By Stuart Kidson
April 21 2003

A Robbie Keane double and a Teddy Sheringham tap in ensured that Spurs took all three points from the Hawthorns. The Baggies would struggle to hold a lead taking a dog for a walk this season after going behind in the second half despite being in front twice. West Bromwich Albion v Tottenham Hotspur
Monday 21st April 2003

A Robbie Keane double and a Teddy Sheringham tap in ensured that Spurs took all three points from the Hawthorns. The Baggies would struggle to hold a lead taking a dog for a walk this season after going behind in the second half despite being in front twice.

Robbie Keane reacted to the taunts and raised his game to score the winner in front of the very fans who had been giving him so much abuse throughout the 90 minutes. It seems that certain areas of the Hawthorns have limited memory capacity as Keane did a similar thing in December at White Hart Lane.

Following the weekend result at Sunderland expectation was high that the Baggies were going to close the season run in with a few more wins now that the pressure of relegation had been lifted. The hope was that it would be a more relaxed Albion side that would take the field and try to restore some pride within the club, yet it was not to be.

Jason Koumas had strated the ball rolling in the 8th minute when his 35 yard shot was easily dealt with by the US international keeper, Kasey Keller. Jason Roberts had returned to the starting line up to replace an injured Lee Hughes and he was soon up and running at the Spurs defence. Roberts managed to trick his way round former Wolves defender Dean Richards and got to the by-line before under hitting his pass to the waiting Danny Dichio. A grateful Anthony Gardner cleared the danger for Spurs.

Robbie Keane came close on 20 minutes when he attempted to convert an acrobatic overhead kick but the effort was no match to the Baggies keeper Russell Hoult who managed to turn the ball away from danger. The veteran Sheringham pounced on the loose ball and Hoult had to make a close range save but the referee had spotted the linesmans flag up for offside against the former Man Utd striker.

Defender Gardner found himself going into the referees book minutes later when he up ended Roberts just as the striker was about to send Andy Johnson clear on goal. Jason Koumas swung in the free kick from the right and it was Dichio who jumped higher than Ledley King to head the Baggies into the lead.

Andy Johnson picked up a loose ball on the edge of the box in the 33rd minute, but his shot did not present any problems for Keller. Johnson was again involved with the next Baggies effort when he managed to head the ball back for the on-coming Derek McInnes. McInnes hit a powerful first time shot low and hard from a yard outside the box which the Spurs keeper did well to save low down.

Tottenham's reply came courtesy of Albion's nemesis, Keane, who sent over a very dangerous cross into the box but Ronnie Wallwork did well to beat Welsh international Simon Davies to the ball and cleared the danger.

Albion pushed forward more and more in the latter stages of the first half and Roberts was causing all sorts of problems for the Spurs defence and more than once was bundled to the ground by Gardner or Richards. Roberts was unfortunate though just before the break to have what looked like a perfectly good goal disallowed when he burst from deep within the Baggies half with Richards always looking second best behind him. With just Keller to beat Roberts slotted the ball past the keeper only to have his celebrations cut short by the refs whistle. It appeared that he had tugged at the shirt of Richards just as he started his run and this act was spotted by the linesman who drew the refs attention to the infringement.

Spurs levelled the score in first half injury time when Keane and Sheringham exchanged a neat one - two on the edge of the box which Keane ran onto and placed a well taken effort past the diving Hoult. The teams went into the break level with the talking point being the performance of the referee and his apparent lack of consistency.

Roberts continued to tease the Spurs defence after the re-start but disappointed the home crowd again with a tame effort from the edge of the box after combining with Igor Balis down the right. Spurs carved open the Albion defence minutes later when Matthew Etherington broke away down the right and found former Stamford Bridge favourite, Gus Poyet inside the Baggies area. Luckily for the Baggies Poyet's effort went wide.

Koumas had been relatively quiet by his previous standards but he had the Spurs defence in disarray in the 57th minute and was up ended 25 yards out. A quick free kick into the box found Roberts inside the 6 yard box and he got the sllightest of touches to send the ball goalbound but Keller produced one of the saves of the season and managed to block the shot and send it up and over the crossbar.

Neil Clement was bought onto replace Ifeyani Udeze on the left and he found the back of the net with only his second touch of the ball. Richards fouled Dichio well out of range of any attempt on goal, but the former Dingle complained to vocally and found himself in the book and the ball ten yards further up the pitch. Clement, last seasons free kick specialist, came across and hit a swerving free kick waist high through the wall and past a lunging Keller. The Hawthorns erupted yet again.

Spurs replied two minutes later when Johnson gave away a free kick on the edge of the area. The ball was played back to Keane who flicked the ball up and sent it high into the area. Goran Bunjevevic headed the ball towards goal only to see it hit the far post and rebound out. Teddy Sheringham was first to react and poked home the equaliser.

The Baggies had now seen their lead cut twice by the visitors and Spurs were now growing in confidence. Etherington had been a thorn in the side of the Baggies all afternoon and he was again causing problems for Balis when he unleashed a wicked 20 yard drive into the side netting.

Roberts was not going to give up easily though and a superb tackle from Gardner in the 73rd minute prevented the Baggies front man from getting his 4th for the season. Spurs however were the team making all the attacks and Stephen Carr drove a powerful near post shot goalbound that was parried out by Hoult.

It was only a matter of time before Keane made the home support pay for the abuse he suffered throughout the game and after one particular round of chantinghe smiled towards the Smethwick End and made his mind up to silence the crowd once and for all. A long ball out of defence fell just right for the Irishman and sent him clear of Sean Gregan and Larus Sigurdsson who were both playing catch up as Keane surged towards goal. Hoult was off his line and Keane hit the ball past him into the empty net before peeling off for the now infamous celebration in front of the crowded Spurs away support.

Albion never looked likely to pull anything back in the last 5 minutes and Spurs pressed the defence looking for a 4th but Gregan and Siggy weathered the storm. Despite the last 10 minutes of the game the Baggies had held their own against a team pushing for the UEFA places and a draw would have been a result most fans would have been happy with.

Man of the Match, selected by Stephen McNally of Oldbury - Jason Roberts

Team: Russell Hoult, Larus Sigurdsson, Ronnie Wallwork, Sean Gregan, Igor Balis, Derek McInnes, Jason Koumas, Andy Johnson, Ifeyani Udeze (58), Jason Roberts, Danny Dichio (69)

Subs: Joe Murphy, James Chambers, Des Lyttle, Scott Dobie (69), Neil Clement (58)