Déjà vu as Tottenham triumph in goal feast

TOTTENHAM are getting accustomed to being involved in goal feasts after emerging victorious at The Valley last night.

Charlton 2 Tottenham 4

A week ago Spurs raced into a three-goal lead against Manchester City in an FA Cup fourth-round replay but lost 4-3 to one of the most amazing comebacks in history. They followed that up by being pegged back three times by Portsmouth on Saturday before winning 4-3.

So the visiting Spurs supporters must have been feeling a sense of déjàa vu when their team were three goals up just a minute into the second half thanks to goals from Simon Davies, Jermain Defoe and Ledley King.

Those feelings increased as substitute Graham Stuart pulled back Charlton’s first goal after 50 minutes and then former Spurs defender Chris Perry headed another with 10 minutes remaining.

It looked as if Spurs would have to endure a nervous final 10 minutes plus stoppage time, but Johnnie Jackson settled the nerves with his first goal for the club six minutes before the end to give his team their first win in a top-flight London derby in 17 months.

Paul Konchesky was left red-faced when he gifted Davies the opening goal after nine minutes.

His header back towards Dean Kiely fell short and the Welsh midfielder nipped in on and drove the ball off Konchesky and in off the near post for his second goal of the season.

The Addicks were forced to reshuffle after 32 minutes when Radostin Kishishev suffered a knock and was replaced by Stuart.

Spurs were celebrating again after 42 minutes, although they again enjoyed a huge slice of luck as Defoe doubled their lead with his second goal in as many appearances.

Keller threw the ball to Davies who ran the length of the field before crossing from the right. Konchesky deflected the ball to Defoe and his shot was blocked by Kiely before bouncing back off his head and into the goal.

There was still time for Cole to hit the Spurs crossbar and Stuart to see a close-range effort ruled out for offside in injury time.

It looked a case of “here we go again” when after just 37 seconds of the second half King made it 3-0 to Spurs with a fierce left-foot drive from just inside the box.

Five minutes later Charlton began to comeback when a corner was knocked down to Stuart and he drove the ball home through a crowd of players.

After 80 minutes Perry pulled back Charlton’s second goal, heading home substitute Paolo di Canio’s cross.

Then came Jackson’s sucker punch.

CHARLTON: Kiely, Young, Fish, Perry, Hreidarsson, Kishishev (Stuart 33), Jensen, Konchesky, Holland, Bartlett (Di Canio 55), Cole (Euell 71).

TOTTENHAM: Keller, Carr, Doherty, Richards, Taricco, Davies, Brown, King, Jackson, Keane, Defoe (Poyet 85).

Referee: G Barber (Hertfordshire).