Sheff Utd	2 - 1	Tottenham
Scorers Hulse 27 Jagielka (pen) 62  Booked Montgomery 65 Tonge 76 Bromby 90	Half Time ( 1 - 1 )	Scorers Jenas 2  Booked Rocha 52 Defoe 65 Chimbonda 67 Jenas 77 Keane 89

Sheffield United came from behind to take all three points after a deserved 2-1 win over Tottenham at Bramall Lane. The visitors had the perfect start after just two minutes as Jermaine Jenas lobbed the ball over Kenny to put Spurs ahead but goals from Rob Hulse and a Phil Jagielka penalty gave Neil Warnock’s side the victory and puts them ten points clear of the drop zone.

It looked so different after the first twenty minutes as Spurs dominated the opening exchanges. With just two minutes gone of the first half the visitors found themselves ahead as Jenas ran on to a long ball and coolly lobbed the ball over the stranded Kenny.

It was a shock to the system for the Blades who have been rather impressive at home in recent weeks. Spurs continued to pressurise their hosts and almost grabbed a second as Keane ran onto a Tainio pass but the Irishman’s low cross eluded both Berbatov and the Finnish midfielder as the ball ran away harmlessly out of play.

The Blades gradually came into the game and were soon bossing the affair and Rob Hulse came close to an equaliser when his header hit the underside of the bar and bounced down after the striker had headed towards goal following a Kazim-Richards throw on.

It was a big let off for Spurs but there was no stopping United and Rob Hulse’s header bounced down and over the outstretched arm of Paul Robinson.

That goal was just reward for the home side as they took the game to Spurs in front of a passionate and vociferous home crowd.

However, Spurs continued to threaten and Jenas should have done better than fire wide after enterprising play by Malbranque and Berbatov.

Ricardo Rocha thought he had given Spurs the lead early in the second half as he bundled the ball home from a free-kick but that strike was ruled out for a foul on Stead by Berbatov and Spurs’s frustration was increased as they fell behind on 62.

The energetic Stephen Quinn was taken out just inside the penalty area by Tainio and Blades skipper Phil Jagielka stepped up to smash the ball high past Robinson to give his side the lead.

The frustration and anger of the visitors was quite apparent and Jermaine Defoe was shown a yellow card after a spat with Chris Lucketti as things threatened to boil over.

Martin Jol threw on Mido in the closing stages as Spurs went for broke but Jermain Defoe wasted his side’s best chance with Jagielka making a crucial block to preserve his side’s lead.

The Blades held on to record a much deserved victory and a win that now puts them ten points clear of the drop zone.

Spurs meanwhile continue to stagnate in mid-table and with just one league victory away from home this season it’s little surprise they sit 10 points off a European place.


Sheff Utd: Kenny, Geary, Jagielka, Lucketti, Armstrong, Kazim-Richards (Fathi 72), Tonge, Montgomery, Stephen Quinn, Hulse (Bromby 90), Stead.

Subs Not Used: Gerrard, Webber, Nade.

Tottenham: Robinson, Chimbonda, Dawson, Rocha, Assou-Ekotto, Jenas, Zokora, Tainio (Defoe 63), Malbranque (Mido 73), Keane, Berbatov.

Subs Not Used: Cerny, Stalteri, O'Hara.

Att: 32,144

Ref: M Atkinson (W Yorkshire).

By James Masters