SPURS 5 - 1 Charlton (Result)
Berbatov (2), Tainio, Malbranque, Defoe

Dawson (OG)

Spurs:
Robinson, Chimbonda (Stalteri, 81), YP Lee, Dawson, King, Lennon, Huddlestone, Tainio, Malbranque (Murphy, 69), Defoe, Berbatov (Mido, 75).
Subs: Cerny, Ghaly.

Charlton:
Carson, Young, Hreidarsson, Faye, Reid (Hasselbaink, 66), Kishishev (Rommedahl, 53), D Bent, El Karkouri, Hughes, Diawara, Sam.
Subs: Myhre, Holland, Fortune.

Dimitar Berbatov took his goal tally for the season to nine as Charlton were on the end of a 5-1 thumping at the Lane on Saturday.

The Bulgarian international chipped in with two goals, which were added to by further strikes from Teemu Tainio, Steed Malbranque and Jermain Defoe. It was Teemu's second goal for the Club, Steed's first and Jermain's sixth in as many starts - his seventh of the campaign so far.

The team have now suffered just two defeats in their last 17 outings, this particular game being our 24th of a hectic season.

There was one alteration to the starting line-up that defeated Middlesbrough in midweek with Tainio slotting into midfield in place of the suspended Didier Zokora.

Michael Dawson was guilty of a mis-timed early lunge at Darren Bent that led to the first booking of the game, his second tackle on the player moments later was much more cleanly executed. Charlton, with Andy Reid pulling the strings from a deeper position, were trying to exploit the pace of Bent and Daws could have done without a caution inside four minutes.

The contest was frenetic and lacking precision of passing in the first 20 minutes. The ball was given away with regularity by both teams, although perhaps Charlton were showing the more purpose in front of goal.

Our team picked up the momentum to a greater degree in the second half of the first half, Tom Huddlestone and Tainio getting a grip on midfield and even Dawson making attacking sorties.

The endeavour was rewarded on 30 minutes when Huddlestone played forward into the feet of Aaron Lennon who, in turn, helped the ball on and in the path of Berbatov. The striker kept his composure as he bore down on goal and stabbed calmly past Scott Carson to open the scoring.

It was two just a couple of minutes later when a headed clearance from a Lennon cross fell in front of Tainio who drilled home past a stranded Carson to record his second competitive goal for the Club.

Not building on the lead despite pushing forward at will came at a cost on 41 minutes when Reid got the better of Huddlestone to down the left side of our area and fired in a low cross that flew up off Dawson and Paul Robinson could not avoid the ball ending up in the back of the net.

Defoe came close to restoring the advantage at the other end when he blasted a free-kick from the edge of the area just over the bar via a deflection off a head in the wall and we went in a the interval one goal to the good.

Defoe was on the case of snaring a third goal after the break and was pretty close from distance on two occasions in the first five minutes of the half. Attacking intent was still very much at the forefront of the team's ambitions and profit followed on 55 minutes.

A Tainio cross into the danger zone was headed down by Berbatov and Steed Malbranque controlled with his chest before steering left-footed past Carson and into the net. Steed headed off into the crowd to celebrate his first goal for the club and was promptly booked.

Defoe got in on the act on 62 minutes after Lennon won the ball in the middle of the pitch and set the striker on his way goalwards. Charging towards the right corner of the penalty area, he let fly and Carson was well beaten high inside his left-hand upright.

On 65 minutes it really was party time! Berbatov went on the charge to the left of the area, beating Amdy Faye and Talal El Karkouri on his way to slotting past Carson from a tight and unlikely angle - clipping the inside of Carson's leg on its way into the net.

Berbatov was replaced to a huge ovation on 75 minutes to facilitate the return of Mido, while Paul Stalteri also marked his restored fitness with some time on the pitch.

It is now six points out of six and the first back-to-back wins recorded by the team in the Premiership this season.

