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Michezo magazetini leo...
Michezo magazetini leo...
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Stoke City 2-0 Everton
Updated Jan 1, 2011 12:32 PM ET
A Kenwyne Jones header and a freak Phil Jagielka own goal handed Stoke a 2-0 victory in a full-blooded Premier League clash at home to Everton.
Jones rose to power the ball past Tim Howard midway through the first half before Jagielka put through his own net for the second time in successive appearances with 21 minutes remaining at the Britannia Stadium on New Year's Day.
Liverpool 2-1 Bolton | Recap
Man City 1-0 Blackpool | Recap
Stoke City 2-0 Everton | Recap
Sunderland 3-0 Blackburn | Recap
Tottenham 1-0 Fulham | Recap
West Ham 2-0 Wolves | Recap
Birmingham 0-3 Arsenal | Recap
Wigan vs. Newcastle BPL Scores | Table | Fixtures
Everton enjoyed large spells of dominance as they looked to kickstart their stuttering season but spurned a number of good opportunities.
Talisman Tim Cahill, making his final appearance before departing for Asia Cup duty with Australia, went the closest when he headed wide soon after Jones' opener.
Stoke, after successive home defeats, were at their most determined and were well rewarded for a typically physical and direct display.
Everton boss David Moyes had been hoping Jagielka, who also scored an own goal against Manchester City, could shake off a thigh injury to play.
The England defender proved his fitness to replace Tony Hibbert - who also scored an own goal in the Toffees last game against West Ham - while Louis Saha was restored in attack.
That meant Cahill was no longer deployed as a lone striker but did play most of the game up front.
Saha, without a league goal in 11 months, looked determined to make the most of his recall and burst into the area inside the first minute.
He went down as Ryan Shawcross appeared to kick him in the midriff but referee Andre Marriner saw nothing untoward.
Saha sparked the next decent Everton attack with a smart turn and pass for winger Seamus Coleman but Stoke dealt with the Irishman's cross.
Cahill led another Everton charge and fed Steven Pienaar inside the box but Asmir Begovic easily claimed the South African's shot.
Stoke should have taken the lead after 10 minutes when Jones headed a long Begovic punt through to striker partner Ricardo Fuller.
The Jamaica striker headed forwards himself to beat Sylvain Distin and open up the defence but then dragged his low shot wide.
The opener came after 23 minutes as Jones diverted another long ball into the path of Matthew Etherington and raced into the area.
WHAT A YEAR!
Take a pictorial look back at an incredible year in soccer with the 2010 Year in Pictures gallery.
Etherington skipped around Phil Neville on the left and picked out Jones with a perfect cross which the former Sunderland forward powered into the net.
Everton went close to an immediate reply but Saha snatched at a difficult chance.
The visitors had a better opportunity moments later when Leighton Baines found space to cross for the unmarked Cahill but the normally lethal Australian, despite a tight angle, surprisingly headed across goal.
Marriner had a difficult decision to make when Begovic rushed out of goal and brought down Saha just outside his area but a yellow card was the verdict.
Mikel Arteta fired the resulting free-kick straight into the wall and Baines also had a shot blocked soon after.
Saha and Pienaar combined to create another opening but the latter's shot was deflected over by Higginbotham.
Everton applied more pressure at the start of the second half but Pienaar shot well wide when he mishit a volley.
Stoke continued to pose a threat and Jones released Etherington down the right but Everton got back in numbers.
Moyes attempted to freshen up his side just after the hour by removing Arteta and Neville and sending on Victor Anichebe and Leon Osman. Jermaine Beckford was on for Saha soon after.
But within moments the Toffees' task had doubled after Jagielka's stroke of misfortune.
Everton were caught as Higginbotham sent a long free-kick into the box which Jones flicked straight up in the air.
Jagielka tried to get in the way as the ball dropped towards Fuller six yards out but got his feet tangled and it bounced off his leg and past Howard.
Everton could have replied within a minute after Cahill was brought down by Shawcross but Baines curled his free-kick narrowly wide.
But Stoke finished the stronger and the visitors were given a let-off when Fuller looked to latch onto another long ball but stumbled on the edge of the area.
Dean Whitehead then volleyed over from a corner as Everton again narrowly avoided conceding a third.
Updated Jan 1, 2011 12:32 PM ET
A Kenwyne Jones header and a freak Phil Jagielka own goal handed Stoke a 2-0 victory in a full-blooded Premier League clash at home to Everton.
