Kane and Son double act delivers for Spurs in ill-tempered Brighton clash
DECISIVE: Harry Kane fired the winner for Tottenham against Brighton (Zac Goodwin/PA)
THE OLD Kane and Son double act was back on show at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as Spurs edged a feisty game with Brighton.
Heung Min Son scored his 100th Premier League goal with a spectacular curling effort from 25 yards to give Tottenham an early lead, and after Lewis Dunk equalised for the Seagulls, Harry Kane hit his 23rd league goal to snatch victory.
But it was a hugely controversial affair, with referee Stuart Atwell sending off both managers, Roberto De Zerbi and Crisitian Stellini. Brighton's fans sang “2-1 to the referee” long before the end, having seen their side have two goals ruled out for handball offences, and denied at least one penalty.
For Spurs it was a chance to get back to winning ways after two successive draws in which they had conceded late equalisers.
Although it was a nervy final few minutes, the Tottenham players that Antonio Conte had criticised for their lack of character held on and are still only three points behind Manchester United in fourth place.
It was a turbulent game played against the backdrop of protests from unhappy Tottenham fans about the club's ownership, with pre-match protests down Tottenham High Road and chants of “we want Levy out” aimed at the chairman during the match.
Atwell was centre of attention even before kickoff when his faulty microphone had to be repaired and delaying kickoff by three minutes. De Zerbi had already gone over to Stellini angrily gesticulating rather than the usual warm pre-match handshake.
Once the game started, Brighton looked the brighter side but Spurs took the lead. Following a corner, Brighton failed to clear the ball fully and when Ivan Perisic nudged it to Son on the left. The Korean has been struggling for goals this season, but the old confidence flowed back as he touched the ball to one side and unleashed an unstoppable shot past Jason Steele into the far top corner of goal.
Brighton thought they had equalised soon afterwards when Kaoru Mitoma hit a superb volley past Hug Lloris, but VAR showed he had controlled the ball with the top of his arm before shooting and it was ruled out.
There was no doubt when Lewis Dunk headed Brighton level ten minutes before half-time, as the Brighton captain was left unmarked to thumped Solly March's corner past Lloris.
And Brighton thought they should have gone ahead ten minutes into the second half when Danny Welbeck shot home from the edge of the area, only for VAR to intervene again and rule that the ball went past Lloris via the hand of Alexis MacAllister.
Shortly afterwards, it all kicked off in the technical areas with both sets of coaching staff and some of the Brighton substitutes involved in a mass confrontation. Atwell produced a second red card of the season for De Zerbi, and then a first for the mild-mannered Stellini, who did not appear to be involved.
Ryan Mason took over in his place, and got the Spurs supporters back on side with a positive substitution, sending on Arnaut Danjuma.
It paid off for Tottenham as they grabbed the winner with just over ten minutes remaining. Son fed the ball to Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, who found Kane with a cutback on the edge of the penalty area. The England captain's strike was powerful and deflected in off the body of Joel Veltman.
Spurs hung on for all three points to end Brighton's seven match unbeaten away run and keep in the hunt for a top-four finish.
Lloris 7; Romero 7, Dier 6, Lenglet 6; Porro 6, Skipp 8 (Sarr 87), Hojbjerg 7, Perisic 6 (Tanganga 90+1); Kulusevski 7 (Danjuma 78), Kane 8, Son 8.
Steele 6; Veltman 6, Colwill 6 (Webster 69), Dunk 7, Estupinan 7; Gross 6, Caicedo 8; March 7, MacAllister 7, Mitoma 7; Welbeck 6 (Ferguson 66).
Stuart Atwell 3/10
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