2-2 v Reading FC - 5 January 2008 - Home

Tottenham Hotspur Badge

Spurs 2

Reading FC

Reading FC

2

  • Hunt
    25'
    78'
Details
Match Number

6673

Opposition
Reading

Reading FC

Opposition Level

1

Competition
Fa cup

FA Cup

Round / Leg

Round 3

Original Match

Season

2007/08

Date

5th January 2008

Kick Off

15:00

Venue

White Hart Lane

Attendance

35,243

Referee

Mark Clattenburg

Weather at Kick Off

8.2° - Partly Cloudy

Facts & Milestones
  • 6638th overall match (3144 wins, 1456 draws, 2025 losses)

  • 5115th competitive match (2273 wins, 1200 draws, 1642 losses)

  • team

    89th match vs Reading FC (41 wins, 29 draws, 19 losses)

  • competition

    395th FA Cup match (203 wins, 97 draws, 95 losses)

  • 6106th match in England (2841 wins, 1373 draws, 1879 losses)

  • 2727th match at White Hart Lane (1593 wins, 585 draws, 549 losses)

  • 27th consecutive match with a goal scored

Report

Stephen Hunt's late equaliser for Reading set up a replay at the Madejski Stadium on Tuesday week for a place in the FA Cup fourth round. A bizarre Paul Robinson error from Hunt's free-kick gave Reading the lead, but Dimitar Berbatov's lashed finish and penalty put Spurs ahead.

But a weakened Reading team hit back when Robinson spilled Leroy Lita's shot and Hunt netted the rebound.

Spurs substitute Tom Huddlestone was sent off late on for a head-butt.

Reading boss Steve Coppell, who prioritises league survival over the world's oldest cup competition, sprang no surprises by essentially fielding a reserve side.

He made eight changes from the team which lost 6-4 to Spurs at White Hart Lane in the Premier League seven days ago.

Spurs manager Juande Ramos fielded his strongest line-up, with skipper Ledley King back in the heart of defence.

The game soon burst into action when in the fifth minute Berbatov's square pass found Robbie Keane but, completely unchallenged, the Republic of Ireland international managed to steer the ball wide of the open goal from seven yards out.

That howler was nothing compared to what happened on 25 minutes.

From 45 yards out and near the touchline, Reading midfielder Hunt drifted a free-kick towards Robinson's goal and with no Reading players able to make contact, the Spurs keeper claimed a simple catch.

His momentum, however, carried him backwards into his goal and though Robinson eventually pushed the ball away, the linesman judged that he had carried it behind the line in his outstretched arms and a goal was awarded.

Spurs hit back immediately when Aaron Lennon's clever dinked pass found Berbatov in space in the penalty area.

With Reading's static back-line wrongly claiming for offside, the Bulgarian striker simply controlled the ball and lashed it past Adam Federici into the top corner.

Spurs took the game to Reading after the break and took the lead on 55 minutes.

Michael Dawson floated a long ball over the top for the energetic Keane to run on to and, as he steadied himself to shoot, Reading full-back Liam Rosenior hacked at his legs.

Referee Mark Clattenburg pointed to the spot without hesitation and in typical fashion, Berbatov coolly guided the ball past Federici's dive to the right for his sixth goal against Reading in the space of seven days.

Keane then had a goal disallowed for Pascal Chimbonda's push in the build-up and Berbatov could have claimed a hat-trick, and effectively sealed the game, when Lennon delivered a wicked cross but he trod on the ball just 10 yards out.

Yet with the clock ticking towards full-time, Reading made a rare foray into Spurs half of the pitch and grabbed an unlikely equaliser.

Peeling in from the left, Lita jinked in between Spurs defenders to hit a shot which Robinson could only parry.

As he lay prone and the ball squirmed from his grasp, Hunt followed up and tucked the ball into the net from a tight angle.

With both teams pressing for a late victory, the action became heated and second-half substitute Huddlestone was sent-off for butting his head towards Bobby Convey in an off-the-ball incident.

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