SPURS 2 - 1 ASTON VILLA
Defoe (2)......Barry

Spurs:
Robinson, Chimbonda, YP Lee, Dawson, King, Malbranque, Zokora, Huddlestone, Ghaly, Defoe, Berbatov.
Subs: Cerny, Davenport, Assou-Ekotto, Murphy, Ziegler.

Villa:
Kiraly, Mellberg, Barry, McCann, Baros, Petrov, Davis, Agbonlahor, Hughes, Cahill, Gardner.
Subs: Olejnik, Angel, Bouma, Ridgewell, Osbourne.

Jermain Defoe made it 11 goals in ten starts with his double strike that secured a 2-1 Boxing Day victory over Aston Villa .
The little hitman pounced twice in the second half and on both occasions his partner in attack can claim an assist as three Christmas points were banked at the Lane.

The team was the one that was supposed to start up at Newcastle on Saturday - only Defoe, thankfully, made it this time after picking up an injury in the warm-up at St James Park.

Defoe was looking menacing right from the opening seconds of the game, although it was a
momentary lapse by Michael Dawson that let Gabriel Agbonlahor through on goal - an opening
sealed and foiled by Ledley King.

There followed a succession of half-chances or moves that would have been hugely promising if
the final ball had a little more purpose. Tom Huddlestone, however, seriously stretched Gabor
Kiraly on 17 minutes when his piledriver required the fingertips of the Hungarian goalkeeper to
tip the ball over the bar.

Paul Robinson fielded well from a long-range Craig Gardner effort, before a Dimitar Berbatov
surge into the area was thwarted by Kiraly, leaving Mellberg injured and Aaron Hughes departing
the pitch on a stretcher. Five minutes later Defoe stole away from his marker and unleashed a
goalbound shot that was diverted off course by the backside of the recovered Mellberg.

Defoe then shot across the face of goal after good work and link play from strike partner
Berbatov. It was a pretty absorbing first half featuring lots of home pressure, but strangely
little in terms of really clear cut chances or efforts that make goalkeepers work. On the
stroke of half-time Berbatov worked the leg of Kiraly, one which unfortunately sent his shot
the wrong side of the post.

The second period began in much the same fashion as the first ended, the tempo was quick,
although Villa were contributing a bit more to the contest - having made two changes and used
up their subs at the interval.

A Huddlestone chip forward brilliantly picked out the run of Defoe on 54 minutes and it was
only a stray touch from the striker that offered Kiraly the chance to come out and snatch the
ball.

The breakthrough came on 57 minutes when Berbatov threaded the ball into the path of his
forward thinking strike partner who had dashed into the area and shot across Kiraly and into
the bottom right hand corner.

Danny Murphy was introduced with just over 20 minutes remaining in place of Hossam Ghaly

Our lethal weapons in attack combined again with 76 minutes on the clock and made the most of a
Robinson clearance to the delight of the vast majority of the 35,293 in attendance.

Berbatov connected with the punt downfield and steered the ball in the direction of Defoe, who
took it on before thumping past a despairing Kiraly. The delight was tempered five minutes
later when Gareth Barry resisted challenges inside our area to slot past Robinson to reduce the
deficit - just when we were thinking we could relax and enjoy the last ten minutes!

Defoe then should have bagged his hat-trick at the other end but, after jinking free of his markers, shot into the legs of Kiraly. He was given a rest with two minutes left on the clock as we sought to seal the game, a requirement that was duly achieved.

