Men's

Matchday 4

White Hart Lane

Sat 30 Aug 2003 | 15:00

Tottenham Hotspur Badge

0

-

3

  • Hayles
    23'
  • Hayles
    67'
  • Morte
    71'

Match Report

Barry Hayles scored twice and set up another goal to hand Fulham a deserved victory at White Hart Lane.

Hayles struck in the 23rd and 67th minute and then created a 71st minute goal for strike-partner Luis Boa Morte as the Cottagers put their miserable week behind them in some style.

By contrast, Spurs looked a shadow of the side who had taken four points from their last two games.

And the pressure may be back on manager Glenn Hoddle after his side was jeered from the field at full-time.

This was the first London derby of the Premiership season but it was as if nothing had changed for Hoddle, whose team failed to beat Fulham at home or away last term.

Spurs - who announced before the game they had signed midfielder Stephane Dalmat on loan from Inter Milan - never looked like turning that record around in this match.

The first real chance for either side came after 16 minutes and was created by Rohan Ricketts - the man whose place is most under threat from Dalmat's arrival.

Ricketts drifted past two defenders and slipped a pass through to Frederic Kanoute, whose shot was blocked by goalkeeper Edwin Van Der Sar.

The next opportunity fell to Fulham, when Keller saved Steed Malbranque's effort, but it wasn't long before the visitors took the lead.

Hayles reached a long-range pass from Lee Clark and got away from both Dean Richards and Anthony Gardner before drilling the ball past Kasey Keller.

There was still time before the break for good saves at either end - Van Der Sar holding on to Ledley King's volley and Keller keeping out a chip from Hayles.

On 66 minutes, Spurs came within a whisker of equalising when Helder Postiga's header struck an upright.

But they were soon further behind when substitute Darren Anderton's pass put Richards in trouble and Hayles rushed in to take the ball away from the centre-back and fire home from the edge of the penalty area.

Four minutes later, more excellent work from Hayles ended with a cross which Boa Morte slotted home.