Tottenham Hotspur 4 Bolton Wanderers 1

Last updated : 03 March 2007 By SpursMAD

Martin Jol was forced to make one change to his starting line-up as Ricardo Rocha replaced Anthony Gardner, who was missing with a hip injury.

With another double strike Robbie Keane made it 11 goals this season and was well on his way to a hat-trick when his afternoon was ended prematurely by referee Graham Poll.

Robbie Keane said: "It was nice to get the goals and the win was brilliant. I was obviously disappointed with the sending off because it was the first time (I've been sent off in my career). When you are winning a game and enjoying it, taking that away is worse than suffering the suspension. I would have been much more hurt if we had lost the game with ten men."

With Spurs down to ten men before half-time, Bolton sensed a way back into the game despite trailing by three goals.

The all important reaction at the start of the second period was good from the home side, and they bossed the opening stages. Despite the advantage in number Bolton were short of ideas, so Sam Allardyce introduced Henrik Pedersen. The response from Jol was to bring on Steed Malbranque.

Dimitar Berbatov was top class even after Keane's sending off and his part in the proceedings meant Spurs always remained comfortable and the three points never looked in doubt. Indeed, the home side looked like scoring more themselves and that's exactly what they managed in stoppage time.

"The lads were brilliant though and we got a good result. The football we played was of a good tempo and they couldn't get out of their own half," added Keane.

Paul Robinson said: "The first half was good but the second half showed confidence, courage and a great togetherness, the character and belief in the team - we won that half 1-0 as well. We created more than them in the second half and it was a great performance because we weren't playing against mugs here, Bolton are strong and it was one of our best displays of the season."

Bolton's Gary Speed confessed: "Spurs thoroughly deserved their win. They defended well, were sharper than us, more awake and more alive in the first 20 minutes."

"We knew they had quality up front in Keane and Berbatov. We know them well, we know their movement is excellent."

Michael Dawson said: "I was watching from the back thinking 'cheers lads' as we went 3-0 up. Robbo had one great save to make in that opening spell but we played some great stuff and importantly scored the goals as well.

"The thing with Bolton is that you know they will continue to give everything, even at 3-0 down when a lot of teams might have folded. They got themselves back into the game and when we lost Robbie we all knew we were in for a tough test, especially with the scoreline then at 3-1.

"At half-time we regrouped and we knew what it was going to be like. We couldn't press as much and they had more of the ball but the lads worked their socks off. It wasn't quite as pretty in the second half - although Berba made it pretty with how he was plucking the ball out the air - and it was a pure team performance. Aaron's goal just capped it off."

Martin Jol said: "Bolton are a team playing with a lot of conviction but we defended well.

"I thought Ricardo Rocha did well in only his third start for us. Anthony Gardner told me this (Sunday) morning that he couldn't play, we'd had the wins this week with Anthony so that was a blow but Rocha came in and played as if he'd been here for the last two months."

"Bolton had a break whereas we had to play our third game in seven days again but there was one advantage - we had our rhythm, confidence and belief."

"I felt alongside Newcastle at home that was the best opening 20, 30 minutes we've had.

"You always have a worry following the sending off. I'll have another look at it tomorrow (Monday), but Robbie said he chested it. It's a concern because at 3-1, they are capable of scoring a second goal against 10 men and then we could have made it difficult for ourselves, but that didn't happen.

"Instead, we broke away three or four times and could have scored two or three more goals ourselves.

"I would have loved to have seen us play with 11 men throughout because I really had a good feeling."

"I told Berbatov that it was probably the best performance I've seen from a striker on his own against any team.

"The thing that pleased me most is that he took responsibility."

Chris Hughton said: "Although we scored good goals and we can talk about the period in the first half, the confidence of putting in a display against a team like Bolton - who can really punish a team that has gone down to 10 men - and not to concede in that period, we can get as much out of as we can the start and the three goals."

Jermaine Jenas who scored Tottenham's second goal, said: "It came off quite nicely and it was a case of just being in the right place at the right time, though I did have to stick my leg out to just get anything on it. It was good to see is nestle in the back of the net and that is what happens when you go into every game in the frame of mind thinking that you are going to score."

"We were very clinical and there was no comeback from Bolton early on - or throughout the game really. We were on fire after 30 minutes with being 3-0 up, we were a long time with ten men and at the time I thought it was very unfair. We had to stand up and be counted, all of us, and I thought Dimitar up front was exceptional. The sort of quality and professionalism he displayed in attack carried right throughout the team. The way it went I thought we definitely deserved it."

Teemu Tainio said: "We played in midweek but we started off very brightly in the game and that is what we needed to do.

"Early goals help a lot, especially after we went down to ten men, and a three goal lead did prove enough. When you saw the red card come out you thought there is still a long way to go against a team like Bolton.

"I had a little hamstring problem at the end of the first half, but there was no way I was going to come off with us being a man down at the time.

"Everybody showed a lot of courage in defending very well together. We also counter-attacked well and scored another goal.

"It was how we played last season, if you remember, we defended hard and scored some good goals. We really wanted to win the game. We needed it because of our recent results and it turned out to be a great week."

Source: TottenhamHotspur.com/BWFC.co.uk