by the team in general.
    Get behind the team, and stop singling individuals out - PLEASE.

    From alancrossan, on Wed 7 Jan 7:43PM

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    From Xioasd S, on Wed 7 Jan 5:23PM

  3. Reply to 36: Come on, the Burnley fans were just pleased to heading for (at the time) their fifth win against a PL team. That and that they had beaten Arsenal in the last round and they know they are your big rivals. They also sang are you Chelsea in disguise. With some humour later in the match the Spurs fans sang back are you Arsenal / West Ham in disguise. As posting 19 says, they will probably sing some more considering how sensitive Spurs' eogs are. Burnley vs. Spurs in 1993 - Teddy Sheringham was taunted with "you'll never play for England" - he played poorly and the constant chanting affected him and he was subsitituted. Luckily he did successfully play for England - sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

    From stewart.ayrey, on Wed 7 Jan 3:37PM

  4. up the spurs

    From caserod, on Wed 7 Jan 12:58PM

  5. Ok read through a couple of these and felt i needed to say something, 1st off Man U havent even played Derby yet the match is tonite so whos to say they'll beat them?? ok its Man U but if u look at there situation the LC is hardly there priority.

    Another thing Burnley fans singing are you Arsenal in disguise against a PL side that were'nt even playing at 30% of there ability in the 20th minute of the 1st half was def. a big mistake, 89th minute and that would have been funny even for me but come on you really didnt think you were going to take a 1-0 win at WHL, ok i give your dues you beat 3 PL teams already and im really happy for you no messing I thought it was a great achievment and you deserve your place in the semi-final but once you get cocky and arrogant @#$% always seems to happen, good luck in 2nd leg though I mean beating a @#$% PL side shud be easy right?

    COYS

    From Martin S, on Wed 7 Jan 11:01AM

  6. we're fickle fans because we invest good money in the club and expect our highly paid players to go out and give 100% every minute on the pitch, not just the second half after the manager has ripped into them..............

    From Wayne, on Wed 7 Jan 9:24AM

  7. As a Burnley fan at the game (sat in the East Stand with Spurs fans) I was amazed by two things in the game. 1. How completely differently Spurs played in the two halves (relegation form in the fist half, cup winning form in the second) - must of been one hell of a talk from Harry and 2. How fickle the fans were around me - get behind your team!

    From stewart.ayrey, on Wed 7 Jan 9:05AM

  8. anthony b please tell me thr last time the arseholes won anything,or should i ask my grandad because my memory doesnt go that far back

    From andy, on Wed 7 Jan 9:00AM

  9. stfu bvus im mixed raced i aint any cleverer then other races

    From darkfury18, on Wed 7 Jan 8:52AM

  10. Kudos to Burnley, took the game to us in the 1st half and should've been more than 1-0 up. Arry and O'Hara contrived to change all that, couldn't believe the difference, a classic game of two halves. It aint over, till it's over, COYS !!! Now just to get the form rolling into the EPL ....

    From ispurs, on Wed 7 Jan 7:57AM

  11. pavlyuchenko the best!!!!!!!!!!!!

    From glebantonov, on Wed 7 Jan 7:49AM

  12. Burnley put up a good fight in the first half,played with a good game plan. But the truth is in the second half Spurs showed the gulf in quality by being able to change their plan. O'hara looked like a 16m man,unlike the useless dud he replaced!!Harry now knows he cant play Bently and Lennon together, because our midfield was swamped in the first half.Bale is not a decent left back, I would be looking for a new one right now!!

    From Wayne, on Wed 7 Jan 7:12AM

  13. well it looks like consecative cup wins for spurs as man-utd are not as good as they were last season,they don't really field there best team for the carling cup,although with there squad not really playing great football as there leaque posistion shows,this maybe there only chance of any real glory this season,maybe derby will put them out of there misery,now that would be great,and could well happen,as utd have often lost to lower division teams.

    From , on Wed 7 Jan 7:10AM

  14. WELCOME TO THE PREMIERSHIP BURNLEY,IF YOU PLAY LIKE YOU DID AGAINST SPURS,YOU SHOULD ROMP THE CHAMPIONSHIP,GOOD LUCK IN THE F.A. CUP REPLAY,YOU DIDNT DESERVE THE 4 1 DEFEAT
    BUT IT HAPPENED SO GET ON WITH THE REST OF YOUR SEASON.
    FROM A SPURS FAN.

    From jim, on Wed 7 Jan 6:58AM

  15. Spurs are a second rate team and only our grandads can tell us of any glory years.
    Since then they have been moderate to poor.
    The only glimmer of success has been sporadic cup wins.
    Despite many good managers and lots of money spent, what exactly can they stand up and be proud of?
    Oh yes, that they are close to Arsenal.

    From El-Tony., on Wed 7 Jan 6:18AM

  16. Can anybody telll me whn was the last tym a team successfully defended the carlingcup? Not tht i think tottenham have a chance against MANU? just for info sakes

    From harshad, on Wed 7 Jan 5:17AM

  17. Tottenham is a good team in the wrong positions of the premier league. Now they're going to defend their carling cup and its a good thing for such a mediocre team. It's better if they could match fix and get the history on their side....their only consecutive cup retention...ahahahchag.

    From Majoser, on Wed 7 Jan 5:05AM

  18. Spurs, time to release a new DVD :).

    From Hamad K, on Wed 7 Jan 5:04AM

  19. Youve gotta play Burnley at home though and although Spurs have a cash and decent players Turf Moor could turn into a nightmare for your struggling prem side well lets wait and see what transpires you MUGS

    From dorian.edmondson, on Wed 7 Jan 4:45AM

  20. ouchhh. burnley better luck next time

    From ugospur, on Wed 7 Jan 4:34AM
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