Cindy Gunnell
Sport News 24/7Wigan 1-2 Tottenham highlights: Spurs down ten-man Latics (video)
By Cindy Gunnell, on 24th September 2011, 17:49 UTC
Tottenham followed up their win over Liverpool with a 2-1 win over Wigan at the DW Stadium courtesy of first half goals from Rafael van der Vaart and Welsh winger Gareth Bale.
Wigan clawed their way back with a Mohamed Diame goal on 50 minutes but a red card for Steve Gohouri for a second bookable offence left the Latics on the back foot for the remainder of the game.
Soundly beaten by Manchester United (3-0) and Manchester City (1-5) in their first two games of the season, Spurs are now just three points behind fourth-placed Newcastle with a game in hand.
Spurs eviscerated Wigan 9-1 two years ago and Roberto Martinez's side looked to be in similarly charitable mood as a careless piece of defending allowed the visitors to take the lead in the third minute.
Maynor Figueroa's weak back-pass was seized upon by Emmanuel Adebayor, who strode into the Wigan area before squaring for van der Vaart to sweep the ball into the net from 12 yards.
Adebayor blazed over moments later when presented with a clear sight of goal from Kyle Walker's cutback but Spurs did not have to wait long to double their advantage.
In the 23rd minute, Bale got across his marker at the near post to glance a header from Luka Modric's corner into the bottom-left corner.
Adebayor tested Wigan goalkeeper Ali Al-Habsi with a long-range effort shortly before the interval and Martinez sported a concerned expression as the half-time whistle sounded.
The Spaniard sent on Ronnie Stam in place of Jordi Gomez at half-time and the Dutchman made an immediate impact, blocking Benoit Assou-Ekotto's attempted clearance and teeing up Diame, who held off Younes Kaboul before driving a low shot inside the left-hand post.
The goal invigorated the home side but in the 62nd minute the wind was taken from their sails when Gohouri was shown a second yellow card for cutting down Bale.
Kaboul almost extended the visitors' lead twice, sending a towering header from a left-wing corner inches over the crossbar and then rattling the bar with a deflected free-kick.
Tottenham tickets
szlj hozz: W1-2T
Wigan clawed their way back with a Mohamed Diame goal on 50 minutes but a red card for Steve Gohouri for a second bookable offence left the Latics on the back foot for the remainder of the game.
Soundly beaten by Manchester United (3-0) and Manchester City (1-5) in their first two games of the season, Spurs are now just three points behind fourth-placed Newcastle with a game in hand.
Spurs eviscerated Wigan 9-1 two years ago and Roberto Martinez's side looked to be in similarly charitable mood as a careless piece of defending allowed the visitors to take the lead in the third minute.
Maynor Figueroa's weak back-pass was seized upon by Emmanuel Adebayor, who strode into the Wigan area before squaring for van der Vaart to sweep the ball into the net from 12 yards.
Adebayor blazed over moments later when presented with a clear sight of goal from Kyle Walker's cutback but Spurs did not have to wait long to double their advantage.
In the 23rd minute, Bale got across his marker at the near post to glance a header from Luka Modric's corner into the bottom-left corner.
Adebayor tested Wigan goalkeeper Ali Al-Habsi with a long-range effort shortly before the interval and Martinez sported a concerned expression as the half-time whistle sounded.
The Spaniard sent on Ronnie Stam in place of Jordi Gomez at half-time and the Dutchman made an immediate impact, blocking Benoit Assou-Ekotto's attempted clearance and teeing up Diame, who held off Younes Kaboul before driving a low shot inside the left-hand post.
The goal invigorated the home side but in the 62nd minute the wind was taken from their sails when Gohouri was shown a second yellow card for cutting down Bale.
Kaboul almost extended the visitors' lead twice, sending a towering header from a left-wing corner inches over the crossbar and then rattling the bar with a deflected free-kick.
Tottenham tickets
szlj hozz: W1-2T
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