Jones rose to power the ball past Tim Howard midway through the first half before Jagielka put through his own net for the second time in successive appearances with 21 minutes remaining at the Britannia Stadium on New Year's Day.
Sat., Jan. 1
West Brom 1-2 Man Utd | RecapLiverpool 2-1 Bolton | Recap
Man City 1-0 Blackpool | Recap
Stoke City 2-0 Everton | Recap
Sunderland 3-0 Blackburn | Recap
Tottenham 1-0 Fulham | Recap
West Ham 2-0 Wolves | Recap
Birmingham 0-3 Arsenal | Recap
Sun., Jan. 2
Chelsea vs. Aston VillaWigan vs. Newcastle BPL Scores | Table | Fixtures
Everton enjoyed large spells of dominance as they looked to kickstart their stuttering season but spurned a number of good opportunities.
Talisman Tim Cahill, making his final appearance before departing for Asia Cup duty with Australia, went the closest when he headed wide soon after Jones' opener.
Stoke, after successive home defeats, were at their most determined and were well rewarded for a typically physical and direct display.
Everton boss David Moyes had been hoping Jagielka, who also scored an own goal against Manchester City, could shake off a thigh injury to play.
The England defender proved his fitness to replace Tony Hibbert - who also scored an own goal in the Toffees last game against West Ham - while Louis Saha was restored in attack.
That meant Cahill was no longer deployed as a lone striker but did play most of the game up front.
Saha, without a league goal in 11 months, looked determined to make the most of his recall and burst into the area inside the first minute.
He went down as Ryan Shawcross appeared to kick him in the midriff but referee Andre Marriner saw nothing untoward.
Saha sparked the next decent Everton attack with a smart turn and pass for winger Seamus Coleman but Stoke dealt with the Irishman's cross.
Cahill led another Everton charge and fed Steven Pienaar inside the box but Asmir Begovic easily claimed the South African's shot.
Stoke should have taken the lead after 10 minutes when Jones headed a long Begovic punt through to striker partner Ricardo Fuller.
The Jamaica striker headed forwards himself to beat Sylvain Distin and open up the defence but then dragged his low shot wide.
The opener came after 23 minutes as Jones diverted another long ball into the path of Matthew Etherington and raced into the area.
WHAT A YEAR!Take a pictorial look back at an incredible year in soccer with the 2010 Year in Pictures gallery.
Etherington skipped around Phil Neville on the left and picked out Jones with a perfect cross which the former Sunderland forward powered into the net.
Everton went close to an immediate reply but Saha snatched at a difficult chance.
The visitors had a better opportunity moments later when Leighton Baines found space to cross for the unmarked Cahill but the normally lethal Australian, despite a tight angle, surprisingly headed across goal.
Marriner had a difficult decision to make when Begovic rushed out of goal and brought down Saha just outside his area but a yellow card was the verdict.
Mikel Arteta fired the resulting free-kick straight into the wall and Baines also had a shot blocked soon after.
Saha and Pienaar combined to create another opening but the latter's shot was deflected over by Higginbotham.
Everton applied more pressure at the start of the second half but Pienaar shot well wide when he mishit a volley.
Stoke continued to pose a threat and Jones released Etherington down the right but Everton got back in numbers.
Moyes attempted to freshen up his side just after the hour by removing Arteta and Neville and sending on Victor Anichebe and Leon Osman. Jermaine Beckford was on for Saha soon after.
But within moments the Toffees' task had doubled after Jagielka's stroke of misfortune.
Everton were caught as Higginbotham sent a long free-kick into the box which Jones flicked straight up in the air.
Jagielka tried to get in the way as the ball dropped towards Fuller six yards out but got his feet tangled and it bounced off his leg and past Howard.
Everton could have replied within a minute after Cahill was brought down by Shawcross but Baines curled his free-kick narrowly wide.
But Stoke finished the stronger and the visitors were given a let-off when Fuller looked to latch onto another long ball but stumbled on the edge of the area.
Dean Whitehead then volleyed over from a corner as Everton again narrowly avoided conceding a third.
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Sunderland 3-0 Blackburn Rovers
Updated Jan 1, 2011 12:45 PM ET
Darren Bent ended his personal goal drought as Sunderland bounced back from their horror show against Blackpool to defeat Blackburn 3-0.
