Dutch courage saves Spurs

Two goals from Rafael van der Vaart earned Tottenham a 2-1 win over Aston Villa after a frantic game.

Brace from Van der Vaart sees Spurs to victory over spirited Villa

Two goals from Rafael van der Vaart earned Tottenham a 2-1 win over Aston Villa after a frantic game at White Hart Lane. Villa, boasting a perfect record under new boss Gerard Houllier, went toe-to-toe with their North London hosts from the off and took the lead through Marc Albrighton in the 16th minute. Emile Heskey, who seems a man reborn under Houllier, showed great determination and strength to win the ball and drive into the area, pulling it across for Albrighton who finished from close range. But Spurs fought back and Van der Vaart levelled the scores on the stroke of half-time, heading in at the back post after Peter Crouch had won the initial cross in the air. Having set the Lane alight in midweek against FC Twente, it was to be the Dutchman's day once more and he secured the win in the 75th minute when latching onto another Crouch header to smash past the helpless Brad Friedel. Tottenham fielded a makeshift centre-back partnership of Tom Huddlestone and Sebastien Bassong, their 10th in 12 games this injury-blighted season, after Ledley King failed a late fitness test. Even with King available on Wednesday night, Spurs looked too open for comfort at times and Saturday's line-up appeared even more attack-minded.

Missed header

And they should have been ahead inside five minutes when Roman Pavlyuchenko nodded over Luka Modric's left-wing cross. But Villa began to take control of the game and, after a couple of half-hearted penalty appeals, they went ahead. Terrible defending from Bassong saw him robbed by Heskey down the right and the revitalised former England striker sprinted along the byline before crossing for Albrighton to slide home. Spurs screamed for a penalty themselves 22 minutes in when Pavlyuchenko's shot hit the recalled Richard Dunne's hand but it was not intentional and Alan Hutton sent the follow-up into the side-netting. Ashley Young was needlessly booked for deliberate handball and Villa suffered a second blow when lone frontman Heskey limped off to be replaced by John Carew 10 minutes before the break. Pavlyuchenko wasted another chance to score four minutes later, hooking Gareth Bale's excellent low cross wide from six yards. Carew and Young both fired over from 20 yards, Friedel was almost caught out by Van der Vaart's skidding effort, Albrighton was cautioned for a foul on Hutton and Young sent a shot on the turn straight at Heurelho Gomes. Van der Vaart then levelled three minutes into stoppage-time when he climbed above Dunne to nod home after Crouch had headed Pavlyuchenko's ball back across goal. The Holland midfielder was moved from the right into a more central role after the restart, with Pavlyuchenko withdrawn for Aaron Lennon. The change almost paid dividends in the 51st minute when Lennon stood a cross up for Crouch once again to nod down but Van der Vaart was somehow beaten to the ball by a desperate Stiliyan Petrov lunge.

Crucial block

Van der Vaart saw his next effort blocked by Dunne after being found in acres of space by Bale as Tottenham began to crank up the pressure. But Villa remained a threat on the break and Huddlestone was looking uncomfortable up against Carew, with the striker and Albrighton both inches from connecting with Young's dangerous cross. Crouch should have put Spurs ahead 20 minutes from time when he powered a header over the bar after Huddlestone had flicked on Modric's corner. Moments later, Lennon forced a fine stop from Friedel with a low angled drive and, when he stood up another dangerous cross - this time with his left foot - 15 minutes from time, Spurs took the lead. Crouch once more claimed the knockdown and this time there was no stopping Van der Vaart as he kept his cool to blast the ball past Friedel. Harry Redknapp withdrew Modric for Wilson Palacios and Villa soon made a double change, throwing on Stephen Ireland and Barry Bannan for Petrov and Albrighton. Dunne nodded a late corner off target and James Collins was booked for felling Lennon in full flight, only escaping a straight red by covering defenders. Lennon was rampant and his latest cross found Hutton, whose shot was blocked before Van der Vaart was substituted to a standing ovation in the final minute, Sandro coming on to make his Premier League debut.

Tottenham Hotspur	Team Statistics	Aston Villa
2	Goals	1
1	1st Half Goals	1
4	Shots on Target	3
11	Shots off Target	9
12	Blocked Shots	1
10	Corners	4
12	Fouls	19
2	Offsides	6
1	Yellow Cards	3
0	Red Cards	0
75.1	Passing Success	76.3
17	Tackles	19
64.7	Tackles Success	78.9
52.6	Possession	47.4
52	Territorial Advantage	48