There Are Days Like This

By Peter Gilbert

Tottenham Hotspur 3 Leicester City 0

Roughly half way through the second half we'd had three players booked and Gerry Taggart sent off. To be fair Rob Harris the referee had been entirely consistent and had ignored everything City appealed for including a penalty. Spurs players could apparently launch wild tackles unhindered whilst their fans bayed for Robbie Savage's blood. Savage and Akinbiyi were taken off and replaced with Impey and Eadie, it was at that moment that PT appeared to be going for a damage limitation exercise and we had lost our number 1 combatant much to the delight of the mindless hordes at White Hart Lane. Robbie was incensed and I thought it was rather like throwing the towel in.

Ferdinand scored the Spurs goals; 2 in the first half and the home crowd were ecstatic putting aside their all consuming prejudices they aim at their manager, for this week at least. What is it about these Spurs fans? They are foul and they always manage to leave a nasty taste in the mouth.

Izzett was brought down in the penalty area and Harris gave us an indirect free kick when we should quite clearly have had a penalty or nothing.

It was good to see PT exchanging a few words with the Spurs bench, at least he wasn't in their pockets.

Clemence (son of Ray, the worst goal keeper ever to play for England, the failed manager of Barnet who surprisingly popped up as a top coach for the England national team) playing in midfield was to put it mildly; fiery and deliberately provocative launching his first obscenity on our Robbie after only 50 seconds.

With 15 minutes to go Benjamin was replaced by Cresswell as our blood reached boiling point. Our strikers had not enjoyed their afternoon, they'd been off target and generally out of sorts.

Carr was applauded wildly as he was substituted, the Spurs fans were delighted by the dive he had concocted - a dive which had delivered a red card for Gerry Taggart. He was replaced by the master of all masters of this footballing art form otherwise known as 'cheating' as I would prefer to call it.....yes none other than Stefan Freund we'll never forget him....it was just a pity Robbie wasn't still on the pitch to give him something to dive about.

The game I hear you call, what about the game? Well we were spirited and committed but we were never in it for some reason.

With 6 mins to go Anderton shot, Royce diving to his right could only palm it away and it fell straight to Ferdinand who completed his hat trick with ease and we had to hear that foul drumming they play here when they score a goal. His first goal was a gift following a mistake by Rowett. His second a mish mash affair following Royce's indecision at a corner.

Shortly afterwards City won a corner. Lennon took it and Rowett met it with his head perfectly, it flew goalwards but came back off the bar.

'Savage Savage what's the score' bayed the mindless....which made me realise just how low some people will stoop in pursuit of their pleasures. What is certain is that these same fans will be baying for George Graham's blood in the near future such is their treachery.

Sinclair kept up a spirited attitude charging forward and shooting, forcing Sullivan to scramble to his right.

3 mins of stoppage time to play and we just wanted it all over and already I was dreaming of the return match at Filbert Street.

Davidson broke away and ran at goal, Campbell just pulled him straight to the ground and was not booked. Why am I not surprised?

It was a shame, we trebled our away goals conceded tally in one cold damp afternoon.

We expected an unpleasant walk back to the car and that's what we got feeling about as welcome as a ham sandwich at a bar mitzvah with all the usual taunts and comments that we've heard from this lot before.

We will not forget...... we will be back......stronger than ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

There are days like this.

Player Performance

Royce: Not impressive

Rowett: A mixed afternoon.

Taggart: Playing well incensed by his sending off.

Sinclair: Showed good spirit.

Elliott: Majestic, imperious but he too had nothing to do.

Davidson: A quiet game ended up injured.

*Savage: The Booking was a formality really, the ref might just as well have booked him in the tunnel. It made the afternoon for the home fans, shame he was taken off as that gesture announced the end of our battle.

Lennon: OK ish.

Izzett: Lively, but became despondent following diabolical refereeing.

Akinbiyi: Confidence appears to have evaporated.

~Benjamin: Never threatened the scoreboard.

Subs:

Eadie: Came on, went off at the end of the game, otherwise he was not noticeable.

Impey: Looked quite keen, I wonder if he sold any tickets outside before the game?

Cresswell: Put himself about, but the ball is no friend of his.

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