Not on FSC, but it was on Setanta, so it was back to following the match via GameTracker again (not a bad way to follow today's crazy action, from what I've gathered from other quarters).
The seemingly usual Spurs approach to facing prosperity reared its ugly head again as they gave up three (!!!) goals via set pieces and shoddy goalkeeping, so it was up to Bulgarian superstar Dimitar Berbatov to strike for four (!!!!) goals to pace Spurs to the come from behind victory.
The match was tied at 1-1 at the half, which barely hinted to the breakneck pace yet to come. That would include eight goals in the last 40 minutes or so, three goals in six minutes, six goals in 17 minutes, and seven of them in 20 as both teams fell behind and then rallied to take the lead in front of the White Hart Lane crowd.
Robbie Keane missed another penalty, but Jermaine Defoe knocked the rebound in, and Steed Malbranque had a beautiful shot sail to the back of the net in the midst of the second half scoring orgy. Berbatov's goals came in the 7th, 63rd, 73rd and 83rd minutes, whilst for Reading, Dave Kitson, who was a fan of the Spurs growing up, had a brace within five minutes to lead the Royals charge for a 4-3 lead in the 74th minute, just before being answered by Malbranque, Defoe and Berbatov's goals in the latter stages of the game. At that point, watching the Gametracker was kind of maddening, it seemed that every time the page refreshed, another goal had been scored (which obviously was the case, but even as porous as Spurs backline has been at time this season, there was still no reason to think before the match that Reading would put up four on them!).
It was certainly a very hard fought victory, and Berbatov certainly looked a bit tired at the end of the match, but it was a vital three points taken against the team that was in front of them in the standings. COYS!
ESPN REPORT
DAVE KITSON ON FACING SPURS
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