Martins stuns Spurs in thriller
Obafemi Martins inspired Newcastle to record a 3-2 victory at
Tottenham Hotspur in a game that was the very definition of a
five-goal thriller.
The Magpies looked destined for defeat in the face of some
determined and inventive attacking football from Spurs, but
summoned the necessary character to record their first win in four
games and move into 11th place in the Premiership after instigating
a superb turnaround.
Martin Jol's side had already seen Paul Huntington reply to Jermain
Defoe's opener when Dimitar Berbatov seemingly struck the decisive
blow on 54 minutes, but Martins awoke from his slumber to transform
the game in the space of 90 seconds.
The summer signing from Internazionale rifled a stunning effort
past Paul Robinson on 72 minutes before then playing in Nicky Butt
for the unlikely winner in what was a non-stop game at White Hart
Lane.
Spurs' irresistible attacking play forced Shay Given to make a
series of saves within the first 15 minutes as the North Londoners
threatened to overwhelm their Geordie opponents.
Steed Malbranque and Berbatov were both denied by the Magpies'
stand-in captain, but Given reserved his best save for Defoe when
he somehow clawed the England striker's downward header off the
line.
However, on 14 minutes Spurs made the inevitable breakthrough after
quarter of an hour of relentless attacking, and whilst their
efforts certainly merited a goal, the strike itself was highly
contentious.
Malbranque found acres of space down the left hand side and as he
flicked the ball across goal Defoe simply slotted past Given from
close range despite appearing to be in an offside position.
Inside two minutes the scoreline changed again, but remarkably it
was Newcastle, with their first chance of the game, who silenced
the previously jubilant White Hart Lane crowd.
Young defender Huntington, following in the footsteps of David
Edgar who scored from left-back against Manchester United, drilled
a shot in off Paul Robinson from a tight angle after his header
from a set-piece had only bounced back off Antoine Sibierski at the
back post.
The goal came like a bolt from the blue and knocked Spurs off their
stride, but Malbranque tried to recapture their swagger when he
lofted the ball just wide from nearly 35 yards after Given had
rushed out of his box to clear.
In an open, attacking game that was a superb advert for all that is
best about the high-octane Premiership, Sibierski and Martins both
went close, whilst Given continued to sparkle at the other end as
he got down quickly to block Aaron Lennon's effort.
In the last five minutes of the first half Berbatov began to exert
more influence on the game with two more shots at Given's
under-siege goal, and the efforts continued to come thick and fast
as Defoe tried to chip the shot-stopper from 25 yards before
fizzing another shot wide.
Both sides had adrenalin coursing through their veins following a
breathless first 45 minutes, and tempers boiled over after the half
time whistle as Pascal Chimbonda and Butt became involved in a
physical confrontation which saw yellow cards issued to both
players.
Given had also become infuriated with the antics of Berbatov and
Chimbonda as he tried to take goal-kicks, and as both teams trudged
down the tunnel both sets of players started jostling to add to the
drama of an lively evening at White Hart Lane.
Young Magpies midfielder Matty Pattison went close with a header
from James Milner's deep cross early in the second half, but Spurs
got the second goal their efforts clearly deserved through Berbatov
on 54 minutes.
The Bulgarian's bouncing volley evaded both Given and Solano, and
came immediately after the Peruvian had produced a fantastic
sliding block to deny Teemu Tainio.
Soon after, Defoe blasted a shot from outside the box as Given was
again forced to stem the tide of Spurs' attacks, and Tom
Huddlestone joined in with a shot that flew only inches wide after
taking a deflection off Dyer.
However, inside two minutes The Magpies turned the game on its head
and Martins was the catalyst with a superb finish on 72
minutes.
After playing a square ball to Dyer the Nigerian striker drifted
out to the left side of the Spurs box, and after receiving the ball
back from his colleague hit a stunning shot into the top corner
that seared past Robinson like laser-guided missile.
The former Internazionale man was instrumental in Newcastle's third
just a minute later, as he played a neat reverse pass to Butt who
slid his shot past the dumbfounded Robinson for a barely believable
lead given Tottenham's previous dominance.
Jol threw on Robbie Keane in a bid to find an equaliser, and the
Republic of Ireland international quickly saw a goal-bound effort
blocked by the arm of Solano as The Magpies rode their luck.
Berbatov also headed just wide and Defoe went closer still when he
rattled the post with a venomous shot after 80 minutes, but despite
their multitude of chances Spurs could not take what would have
been a deserved point in a game that will live long in the
memory.