The England striker glanced home a header eight minutes after Danny Welbeck's deflected 11th-minute shot had put the Black Cats in front to claim his 10th goal of the season and his first in six games.
Liverpool 2-1 Bolton | Recap
Man City 1-0 Blackpool | Recap
Stoke City 2-0 Everton | Recap
Sunderland 3-0 Blackburn | Recap
Tottenham 1-0 Fulham | Recap
West Ham 2-0 Wolves | Recap
Birmingham 0-3 Arsenal | Recap
Wigan vs. Newcastle BPL Scores | Table | Fixtures
Bent could easily have grabbed a second-half hat-trick and was guilty of a glaring 62nd-minute miss from just three yards, although former Sunderland striker El-Hadji Diouf had earlier contrived to fire over from even closer.
But substitute Asamoah Gyan sealed a victory which took Sunderland to 30 points for the season with a third at the death to provide the perfect antidote to their wastefulness against the Seasiders in front of a crowd of 36,242.
For manager Steve Bruce, there was also a taste of vicarious revenge on behalf of close friend Sam Allardyce following his unceremonious dismissal by Rovers.
It had been a difficult week for Bruce, who was without seven players for the Boxing Day trip to Manchester United, and then saw his side create a hatful of chances against Blackpool and fail to take any of them as they slipped to a 2-0 home defeat, their first of their league campaign and just the second in 2010.
Add to that his dismay at turning 50 yesterday, and the former United defender could have been forgiven for wishing to see the back of an eventful seven days.
In the circumstances, his players could hardly have responded anymore positively as they took the game by the scruff of the neck from the off and threatened to have it won by the break.
Welbeck, Bent and record signing Gyan uncharacteristically fired blanks on Tuesday, but they made amends in fine style.
Injuries to Nedum Onuoha, Lee Cattermole and Gyan meant Bruce had little option to reshuffle his side, and his decision to restore Kieran Richardson at left-back and move Phil Bardsley to the right to allow Ahmed Elmohamady to resume his preferred midfield role proved a masterstroke.
The Egypt international made life intensely difficult for full-back Martin Olsson, and it was his ability to deliver the ball into the danger area which was responsible for both first-half goals.
Rovers skipper Ryan Nelsen got his head to Elmohamady's 11th-minute cross and then attempted to block Welbeck's shot after he had controlled on his chest and volleyed towards goal.
However, the New Zealand international only succeeded in deflecting the ball past wrong-footed keeper Mark Bunn to hand Sunderland an early lead.
Blackburn's plight became increasingly desperate within eight minutes when Bent got in front of defender Grant Hanley to head Elmohamady's cross into the bottom corner.
WHAT A YEAR!
Take a pictorial look back at an incredible year in soccer with the 2010 Year in Pictures gallery.
But for all their dominance, the home side should have been pegged back 11 minutes before the break when former Sunderland striker El-Hadji Diouf was guilty of a glaring miss.
Bruce's men were aggrieved to concede a free-kick as David Dunn ducked into David Meyler's challenge, and their mood might have darkened from the resulting set-piece.
Morten Gamst Pedersen curled an inviting free-kick to the far post, where Diouf met it unopposed but somehow contrived to smash it over the bar from barely two yards.
Welbeck clipped the top of the crossbar with a delicate 37th-minute chip with the Black Cats looking to kill the game off, but keeper Craig Gordon was relieved to see Dunn's 44th-minute effort from distance fly just wide after he had cut inside onto his left foot.
Rovers boss Steve Kean withdrew Hanley at the break and replaced him with striker Benjani Mwaruwari as Brett Emerton moved back into defence with his team having abandoned the 4-5-1 formation with which they had started the game.
That gave them a more adventurous look and they might have capitalised nine minutes after the restart when El-Hadji Diouf did well to get in a cross from the right and Mame Biram Diouf headed it just wide.
Dunn went close seconds later with a dipping volley as the Black Cats came under sustained pressure for the first time in the game, but the game should have been over with 62 minutes gone.
Steed Malbranque and Richardson carved Rovers open down the left and when the full-back crossed for the unmarked Bent in the middle, only to see him miss the target from just three yards.
Bent passed up another glorious opportunity two minutes later when he shot wide after Gael Givet had failed to cut out a Malbranque cross, and drilled a 75th-minute left-foot effort wide, while Jordan Henderson hit the bar three minutes later.
