Tottenham - 3 Port Vale - 1: The cream came to the top eventually but Port Vale made Tottenham Hotspur work hard for a 3-1 extra-time win at White Hart Lane last night, thanks to late strikes from Tom Huddlestone and Jermaine Defoe. But it was hard not to feel sorry for Leon Constantine, who tasted the elation and despair of cup football as his goals at either end took this match to added time. What might have been the biggest giant-killing of a remarkable fourth round instead ended up running to form.
The visitors were playing themselves into the match with some neat footwork that belied their lesser stature. Phillip Ifil gave away the ball riskily, allowing Smith to dummy for Paul Harsley, whose rasping shot required a courageous interception from Michael Dawson. But the home side had the best chances and the Vale goalkeeper Mark Goodlad had to be at his best. First, on 24 minutes, Jermain Defoe twisted Sonner before stepping inside Harsley, executing a deft chip that Goodlad tipped wide. Two minutes before the break, Defoe tip-toed between three defenders before unleashing a firm drive that Goodlad did well to parry.
Goodlad then made it a hat-trick of fine saves from Defoe as Steed Malbranque, making a belated debut after his summer arrival and subsequent hernia operation, touched the ball to the little striker. His dipping drive was thwarted with a full-length dive. Shortly after the hour, Tottenham were behind. Constantine, who had already come close with a scissor kick that flew just wide, made it 11 goals for the season by beating Dawson to Sodje's headed centre and stabbing his shot between the legs of Radek Cerny.
Sub Dimitar Berbatov nearly profited within three minutes of his introduction. Huddlestone put in another high ball that the striker headed downwards. Again Goodlad foiled the effort, repeating the feat as Defoe fired in from close range five minutes laters.
Danny Whitaker's shot provided some respite, spearing between two defenders, and requiring a good stop from Cerny. Lennon then outran Abbey and delivered a low centre. For once it escaped Goodlad but also the diving Defoe. However, Huddlestone was given a second chance to float in a cross from a free-kick, and this time, cruelly, the only contact came from the outstretched arm of Constantine as it ricocheted off the inside of the post and into the net. It proved costly as Huddlestone and Defoe sent Tottenham into the quarter-finals with their two late strikes.
Guardian Service
TOTTENHAM: Cerny, Ifil, Dawson, Dervite, Young-Pyo Lee, Murphy (Ghaly 70), Davids, Huddlestone, Malbranque (Lennon 63), Defoe, Barcham (Berbatov 66). Subs not used: Fulop, Ziegler. Booked: Dawson. Goals: Constantine (og) 80, Huddlestone 99, Defoe 107.
PORT VALE: Goodlad, Pilkington, Miles, Walker, Abbey, Harsley, Jeff Smith (Cardle 104), Whitaker, Sonner (Gardner 104), Constantine, Sodje (Husbands 104). Subs not used: Anyon, Prosser. Booked: Miles, Harsley, Pilkington. Goals: Constantine 64.
Referee: S Bennett (Kent).
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