Key Action - Official Site
1min: Ball bobbled around in central midfield, Faye volleyed over from 25 yards.
2mins: Huddlestone curled in free-kick from the left, Berbatov rose well but got angle of header wrong, ball flew well wide.
4mins: YELLOW CARD - SPURS. Dawson for foul on Bent.
6mins: Corner half-cleared to Reid 20 yards out, half-volleyed into top tier of Paxton Road.
10mins: Huddlestone drop of shoulder completely lost two Charlton players, deep cross looking for Dawson but defender fouled trying to reach it.
11mins: YELLOW CARD - CHARLTON. Hughes for foul on Lennon.
16mins: Faye tried his luck again, bit closer this time, cross cleared and the midfielder hit full on volley from fully 30 yards, ball zipped a couple of yards wide.
18mins: Quick throw from Hreidarsson found Bent in the box, left side, turned and shot but Dawson over to make fine block.
25mins: PENALTY? Dawson touched ball past Faye, who blocked his run, nothing given.
30mins: GOAL - SPURS. Huddlestone played ball into Lennon, central, edge of box, lovely reverse dink into the path of Berbatov who slid into the corner from eight yards.
Spurs 1, Charlton 0
32mins: GOAL. Lennon cross from the left headed out by El Karkouri straight to Tainjio who drilled home via slight deflection from 22 yards.
Spurs 2, Charlton 0
32mins: YELLOW CARD - CHARLTON. Reid for earlier foul on Tainio.
42mins: GOAL - CHARLTON. Reid skipped past Huddlestone down the left flank, drilled low cross into near post, Dawson, sliding in, diverted towards own goal, Robinson almost made point-blank save but couldn't keep it out.
Spurs 2, Charlton 1
43mins: PENALTY? CLOSE. Mix-up at the bac for Charlton, Lennon nipped in and was brought down by Young right on he white line. No penalty given, Defoe lashed free-kick towards goal, deflection took it inches over.
Half-time: Spurs 2, Charlton 1
46mins: Berbatov flicked Robinson's kick into path of Defoe, went for spectacular 25-yarder but didn't get hold of effort, straight at Carson.
53mins: SUB - CHARLTON. Rommedahl for Kishishev.
55mins: GOAL - SPURS. Tainio teased cross to far post where Berbatov cushioned header down for Malbranque to control and fire volley into far corner from 16 yards.
Spurs 3, Charlton 1
55mins: YELLOW CARD - SPURS. Malbranque for celebrations.
59mins: CLOSE. Sam did well to turn in cross from right, Faye slid in to the near post area to meet it and guide effort just wide.
62mins: Huddlestone into Tainio, travelled 20 yards, couple of feints to shoot left defenders on the floor, left it too long though and effort blocked.
63mins: GOAL - SPURS. Great hussle from Lennon centrally, won 50-50 and ball went straight to feet of Defoe, 30 yards to go, controlled it and smashed home.
Spurs 4, Charlton 1
65mins: GOAL - SPURS. Robinson threw to Berbatov on half-way, left side, he ran straight at Charlton's defence, got rub of green off Diawara before drilling past Carson at near post.
Spurs 5, Charlton 1
66mins: SUB - CHARLTON. Hasselbaink for Reid.
69mins: SUB - SPURS. Murphy for Malbranque.
74mins: Lovely move, Defoe flighted pass out to Chimbonda who volleyed it instantly back across goal towads Berbatov, needed Diawara to head clear.
75mins: SUB - SPURS. Mido for Berbatov.
80mins: Rommedahl drilled corner into near post, Diawara onto it, clipped just wide off Tainio.
81mins: CLOSE. Good possession, Huddlestone eventually curled inches over from 20 yards.
81mins: SUB - SPURS. Stalteri for Chimbonda.
85mins: YELLOW CARD - CHARLTON. Sam for foul on Tainio.
87mins: SAVE. Hughes sent Bent clear, Robinson out of area, saved with feet, then got up to make another tackle.
87mins: YELLOW CARD - CHARLTON. Diawara for foul on Lennon.
88mins: Ball pinging around Charlton's box, eventually fell to Huddlestone who hit low shot saved at foot of post by Carson.
88mins: SAVE. Rommedahl one-two with Hasselbaink, hammered shot to near post that Robinson was alert to and tipped wide.
89mins: MISS. Rommedahl again down the right, cross to near post picked out Faye, six yards out, skied it.
89mins: CHANCE. Hasselbaink released Bent, left side, shot across Robinson and wide.
Full-time: Spurs 5, Charlton 1
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