But Gyan made sure a minute from time to wrap up a regulation victory with a fine individual goal.
Updated Jan 1, 2011 12:45 PM ET
Darren Bent ended his personal goal drought as Sunderland bounced back from their horror show against Blackpool to defeat Blackburn 3-0.
The England striker glanced home a header eight minutes after Danny Welbeck's deflected 11th-minute shot had put the Black Cats in front to claim his 10th goal of the season and his first in six games.
Sat., Jan. 1
West Brom 1-2 Man Utd | RecapLiverpool 2-1 Bolton | Recap
Man City 1-0 Blackpool | Recap
Stoke City 2-0 Everton | Recap
Sunderland 3-0 Blackburn | Recap
Tottenham 1-0 Fulham | Recap
West Ham 2-0 Wolves | Recap
Birmingham 0-3 Arsenal | Recap
Sun., Jan. 2
Chelsea vs. Aston VillaWigan vs. Newcastle BPL Scores | Table | Fixtures
Bent could easily have grabbed a second-half hat-trick and was guilty of a glaring 62nd-minute miss from just three yards, although former Sunderland striker El-Hadji Diouf had earlier contrived to fire over from even closer.
But substitute Asamoah Gyan sealed a victory which took Sunderland to 30 points for the season with a third at the death to provide the perfect antidote to their wastefulness against the Seasiders in front of a crowd of 36,242.
For manager Steve Bruce, there was also a taste of vicarious revenge on behalf of close friend Sam Allardyce following his unceremonious dismissal by Rovers.
It had been a difficult week for Bruce, who was without seven players for the Boxing Day trip to Manchester United, and then saw his side create a hatful of chances against Blackpool and fail to take any of them as they slipped to a 2-0 home defeat, their first of their league campaign and just the second in 2010.
Add to that his dismay at turning 50 yesterday, and the former United defender could have been forgiven for wishing to see the back of an eventful seven days.
In the circumstances, his players could hardly have responded anymore positively as they took the game by the scruff of the neck from the off and threatened to have it won by the break.
Welbeck, Bent and record signing Gyan uncharacteristically fired blanks on Tuesday, but they made amends in fine style.
Injuries to Nedum Onuoha, Lee Cattermole and Gyan meant Bruce had little option to reshuffle his side, and his decision to restore Kieran Richardson at left-back and move Phil Bardsley to the right to allow Ahmed Elmohamady to resume his preferred midfield role proved a masterstroke.
The Egypt international made life intensely difficult for full-back Martin Olsson, and it was his ability to deliver the ball into the danger area which was responsible for both first-half goals.
Rovers skipper Ryan Nelsen got his head to Elmohamady's 11th-minute cross and then attempted to block Welbeck's shot after he had controlled on his chest and volleyed towards goal.
However, the New Zealand international only succeeded in deflecting the ball past wrong-footed keeper Mark Bunn to hand Sunderland an early lead.
Blackburn's plight became increasingly desperate within eight minutes when Bent got in front of defender Grant Hanley to head Elmohamady's cross into the bottom corner.
WHAT A YEAR!Take a pictorial look back at an incredible year in soccer with the 2010 Year in Pictures gallery.
But for all their dominance, the home side should have been pegged back 11 minutes before the break when former Sunderland striker El-Hadji Diouf was guilty of a glaring miss.
Bruce's men were aggrieved to concede a free-kick as David Dunn ducked into David Meyler's challenge, and their mood might have darkened from the resulting set-piece.
Morten Gamst Pedersen curled an inviting free-kick to the far post, where Diouf met it unopposed but somehow contrived to smash it over the bar from barely two yards.
Welbeck clipped the top of the crossbar with a delicate 37th-minute chip with the Black Cats looking to kill the game off, but keeper Craig Gordon was relieved to see Dunn's 44th-minute effort from distance fly just wide after he had cut inside onto his left foot.
Rovers boss Steve Kean withdrew Hanley at the break and replaced him with striker Benjani Mwaruwari as Brett Emerton moved back into defence with his team having abandoned the 4-5-1 formation with which they had started the game.
That gave them a more adventurous look and they might have capitalised nine minutes after the restart when El-Hadji Diouf did well to get in a cross from the right and Mame Biram Diouf headed it just wide.
Dunn went close seconds later with a dipping volley as the Black Cats came under sustained pressure for the first time in the game, but the game should have been over with 62 minutes gone.
