Fulham 0 (0)Tottenham 2 (2)
Fulham were left still teetering perilously above the relegation zone by
two goals in four minutes which righted Tottenham's recent wrongs.
A lucky deflection off Teddy Sheringham's face and an instinctive effort
from Gus Poyet saw Glenn Hoddle's men end a run of three straight Premiership
defeats in a London derby best described as low-key.
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Fulham
striker Steve Marlet unlucky against Spurs
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Tottenham's victory eased their fears of being dragged into the relegation
dog fight but increased the pressure on Fulham boss Jean Tigana with his
team's sixth successive defeat in the league.
Fulham made the brighter start. But the game turned against them when
England striker Sheringham - back from injury - scored his ninth goal
of the season.
Alain Goma conceded a free-kick on the right edge of the Fulham box when
he whacked Steffen Iversen in the head with his elbow as the pair jumped
for a header.
Christian Ziege drilled in a low shot with his left foot which hit Sylvain
Legwinski on the end of the wall and then deflected off Sheringham's head
and past hapless goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar.
Ziege was again influential three minutes later when he charged into
the box and hit a fierce drive which van der Sar could only parry. Poyet
pounced to stroke home the rebound for his 13th goal of the season.
Tigana and his men will be glad to see the back of Spurs this season,
having been well beaten 4-0 at White Hart Lane in the league earlier in
the season and also knocked out of the Worthington Cup at Craven Cottage
by Hoddle's team.
In front of their lowest league gate of the season, just under 16,000,
due to efforts to control Spurs fans following their bad behaviour at
Craven cottage earlier in the season,Fulham had made the early running;
yet it was Spurs who forced the first real chance in the third minute.
Goalkeeper Neil Sullivan's long punt to the left flank was picked up
by Poyet, who delivered an early cross into Fulham box. Iversen out-jumped
Goma but could only direct his header over the bar.
Spurs put together another good move after 11 minutes when Ziege played
a ball over the top to pick out Iversen down the right. His cross dropped
on the head of an unmarked Sheringham, but he headed tamely into the arms
of van der Sar despite having enough time to maybe bring down the ball
and try a shot.
Spurs won a free-kick when Sheringham was bundled over after 25 minutes.
He quickly fed it out to Darren Anderton on the right, and his dangerous
cross was met at the far post by Iversen - but van der Sar palmed his
effort behind for a corner.
The visitors were on the up and then effectively sealed the points with
those two goals in the space of three minutes.
Fulham had a good chance to pull back a goal on the stroke of half-time
as Steve Marlet sent in a good cross from the right, but Barry Hayles
headed over.
Spurs should have increased their lead inside the first two minutes of
the restart.
Anthony Gardner played a clever ball over the top, and Iversen beat the
offside trap to meet it.
The Norwegian international striker was clean through with just van der
Sar to beat, but he blasted the ball wide of the right-hand post from
the edge of the box.
It was no surprise when he dropped to the floor and held his head in
a mixture of shame and embarrassment.
There was a scramble in the Spurs box after 52 minutes as Marlet's delicate
cross left Sullivan stranded - and when the ball fell to Steed Malbranque
he scooped his shot over the bar.
Spurs were enjoying all the luck, and in the 71st minute Hayles crossed
from the left for Marlet who saw his header hit the post. The ball ran
across the line before Ben Thatcher hooked it clear, with Sullivan again
in no-man's land.
Anderton was rested after 75 minutes as Welsh international Simon Davies
was introduced by Hoddle.
The substitute should have scored with his first touch when he had a
free header from Iversen's cross - but he sent it over the bar.
It mattered not as Spurs held on to record their first win since March 2
in what was Hoddle's 50th game in charge, leaving FA Cup semi-finalists
Fulham without a league victory of their own since February 9.
Fulham: Van der Sar, Finnan, Goma, Ouaddou, Harley (Brevett 58),
Malbranque, Legwinski, Davis, Hayles, Marlet, Saha.
Subs Not Used: Taylor, Melville, Collins, Boa Morte.
Booked: Malbranque, Goma.
Tottenham: Sullivan, Perry, King, Gardner, Thatcher, Anderton
(Davies 75), Sherwood, Poyet, Ziege, Iversen, Sheringham.
Subs Not Used: Keller, Rebrov, Etherington, Thelwell.
Booked: Gardner, Sherwood.
Goals: Sheringham 28, Poyet 32.
Att: 15,885 Ref: P Durkin (Dorset).