Jermain Defoe scored 2 goals early in the 2nd half to secure a 5th round tie against Nottingham Forest next Sunday.

Spurs put in a very poor first half performance and only Robbie Keane's penalty just before the break saved the home side from being booed off the pitch. West Brom went ahead after 11 minutes as Kanu was able to head home Gera's cross relatively untroubled. Robinson then had to be at the top of his game to twice stop the Albion extending their lead.

The first real chance for Spurs wasn't created until 10 minutes before half time when Defoe blazed over from Kanoute's cross. It was a difficult chance but on current form you'd have expected the England striker to at least get the effort on target.

5 minutes before the break Carrick released Stephen Kelly down the right flank and his run into the box was ended by Russell Hoult who managed to knock himself out in the process. After lengthy treatment - 4 minutes of added time were played at the end of the 1st half - and eventually the substitution of Kuszczak for the injured Hoult, Keane put away the penalty.

At half time Martin Jol decided that 3 up front wasn't working so he replaced the goalscorer Keane with Simon Davies and went back to a 4-4-2. Almost immediately Spurs looked a different team, with a much better shape and balance. With less than 5 minutes gone in the 2nd half Spurs had turned the game on its head as Carrick squared a free kick which Defoe lashed home from the edge of the box.

5 minutes later and the game was safe as Kanoute tricked his way to the byline and cut the ball back for Defoe to control and rifle home.

Brown could have extended the lead but headed at Kuszczak. Just before the final whistle both keepers were seriously tested again. Robinson pushed away Clement's free kick and Kuszczak had to tip away Davies shot after good work from Kanoute.

After the 1st half performance such a comfortable result did not look on the cards but Jol recognised that the tactics weren't working so swapped it around and a Jekyll & Hyde Tottenham side were too strong for WBA once they got into their stride after the break.

MOTM:- Kelly. Had a really good game, probably his best ever in a white shirt. Looked comfortable defensively and going forward and looks like he feels he deserves to be in the side and, with more performances like this, should stay there for quite some time. The run which led to the penalty was typical of his afternoon's work.

A superb brace from Mido on his debut helped end Spurs 4 game winless streak.

Spurs went behind against the run of play just before the half hour mark as Kamara headed Pompey in front from their first attack of the game.

Prior to that, it had been all Spurs with Mido proving to be a handful for the Portsmouth defenders. Conceding the goal did not knock us out of our stride and we should have had a chance to level just 4 minutes later as Defoe squirmed through the defence and got pulled back by Stefanovic when he was clean through on goal and about to pull the trigger.

We didn't have to feel too hard done by for long though as from the next attack we got back on level terms, Davies putting in an excellent cross which Mido rose to power home.

Kamara had a goal rightly disallowed for handball just before the break as the teams went in all square at half time.

Spurs continued to dominate after the interval and 10 minutes in took the lead as Defoe crossed to give Mido the simplest of tap-ins.

Mido was withdrawn just after the hour as Martin Jol did not want to aggravate the injury that had forced the Egyptian to undergo a late fitness test before being selected in the starting line up.

The other debutant Andy Reid remained on display and with 10 minutes to go hit the post. Moments later Reid played a part in making the game safe, lofting a ball to Keane who lobbed the ball over Chalkias in the Portsmouth goal.

For the 1st time all season we managed to win having gone behind and created plenty of chances besides those we scored from. Defensively except for slack marking for their goal we were relatively untroubled.

Special mention must go to Timothee Atouba for once again causing mass hysterics and more than the odd heart attack by doing a fancy little sidestep in the middle of his own crowded penalty area, having been switched to centreback for the last 10 minutes. If the boy had brains he'd be dangerous!

MOTM:- Mido. Instant impact from the big Egyptian forward. Combined his height and power with good touch and close control.

Pos	Club	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
9	Tottenham	26	10	6	10	33	30	36

A Frank Lampard brace condemned Spurs to their first League defeat since November. The first was a highly controversial penalty while the second came very late in the game as Spurs pushed forward for an equaliser.

The penalty came 5 minutes before half time as Alexei Smertin went down as King came across to tackle. Looked like a dive and replays didn't do much to disprove that 1st impression as the Russian looked to have got tangled up in his own feet. Lampard made no mistake with the spotkick.

The nearest Spurs came to an equaliser was after an hour when Smertin sliced Defoe's corner across his own goal but it went agonisingly past the far post.

Halfway through the 2nd half King was shifted up front by Martin Jol. The continued absence of Kanoute meant it was very difficult to make the ball stick up front with Chelsea's defence looking as solid as it has done all season. King did have some limited success competing with the Blues' centrebacks but couldn't force any real chances. Interesting tactic by Jol though as he acknowledged the lack of height up front.