Steed Malbranque and Richardson carved Rovers open down the left and when the full-back crossed for the unmarked Bent in the middle, only to see him miss the target from just three yards.
Bent passed up another glorious opportunity two minutes later when he shot wide after Gael Givet had failed to cut out a Malbranque cross, and drilled a 75th-minute left-foot effort wide, while Jordan Henderson hit the bar three minutes later.
But Gyan made sure a minute from time to wrap up a regulation victory with a fine individual goal.
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Tottenham 1-0 Fulham
Updated Jan 1, 2011 12:28 PM ET
Gareth Bale's header was enough to send Tottenham back into the Premier League top four after Fulham were beaten 1-0 at White Hart Lane.
The winger reacted brilliantly to flick Rafael van der Vaart's free-kick strike past a wrong-footed Mark Schwarzer three minutes before half-time.
Spurs missed plenty of chances to add to their lead but Michael Dawson also had to clear off his own line.
Liverpool 2-1 Bolton | Recap
Man City 1-0 Blackpool | Recap
Stoke City 2-0 Everton | Recap
Sunderland 3-0 Blackburn | Recap
Tottenham 1-0 Fulham | Recap
West Ham 2-0 Wolves | Recap
Birmingham 0-3 Arsenal | Recap
Wigan vs. Newcastle BPL Scores | Table | Fixtures
Otherwise, Fulham's lack of firepower once again cost them dear as they slipped to second bottom of the table, piling the pressure on manager Mark Hughes.
The build-up to the game was dominated by the news Spurs were trying to sign David Beckham on loan.
And the home side set about demonstrating why manager Harry Redknapp was so keen to bring the former England captain to White Hart Lane.
Aaron Lennon - the man whose place would be under threat from Beckham's arrival - wasted three good chances to produce a final ball in the opening 45 minutes.
Otherwise, Fulham proved stubborn in the extreme, buoyed by their first win in 27 away games at Stoke on Tuesday.
They also put together the best move of the half, some sweet one-touch passing releasing Dickson Etuhu, who was challenged by Benoit Assou-Ekotto.
John Pantsil and Dawson, respectively, were booked for tripping Bale and Clint Dempsey, who also screwed wide from 18 yards.
Spurs suffered a blow in the 27th minute when Alan Hutton hobbled off to be replaced by Vedran Corluka.
Schwarzer - playing his final game before leaving for the Asian Cup - smothered long-range efforts from Assou-Ekotto and Roman Pavlyuchenko as Tottenham's frustration grew.
But just as the first half looked set to end goalless, their two star men combined in unconventional fashion to put them ahead.
Spurs were awarded a 42nd-minute free-kick and Bale got in the way of Van der Vaart's 30-yard shot only to deliberately flick a header past Schwarzer.
Bale also forced a smart stop from Schwarzer before the break and more magic from him and Van der Vaart might have set up a second Spurs goal shortly after the restart but there was no-one to meet the latter's dangerous cross.
WHAT A YEAR!
Take a pictorial look back at an incredible year in soccer with the 2010 Year in Pictures gallery.
Damien Duff almost profited from a brilliant crossfield Etuhu ball but he could not keep a difficult right-foot finish down.
Fulham were otherwise demonstrating the lack of cutting edge which has been their undoing since Bobby Zamora broke his leg, with Danny Murphy, Dempsey and Duff all sending 25-yard efforts wide.
Lennon blew another good chance to deliver a cross before the visitors almost scored a freak equaliser.
Heurelho Gomes parried Andrew Johnson's shot straight into Dawson, who spared his own blushes by clearing off the line.
Suddenly, it was all Fulham and Redknapp reacted midway through the half by withdrawing Pavlyuchenko for Peter Crouch.
William Gallas - making his first appearance for almost a month following a hamstring injury - needed his right thigh heavily strapped but was able to continue.
Bale and Dawson both volleyed over right-footed within moments of each other as Tottenham tried to kill off their opponents in the final 15 minutes.
But they were soon back under pressure themselves and tried to shore up their midfield by bringing on Jermaine Jenas for Van der Vaart, while Fulham also threw on Zoltan Gera for Duff.
Murphy and Dempsey saw shots blocked as Spurs' defending became somewhat desperate but Lennon blew yet another great chance on the break, blazing over after an electrifying run.