Key Action - Official Site
FULL TIME: Tottenham 2 - 1 Aston Villa
Added time: 3mins.
89.50: YELLOW CARD - VILLA. Cahill for foul on Lee.
89.39: SAVE. Robinson out quickly to save at feet of Agbonlahor.
88.43: SUB - SPURS. Davenport for Defoe.
87mins: YELLOW CARD - SPURS. Malbranque for
85.58: YELLOW CARD - VILLA. McCann for foul on Huddlestone.
83.28: SAVE. Chimbonda chipped pass out to Defoe, left corner of box, he controlled and hit low shot that Kiraly saved with legs.
81mins: GOAL - VILLA. Agbonlahor flicked ball on, Barry bundled Chimbonda and Dawson off the ball and drove low into corner from eight yards.
Spurs 2, Villa 1
76.56: GOAL - SPURS. Robinson's clearance headed on by Berbatov into path of Defoe who hammered home with left foot from 18 yards.
Spurs 2, Villa 0
72.30: Robinson out of his area again to hammer the ball clear.
70.10: SUB - SPURS. Murphy for Ghaly.
68.29: Zokora pass inside Barry to Berbatov, right channel, backheel intended for Ghaly cleared.
67.08: Berbatov over to the sideline for spray on ankle.
57.10: GOAL - SPURS. Berbatov slid ball into Defoe, right channel of box, controlled and fired low into corner from 16 yards.
Spurs 1, Villa 0
55.50: Davis shot high and wide.
51.30: Quick feet from Baros on halfway, pass through to Agbonlahor overhit, Robinson out to clear.
50.32: Barry corner from right met by Cahill, header hit back of King and looped over.
49mins: Barry's free-kick from right fell kindly for Baros, shot on turn hit Berbetov.
Half-time: SUBS - VILLA. Bouma and Osbourne for Petrov and Mellberg.
HALF TIME: Tottenham 0 - 0 Aston Villa
Added time: Zokora turn of pace down left, cross inches away from Berbatov at near post.
Added time: 3mins.
44.25: SAVE. Huddlestone dinked delightful pass through to Berbatov, instant control and hit that Kiraly saved with legs.
42.14: CHANCE. Gardner skipped away from a couple of challenges, dangerous cross gathered by Robinson who immediately released Ghaly, he played into Defoe, left side of box, two defenders in front of him but managed to turn ball back across goal but no-one there to finish.
40.17: CHANCE. Defoe charged down Barry clearance and it was two against two with Berbatov, Defoe used Berbatov run as dummy, hammered shot from 18 yards that hit Barry, appeals for handball from Defoe but referee awarded corner.
38.29: Huddlestone shot hacked away by Cahill.
36mins: SUB - VILLA. Ridgewell for Hughes, who is stretchered off.
33.45: Hughes still down for Villa after that challenge.
32.31: CHANCE. Great control and turn from Berbatov just inside Villa half, sprinted forward and opened up for him down the middle, just got shot off as the tackles came in, poked ball straight at Kiraly.
26mins: Huddlestone almost picked out Ghalys run in behind Barry, Kiraly out to gather.
22.54: SAVE. Frantic spell of action where play went from one end to the other ended with Gardner having the chance to take aim from 30 yards, decent hit, dipping, Robinson held onto well.
19mins: Berbatov chasing back slid in to win ball, Zokora played wide to Ghaly who drove in testing cross from right touchline that Kiraly punched away.
17.25: SAVE. Lee rolled in pass from the left, Berbatov stepped over to allowed onrushing Huddlestone to take over, took one touch and hit rising left-foot shot that Kiraly needed to touch over.
16mins: Agbonlahor rose well to meet Petrov corner, Robinson out to gather.
13.32: Agbonlahor fouled by Chimbonda, Petrov free-kick, central, 18 yards out, hit Ghaly in wall.
10.49: Short corner routine with Huddlestone and Defoe, King header blocked and fell to Malbranque, spectaculat volleyed effort flew over.
9mins: Quick interchange between Berbatov and Huddlestone and Huddlestone threaded pass for Defoe to chase, Barry over quickly to intercept.
7.40: Defoe struck free-kick, left of centre, 30 yards out, into wall.
6.30: Zokora break, heavy tackle by Gardner left him limping.
4.38: Quick feet from Defoe in box, drilled shot but Barry over to block.
2.34: Moment of panic as Dawson trod on ball and suddenly Agbonlahor was through, King, Robinson and Agbonlahor all met at same time, ball cleared, Robinson came out feeling right knee.
1.23: Defoe wide to Ghaly, low cross back to Defoe whose shot struck Cahill and ball cleared.
We are attacking Park Lane in first half.
Ghaly has started on the right, Malbranque on the left.