Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 Saints
The first disappointment of the visit to Tottenham came before the match, with a half hour delay because of traffic congestion making a mockery of some complex and highly debated travel plans. It wasn’t to be the only setback as Saints, without Schneiderlin (injured), Yoshida (dropped) and suspended players, made what is obviously a strong Spurs team look distinctly ordinary, before emerging with no points for their efforts. Clyne had the best opportunity of the ninety minutes for either side, but with the ball falling nicely for him, he proceeded to volley just past the post.
Lambert, meanwhile, was on target with a free kick, but he was denied by Loris pushing the ball onto the post before recovering to hold Davis’s header on the line. At the other end the home side had been kept largely at bay, and it is hard to recall any chances for them before Dempsey missed shortly before being substituted.
The late start meant that other scores were in well before the game entered its final stages, but what promised to be a deserved point at White Hart Lane was still satisfactory despite some bad results elsewhere. Then on 85 minutes, Bale cut inside from the right and unleashed a powerful shot that gave Boruc no chance – no-one to blame, it’s just the sort of thing one of the most sought-after players in Europe can do.
Whether Saints would have held out otherwise, or whether we might have come away with a point or three if Clyne or Lambert had scored in the first half, is now merely conjecture.
LSSC Man of the Match: Steven Davis, a clear choice amongst those canvassed.
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