Keane sparks Spurs' Cup dreams

Tottenham 2 Everton 0

Robbie Keane and Tom Huddlestone got Tottenham dreaming of Carling Cup glory again after reaching the quarter-finals at the expense of Everton at White Hart Lane.

Spurs reached the final of the competition in the last two seasons, winning it in 2008, and they are two ties from Wembley again after Huddlestone’s thunderbolt volley and Keane following up his own saved penalty.

They still needed saves from Heurelho Gomes at the start of each half to extend Everton’s run of matches without a win to five.

Both sides have ambitions of pushing the traditional top-four heavyweights for a place in the Champions League but the cup competitions represent their chance of glory.

Everton boss David Moyes had to field a strong team anyway, with 10 senior players on the treatment table but Ayegbeni Yakubu returning from a heel problem to replace Jo. It was the only change possible from the defeat to Bolton and his bench contained five youngsters.

Harry Redknapp also put David Button, Dorian Dervite, Dean Parrett and Harry Kane in his matchday squad but fringe players such as David Bentley, Gareth Bale and Alan Hutton seized their chance and Roman Pavlyuchenko started after Russia boss Guus Hiddink spoke to the Spurs boss last week about how to fire up the striker.

Pavlyuchenko has fallen behind Jermain Defoe and Keane during Tottenham’s promising start to the season, while Everton were looking to kick-start theirs again after their recent poor results.

The visitors, wearing a purple strip for the Liverpool Unites charity, created the first chance after four minutes. Lucas Neill’s throw was back-heeled on by Marouane Fellaini and Louis Saha hooked the ball on target, only for Gomes to stretch backwards and tip over.

It was no surprise that Everton started well as their last three trips to Spurs had resulted in victories.

Bentley had Spurs’ first effort when he cut inside Tony Hibbert on the right flank but dragged his left-footed shot well wide of Tim Howard’s goal.

Pavlyuchenko had their first clear-cut chance when Keane charged down Neill’s clearance – but the Russian blasted wide after racing through.

He went wide again shortly after when he got on the end of Hutton’s low cross, with the full-back taking advantage of Bentley’s dummy after Wilson Palacios had spread the ball wide.

Keane got closer on the half-hour mark. Sylvain Distin twice made a total mess of clearing Benoit Assou-Ekotto’s ball over the top and Keane poked the ball onto the post.

But Spurs were ahead in the 31st minute, seconds after they were defending a corner. Keane shifted the ball to Bentley on the right, his cross was missed by Pavlyuchenko but Huddlestone thumped the ball home with a left-footed volley.

Everton, after taking Saha off for Jo, were almost level immediately after the restart when Tim Cahill made a yard of room for himself and unleashed a drive towards the top corner that Gomes parried. The Brazilian also saved from Jo after Fellaini sent him through.

Keane then had two opportunities, first when he unselfishly squared for Pavlyuchenko and then when he raced through and was denied by Hibbert’s last-ditch tackle.

He eventually added the second in the 57th minute following up his own penalty, finishing off the total chaos that ensued when Howard saved his spot-kick. The American then denied Bentley and Keane again, Bale had a stab before the Spurs skipper smashed into the top corner.

Everton believed they were still in the game and Fellaini forced Gomes into another save, this time with a low drive.

John Heitinga’s tackle denied Keane a second goal, while Hutton almost tarnished a fine performance with a risky backpass – but Gomes saved him from embarrassment.