Sport

Bolton's gifts set Spurs on their way

Tottenham 4 Bolton Wanderers 0: TOTTENHAM WILL fancy their chances of a stroll down Wembley Way now

JAMIE JACKSON at White Hart Lane
Thu Feb 25 2010 - 00:00

Tottenham 4 Bolton Wanderers 0:TOTTENHAM WILL fancy their chances of a stroll down Wembley Way now. A quarter-final with Fulham on Saturday week is next up in a competition Harry Redknapp won only two years ago, when at Portsmouth.

And with only Chelsea of the big four remaining there is a real chance for Spurs to land a trophy in only their manager’s second season.

Redknapp had selected about the strongest team available but they produced a distinctly average opening until Roman Pavlyuchenko opened the scoring.

Spurs proved good for this lead. Stand-out moments before and after the Russian’s opener included a Sebastien Bassong shot that worried Jussi Jaskelainen, and Jermain Defoe leaving Andy O’Brien behind before the goalkeeper was forced into a smart save.

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Pavlyuchenko’s goal arrived after he collected the ball from Luka Modric on the left. He miscontrolled on the edge of the penalty area, but, when the ball bobbled back to his feet, a swivel was followed by a smooth left-foot finish for the striker’s fourth goal in his last three starts.

By half-time Tottenham had a second. When a corner broke to Tom Huddlestone, he sent a cushioned pass to Wilson Palacios in a wide right berth, and the Honduran’s swinging ball in was finished by a despairing Jaaskelainen into his goal.

Bolton’s evening took two minutes of the second period to become worse, thanks to another own goal. Gareth Bale made a run down his left before rolling a ball in towards Jaaskelainen. O’Brien this time put through his net.

Pavlyuchenko added his second three minutes from time to reinforce Tottenham’s superiority.

Guardian Service

TOTTENHAM: Gomes, Assou-Ekotto, Dawson, Bassong, Bale, Bentley (Rose 70), Huddlestone, Palacios (Kranjcar 60), Modric, Pavlyuchenko, Defoe (Gudjohnsen 46). Subs not used: Alnwick, Dervite, Kane, M'Poku.

BOLTON: Jaaskelainen, Ricketts, Knight, Andrew O'Brien, Samuel, Holden, Cohen, Muamba, Gardner (Lee 79), Taylor (Riga 56), Klasnic (Elmander 56). Subs not used: Al Habsi, Robinson, Kevin Davies, Shittu.

Referee: Peter Walton(Northamptonshire).