Tottenham claimed a club record-equalling sixth successive
Premier League win as they eased to victory over 10-man
Bolton at White Hart Lane.
Gareth Bale tapped home a Luka Modric corner to open
the scoring after six minutes and then removed his boot
in front of the Bolton fans as a tribute to former Wales
manager and Trotters player Gary Speed.
Gary Cahill was given a very harsh red card for a foul
on Scott Parker in the 17th minute and Spurs dominated
from then on, adding second-half goals from Jermain
Defoe and Aaron Lennon to seal the comfortable win which
stretched their unbeaten run to 11 matches.
The result further enhanced Tottenham's chances of
claiming a top-four place and kept them within seven
points of leaders Manchester City, who have played one
more game.
Bolton had Jussi Jaaskelainen to thank for preventing
the home side from running riot, and the likes of Bale,
Modric and Parker excelled.
On paper, the match seemed a home banker, with Tottenham
having dropped just two points in their previous 10
matches.
Bolton, on the other hand, had won only one match in
their last five and were languishing deep inside the
relegation zone.
After a minute's applause for former Trotters player
Speed, Spurs showed their class from the start and took
just six minutes to score.
Zat Knight's sliding block on Aaron Lennon deflected
the winger's shot behind and Bale sneaked ahead of his
marker to tap home at the near post from the resulting
corner.
The winger took his left boot, which had a tribute
to his former national manager stitched into it, aloft
in front of the away fans.
Bolton's afternoon went from bad to worse in the 18th
minute when Cahill was sent off for a foul on Parker.
Parker dispossessed Cahill on the halfway line and
ran 20 yards down the left flank before the defender
clattered into him from behind.
Referee Stuart Attwell ruled that Parker was in a goalscoring
position, and gave the centre-half a straight red despite
Bolton having plenty of cover in the box.
Owen Coyle was furious at the decision, and his side
looked even more vulnerable with 10 men.
Jaaskelainen pulled off a brilliant save to deny Defoe
from eight yards before a rare Bolton attack saw Brad
Friedel tip over Chris Eagles' deflected effort.
Spurs were dominating the game and would have gone
further ahead, but they were wasteful in front of goal,
and Jaaskelainen was playing brilliantly.
The stopper blocked Emmanuel Adebayor's drive before
Bale blazed over.
Jaaskelainen then pulled off a brilliant double save
to deny Bale and Defoe in quick succession before Adebayor
fired wide after getting on the end of a 50-yard inch-perfect
pass from the Welshman.
Harry Redknapp threw his hands in the air in frustration
five minutes before half-time when Lennon squared to
Adebayor, but Jaaskelainen once again pulled off a good
save to keep the score 1-0.
Bale flashed a ball across the box in injury time,
but Defoe missed the tap-in by a matter of centimetres.
Trotters boss Coyle made his anger at Cahill's dismissal
clear when he marched across the pitch to remonstrate
with the referee after he had blown the whistle for
half-time.
Modric would have made it 2-0 three minutes after the
break had Defoe not got in the way of the Croatian's
goalbound shot when Jaaskelainen was stranded.
Spurs hit Bolton on the counter-attack in the 50th
minute to make it 2-0. Lennon cut in from the right
flank and jinked past two defenders before firing past
Jaaskelainen.
Tottenham should have had a penalty five minutes later
when Kevin Davies pushed over Benoit Assou-Ekotto in
the Bolton box, but Attwell waved play on.
Moments later it was 3-0 thanks to Defoe's eighth of
the season. Bale flicked on Modric's corner at the near
post and the England striker beat his marker to score
from four yards.
Modric then went close with a blistering 20-yard shot
which Jaaskelainen tipped over.
The Finn was on hand soon after to save from Parker
and Bale as Spurs continued to lay siege to the away
goal in search of a fourth.
Modric curled a shot just wide before Coyle grimaced
at the sight of Rafael van der Vaart coming on for Lennon
with 17 minutes left.
The Dutchman made an instant impact, playing in Defoe,
whose shot smacked against the post before bouncing
out to safety.
Parker, yesterday named Premier League player of the
month, received a huge standing ovation when he came
off for Jake Livermore with five minutes left as Spurs
took their foot off the accelerator knowing the game
was already well won.
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