Tottenham Hotspur 5–0 AS Roma on 10 August 2008

AS Roma were put to the sword in our final pre-season friendly of 2008, with the boys recording a 5-0 ahead of the new season.

Darren Bent continued his goalscoring run with a further two, while David Bentley introduced himself with a double - Aaron Lennon also finding the net.

It was the day that Heurelho Gomes, Luka Modric, Giovani dos Santos and Bentley took to the White Hart Lane stage for the first time in a Spurs shirt.

Just two minutes were on the clock when Bentley took the opportunity to fizz in a free-kick from deep on the left flank. He actually did a bit more than that and his set piece took one bounce in front of Artur, completely deceived the keeper and flew into the back of the net.

Bentley set off on a charge up the touchline in front of the East Stand to celebrate making his mark at the Lane.

The atmosphere was charged anyway and the decibel levels only increased two minutes later when a Gomes clearance was not dealt with by the Roma rearguard and Bent stole in to place the ball through the legs of Artur to make it two and his 11th goal in six games.

A Benoit Assou-Ekotto cross was nodded goalwards by Dimitar Berbatov, allowing Artur to make a rare save, as the half progressed with sustained pressure from the team in black - the boys sporting our new third kit for the afternoon. Jermaine Jenas later flashed a shot over from an acute angle that bounced on the roof of the net.

Alberto Aquilani provided Gomes with his first test on 37 minutes, which the keeper passed with flying colours, before making another more routine stop from Mirko Vucinic a couple of minutes later.

Right on half-time Roma surrendered possession and Bentley picked up the ball before advancing to about 20 yards and arrowing past Artur into the bottom right hand corner to make it 3-0.

Gareth Bale and Aaron Lennon were introduced at half-time in place of Assou-Ekotto and Berbatov as the second period continued in much the same fashion as the first - Spurs pouring forward.

The advantage was increased even further on 49 minutes when Bentley - now operating down the left - combined with Giovani and the speedy and skilful Mexican international skipped past his marker before dispatching a powerful low cut-back to where Lennon was waiting to fire past Artur.

It was five on 53 minutes when a Bentley corner was curled in the direction of Jonathan Woodgate, who applied something of a knockdown, with Bent waiting in front of goal to turn and smash into the top corner for his 12th goal six games.

He could have notched a hat-trick moments later but Artur clutched onto his low drive after good work from Modric.

Just before the hour mark, Ledley King and Tom Huddlestone took to the pitch in place of Michael Dawson and Modric. Chris Gunter replaced Didier Zokora on 63 minutes after the Ivory Coast international became involved in a scuffle with Marco Cassetti that led to the pair being booked.

The changes continued with Jamie O'Hara and Gilberto taking the place of Jenas and Bentley, before Gomes made way for young Oscar Jansson.

The final action of note was a double yellow card - and therefore red - for Roma's Aquilani, for successive fous on Lennon.

It turned out to be more than an entertaining afternoon - and an amazing 35,841 fans turned out to witness it.