2-0 v West Ham United - 8 December 2008 - Away

Tottenham Hotspur Badge

Spurs 2

West Ham United

West Ham United

0

Details
Match Number

6731

Opposition
West ham united

West Ham United

Competition
Premier League

Premier League

Season

2008/09

Date

8th December 2008

Kick Off

20:00

Venue

Upton Park

Attendance

34,277

Referee

Chris Foy

League Position

15th

Opposition League Position

16th

Opposition Form

WDLDWL

Weather at Kick Off

4.2° - Partly Cloudy

Facts & Milestones
  • 6696th overall match (3171 wins, 1470 draws, 2042 losses)

  • 5165th competitive match (2293 wins, 1213 draws, 1659 losses)

  • team

    234th match vs West Ham United (95 wins, 59 draws, 80 losses)

  • competition

    636th Premier League match (228 wins, 168 draws, 240 losses)

  • 6154th match in England (2862 wins, 1385 draws, 1894 losses)

  • 108th match at Upton Park (30 wins, 28 draws, 50 losses)

Report

Ledley King and Jamie O'Hara scored the goals which earned Tottenham victory in a hard-fought derby against West Ham.

Spurs striker Roman Pavlyuchenko hit the post just before half-time but defender King met Aaron Lennon's cross on 68 minutes to open the scoring.

West Ham almost levelled but Heurelho Gomes made a fine double stop from Lucas Neill and David Di Michele.

From that chance, Spurs broke and substitute O'Hara fired in a superb shot to seal the victory.

The victory, manager Harry Redknapp's fourth consecutive success at Upton Park, saw Spurs replace the Hammers in 15th place in the Premier League table.

They certainly had the better chances in the match, and should have taken the lead inside the opening minute, but Luka Modric fired straight at Robert Green in the West Ham goal after being set up by David Bentley. The Hammers had the ball in the net on 22 minutes as a corner went in off Jermaine Jenas, but referee Chris Foy had already blown for a foul on the Spurs midfielder by Neill.

West Ham threatened again when James Collins fired a powerful low drive into the box, but the ball was deflected away for a corner, and it was the visitors who finished the half strongly.

First, Bentley connected well with a loose ball in the area and Green showed smart reflexes to push his goalbound shot wide.

Then Pavlyuchenko came agonisingly close as he stretched to prod Lennon's penetrating low cross towards goal, only to see it rebound off the post to safety, with Green well beaten.

West Ham began the second half brightly, with a Craig Bellamy cross forcing a less-than-convincing punch from Gomes, and the Welshman also fired wide.

At the other end, a powerful drive from Modric was smartly stopped by Green while substitute Darren Bent - on for Pavlyuchenko - sidefooted wide.

The introduction of Bent seemed to give Spurs more impetus and they enjoyed a spell on top, with Green having to save after a surging run and shot from Didier Zokora.

But it was not long before Tottenham broke the deadlock as King rose to head Lennon's cross down, with the ball bouncing up beyond the desperate reach of Green to give the defender his first goal in three years.

West Ham substitute Di Michele came close to equalising shortly afterwards but Jonathan Woodgate blocked his effort as he attempted to fire home through a crowded goalmouth.

And Di Michele came even closer as the Hammers pushed for an equaliser in a frantic finish.

Gomes was Spurs' hero, blocking shots from Neill and the home team's substitute in quick succession.

From the subsequent break, O'Hara found himself in space 20 yards from goal and he unleashed an unstoppable shot to seal victory.

West Ham boss Gianfranco Zola on a perceived handball by Benoit Assou-Ekotto when his side were 1-0 down: "It was a clear penalty when it was 1-0. The referee is a human being, he can make mistakes.

"Unfortunately for us it was a disappointing game because it was one we all wanted to win.

"I understand the fans' frustration. We gave everything to make them happy."

Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp: "I want to see West Ham win every week [when they are not playing Spurs] but that was a great result for us tonight.

"We were good value and deserved to win even after missing some great chances... Modric in the first minute and Pavlyuchenko hitting the post.

"We passed the ball well tonight at times and eventually we got the goal."

Timeline
KO
HT

Valon Behrami

78'

Mark Noble

90+1'
FT
Location
League Table
# Team PL W D L GF GA GD PTS
1
Liverpool
16 11 4 1 24 9 15 37
2
Chelsea
16 11 3 2 35 6 29 36
3
Manchester united
15 9 4 2 27 10 17 31
4
Arsenal
16 9 2 5 28 19 9 29
5
Aston villa
16 8 4 4 25 18 7 28
6
Hull city
16 7 5 4 24 25 -1 26
7
Portsmouth
16 6 5 5 19 23 -4 23
8
Everton
16 6 4 6 22 25 -3 22
9
Fulham
15 5 5 5 13 12 1 20
10
Bolton wanderers
16 6 2 8 18 19 -1 20
11
Wigan athletic
16 5 4 7 18 20 -2 19
12
Middlesbrough
16 5 4 7 16 23 -7 19
13
Stoke city
16 5 4 7 17 27 -10 19
14
Manchester city
16 5 3 8 30 24 6 18
15
West ham united
15 5 3 7 17 22 -5 18
16
Newcastle united
16 3 7 6 19 24 -5 16
17
Tottenham Hotspur Badge Tottenham Hotspur
15 4 3 8 17 21 -4 15
18
Sunderland
16 4 3 9 13 25 -12 15
19
Blackburn rovers
16 3 4 9 17 31 -14 13
20
West bromwich albion
16 3 3 10 12 28 -16 12
# Team PL W D L GF GA GD PTS
1
Liverpool
16 11 4 1 24 9 15 37
2
Chelsea
16 11 3 2 35 6 29 36
3
Manchester united
15 9 4 2 27 10 17 31
4
Arsenal
16 9 2 5 28 19 9 29
5
Aston villa
16 8 4 4 25 18 7 28
6
Hull city
16 7 5 4 24 25 -1 26
7
Portsmouth
16 6 5 5 19 23 -4 23
8
Everton
16 6 4 6 22 25 -3 22
9
Fulham
15 5 5 5 13 12 1 20
10
Bolton wanderers
16 6 2 8 18 19 -1 20
11
Wigan athletic
16 5 4 7 18 20 -2 19
12
Middlesbrough
16 5 4 7 16 23 -7 19
13
Stoke city
16 5 4 7 17 27 -10 19
14
Manchester city
16 5 3 8 30 24 6 18
15
Tottenham Hotspur Badge Tottenham Hotspur
16 5 3 8 19 21 -2 18
16
West ham united
16 5 3 8 17 24 -7 18
17
Newcastle united
16 3 7 6 19 24 -5 16
18
Sunderland
16 4 3 9 13 25 -12 15
19
Blackburn rovers
16 3 4 9 17 31 -14 13
20
West bromwich albion
16 3 3 10 12 28 -16 12
Previous 5 Matches

5 days earlier

5 days later