Super Spurs demolish Hull

Jermain Defoe grabbed a hat-trick as Spurs dismantled Hull 5-1 at the KC Stadium.

Defoe hat-trick highlight of 5-1 win

Jermaine Defoe scored a hat-trick as Tottenham sailed past a lacklustre Hull side with a brilliant display at the KC Stadium. Defoe gave the hosts an early lead with a clinical finish on 10 minutes after being played through by Tom Huddlestone. Wilson Palacios then doubled the lead with his first goal for Spurs but Hull pegged back the deficit when Stephen Hunt's wide free-kick looped past substitute goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini. Hull threatened an equaliser but Defoe restored the two-goal advantage on the stroke of half-time with an unstoppable right-footed drive when clean through. Robbie Keane put the result beyond doubt in the second half when he rose to head in Aaron Lennon's pinpoint cross after a quick break from the visitors. Defoe put the icing on the cake when Lennon held up play on the edge of the box before the England striker sealed his hat-trick by rifling a shot into the roof of the net.

Perfect Start

Tottenham now have a 100 per cent record after two games for only the second time in 14 years, while Hull have not won in the Premier League since March, a run stretching back 12 games. Harry Redknapp's men were outstanding in attack and Hull's defence had few answers to the charge. Defoe was the first player to get a sight of goal in the early stages but his delicate chip drifted narrowly over. The England striker made no mistake in the 10th minute, however, after Spurs were gifted possession by George Boateng. Huddlestone threaded a perfect ball into the penalty area and Defoe calmly went wide of Michael Turner to fire a low left-footed shot into the far corner. The night got worse for Hull four minutes later as Keane burst into space up the middle and slipped in Palacios on the left. The former Wigan man proved equally as clinical as Defoe when he fired home from a similar angle.

Injury

The only downside for Spurs up to that point was that goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes had hurt himself stretching for a high ball moments earlier and had to be replaced by Cudicini. Tottenham continued to press forward and Luka Modric shot straight at Boaz Myhill from distance before Defoe sent another long-range effort over. Hull were being completely overrun and manager Phil Brown was concerned enough to make a change after 21 minutes by bringing off striker Daniel Cousin and sending on playmaker Geovanni. Hull suddenly forced their way back into the game in the 24th minute as Hunt handed them a fortuitous lifeline. The lively Geovanni won a free-kick on the right and Hunt, goalscorer on his debut against Chelsea on Saturday, floated in a cross that beat everybody and bounced in. Geovanni caused further problems for the Tottenham defence and created an opening for the confident Hunt, but the recalled Alan Hutton tackled well.

Clinical

Hull were briefly rejuvenated and Bernard Mendy picked out Folan with a cross but his header was off target. But Spurs remained a threat and Defoe grabbed the third in the 45th minute after flicking the ball past a wrong-footed Turner and blasting past Myhill. Tottenham started the second half well with Benoit Assou-Ekotto breaking clear but Keane was unable to turn in his cross. Keane was booked for a nasty-looking tackle on former Tottenham star Nick Barmby while Folan saw yellow for a bad challenge on Hutton. Hull appealed for a penalty after Geovanni went down in the area but the referee was unmoved and similarly waved away a later shout for handball. Assou-Ekotto fired a free-kick into the wall and Huddlestone was unable to make the most of the rebound, while Modric also shot over. Hunt won a free-kick for Hull after being fouled by Hutton while in full flow but Geovanni shot straight at Cudicini. The Brazilian tested Cudicini again with a powerful header which the Italian tipped over the bar. Tottenham wrapped up the points 12 minutes from time after breaking up the field following a Hull corner. The ball was worked wide to Lennon and the winger lofted a perfect cross for Keane to head in. It proved Keane's last significant contribution as Peter Crouch was then brought on in his place. Lennon then picked out Crouch with another cross from the right but Myhill saved his header. Defoe had the final word when he drilled home a fierce left-footed shot in stoppage-time.

Hull City	Team Statistics	Tottenham Hotspur
1	Goals	5
1	1st Half Goals	3
6	Shots on Target	8
2	Shots off Target	6
2	Blocked Shots	4
6	Corners	5
24	Fouls	13
2	Offsides	5
3	Yellow Cards	2
0	Red Cards	0
66.8	Passing Success	78.3
15	Tackles	16
53.3	Tackles Success	87.5
41	Possession	59
47.2	Territorial Advantage	52.8