Size matters for frustrated Coppell

STEVE COPPELL claimed his side had been a victim of the ‘little Reading’ syndrome after a controversial penalty gave Tottenham all three points at White Hart Lane.

Reading debutant Greg Halford was adjudged to have handled inside the penalty area in the 39th minute but Coppell insisted referee Alan Wiley had rejected Tottenham’s initial appeal before changing his mind.

Robbie Keane stepped up to slam home the penalty and Spurs held on to record a victory that pushes them into sixth place in the Premiership.

Coppell said: “When I first saw it I thought the ball just sprung up and hit him on the hand. I thought it was really harsh.

“But having seen it on a replay it is difficult to isolate. My players are saying that the ball came up and hit him on the hand and I cannot deny that.

“But there’s almost like a secondary movement as well. The first appeal went up and the referee shook his head and said no and then there was another appeal and he just seemed to change his mind.

“Then as the away team, as the beaten team, you think all kinds of sinister motives. In the second half the ball hit Michael Dawson on the hand, he didn’t know anything about it but it hit him on the hand, so by the letter of the law, could we have had a penalty?

“I think as little Reading there’s not much chance of us getting it.”

Spurs boss Martin Jol said: “Six weeks ago we were with the Manchester Citys and Newcastles and they are still there and we are up to sixth so I am happy.”

TOTTENHAM: Robinson, Chimbonda, Dawson, Rocha, Young-Pyo Lee, Lennon, Zokora, Jenas, Malbranque (Huddlestone 80), Berbatov, Keane (Defoe 75).

READING: Hahnemann (Federici 46), Halford, Duberry, Ingimarsson, Shorey, Little (Oster 75), Harper, Sidwell, Hunt (Doyle 65), Lita, Kitson.

Referee: A Wiley (Staffordshire).