Assou-Ekotto was booked for cynically hauling back Gera and Lennon finally found a team-mate in the box, but Crouch's tame finish was straight at Schwarzer.
Fulham poured forward in stoppage-time and Spurs were hanging on at the end, but hang on they did.
Updated Jan 1, 2011 12:28 PM ET
Gareth Bale's header was enough to send Tottenham back into the Premier League top four after Fulham were beaten 1-0 at White Hart Lane.
The winger reacted brilliantly to flick Rafael van der Vaart's free-kick strike past a wrong-footed Mark Schwarzer three minutes before half-time.
Spurs missed plenty of chances to add to their lead but Michael Dawson also had to clear off his own line.
Sat., Jan. 1
West Brom 1-2 Man Utd | RecapLiverpool 2-1 Bolton | Recap
Man City 1-0 Blackpool | Recap
Stoke City 2-0 Everton | Recap
Sunderland 3-0 Blackburn | Recap
Tottenham 1-0 Fulham | Recap
West Ham 2-0 Wolves | Recap
Birmingham 0-3 Arsenal | Recap
Sun., Jan. 2
Chelsea vs. Aston VillaWigan vs. Newcastle BPL Scores | Table | Fixtures
Otherwise, Fulham's lack of firepower once again cost them dear as they slipped to second bottom of the table, piling the pressure on manager Mark Hughes.
The build-up to the game was dominated by the news Spurs were trying to sign David Beckham on loan.
And the home side set about demonstrating why manager Harry Redknapp was so keen to bring the former England captain to White Hart Lane.
Aaron Lennon - the man whose place would be under threat from Beckham's arrival - wasted three good chances to produce a final ball in the opening 45 minutes.
Otherwise, Fulham proved stubborn in the extreme, buoyed by their first win in 27 away games at Stoke on Tuesday.
They also put together the best move of the half, some sweet one-touch passing releasing Dickson Etuhu, who was challenged by Benoit Assou-Ekotto.
John Pantsil and Dawson, respectively, were booked for tripping Bale and Clint Dempsey, who also screwed wide from 18 yards.
Spurs suffered a blow in the 27th minute when Alan Hutton hobbled off to be replaced by Vedran Corluka.
Schwarzer - playing his final game before leaving for the Asian Cup - smothered long-range efforts from Assou-Ekotto and Roman Pavlyuchenko as Tottenham's frustration grew.
But just as the first half looked set to end goalless, their two star men combined in unconventional fashion to put them ahead.
Spurs were awarded a 42nd-minute free-kick and Bale got in the way of Van der Vaart's 30-yard shot only to deliberately flick a header past Schwarzer.
Bale also forced a smart stop from Schwarzer before the break and more magic from him and Van der Vaart might have set up a second Spurs goal shortly after the restart but there was no-one to meet the latter's dangerous cross.
WHAT A YEAR!Take a pictorial look back at an incredible year in soccer with the 2010 Year in Pictures gallery.
Damien Duff almost profited from a brilliant crossfield Etuhu ball but he could not keep a difficult right-foot finish down.
Fulham were otherwise demonstrating the lack of cutting edge which has been their undoing since Bobby Zamora broke his leg, with Danny Murphy, Dempsey and Duff all sending 25-yard efforts wide.
Lennon blew another good chance to deliver a cross before the visitors almost scored a freak equaliser.
Heurelho Gomes parried Andrew Johnson's shot straight into Dawson, who spared his own blushes by clearing off the line.
Suddenly, it was all Fulham and Redknapp reacted midway through the half by withdrawing Pavlyuchenko for Peter Crouch.
William Gallas - making his first appearance for almost a month following a hamstring injury - needed his right thigh heavily strapped but was able to continue.
Bale and Dawson both volleyed over right-footed within moments of each other as Tottenham tried to kill off their opponents in the final 15 minutes.
But they were soon back under pressure themselves and tried to shore up their midfield by bringing on Jermaine Jenas for Van der Vaart, while Fulham also threw on Zoltan Gera for Duff.
Murphy and Dempsey saw shots blocked as Spurs' defending became somewhat desperate but Lennon blew yet another great chance on the break, blazing over after an electrifying run.
Assou-Ekotto was booked for cynically hauling back Gera and Lennon finally found a team-mate in the box, but Crouch's tame finish was straight at Schwarzer.
Fulham poured forward in stoppage-time and Spurs were hanging on at the end, but hang on they did.
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