A cross from substitute Dean Marney found its way to Keane but having cut inside Duff he wasted the chance by firing over.

With time running out Gudjohnsen managed to get free down the left and pulled the ball back for the onrushing Lampard to put the result beyond doubt.

A disappointing way for our unbeaten run to come to an end. It never really looked like we would get anything from the game after they had got the 1st goal and the only real surprise was that they took so long to secure all 3 points.

MOTM:- King. Having put in some vital blocks and tackles at the back, the Spurs captain was then asked to lead the line for the last quarter of the game and did manage to unsettle Terry and Gallas with his aerial ability, which Keane and Defoe had failed to do up to that point.

A spectacular effort from Robbie Keane 10 minutes from time helped Spurs overcome a determined Brighton side. Prior to Keane's goal, it looked like Richard Carpenter's free-kick early in the second half would be enough to earn the Championship club a replay after Ledley King's headed opener just before the break.

Egged on by a vocal travelling support the Seagulls settled quickly and with quarter of an hour gone Carpenter's shot smacked back off the bar with Robinson struggling. A combination of poor finishing from Spurs and good defending by Brighton followed as the home side never really got going. Keane came closest to opening the scoring for Spurs when his dink hit the bar.

King's goal came from a well worked short corner as Brown fed Ziegler who crossed and King looped a header over Kuipers in the Brighton goal.

Carpenter's goal was a well struck 25 yard curling free kick and probably just what Brighton deserved as Leon Knight gave the Spurs defence, Gardner and Kelly in particular a torrid afternoon.

Only a great save from Robinson 20 minutes into the 2nd half kept the scores level as he tipped Hart's angled header wide. Spurs frustration at being unable to break down the opposition defence became evident as they resorted to long range efforts with Gardner off target and Ziegler's effort being flicked wide by Kuipers.

After Keane's goal we had a small cameo performance by substitute Mark Yeates who worked himself into some good positions and looked very comfortable on the ball but his failure to get a shot away or pass to a teammate on any of these occasions was disappointing.

A somewhat fortunate win as it was starting to look as if Spurs did not have the creativity to work a winner. The defence looked too uncertain too often against a forward line that shouldn't have caused so many problems.

MOTM:- Keane. The Irish striker always looked like being the Spurs player most likely to snatch a winner and his winner was a real gem.

2 goals and an assist from Dean Marney on his full home debut helped Spurs to a convincing win following the disappointment of the draw against Crystal Palace.

When Marney's name was announced in the starting XI, many people - including myself - were surprised as he'd not featured previously this season under Santini or Martin Jol. Another concern was the absence of Defoe but it later turned out he was injured rather than popping off to talk to Roman and co.

Jol's decision in selecting Marney was soon validated as Keane flicked on a ball from Pedro Mendes. Marney lofted the ball over the onrushing Richard Wright, who was reminded of his Arsenal connections now and again on an afternoon he'll probably want to forget in a hurry. Marney rushed to the fans to celebrate his first goal for the club

10 minutes later Kanoute's flick header was controlled on his chest and volleyed home by Ziegler - another maiden goal. Things could have been worse for Everton as Keane lobbed Wright but the ball came back off the bar and was cleared to safety.

Everton pulled on back 5 minutes before the break as the Spurs defence hesitated and allowed Bent to get the ball through to Cahill, who smashed in a volley from the edge of the box.

Keane felt he should he have had a penalty early in the 2nd half but referee Dunn, whose performane was poor and inconsistent to say the least, waved away the appeals.

Just before the hour mark, Kanoute laid off Marney's cross to Pedro Mendes, whot took a touch with sent 3 defenders the wrong way and drove home his first goal in a Spurs shirt.

By now Spurs were rampant. Halfway through the 2nd half Marney made a run down the right. He did a bit of trickery, nutmegged Pistone and burst past him to slide the ball across, giving Keane the easiset of tap-ins. 10 minutes from time Marney received a short pass from Carrick on the halfway line. He turned and as he ran the space opened up in front of him. 30 yards out he picked his spot and arced a beautiful shot past the despairing Wright to complete a very satisfying afternoon's work.

McFadden pulled once back but it was too little, too late for an Everton side who have been punching above their weight so far this season. Injuries and suspensions will start to tell on their small squad as David Moyes has relied on a core of 1st team players to get them where they are in the League.

Spurs again looked solid enough at the back despite conceding twice. The pleasing thing defensively now is that when they concede it doesn't seem to affect them as much as it has done in previous seasons. The commanding form of King and Robinson alongside the experienced Naybet or talented but yet to fulfil his true potential Gardner, and the solid fullbacks, Edman and Pamarot, have given Spurs a great defensive base to their game. The goals are starting to flow from midfield and the number of chances, both created and converted is on the up.

MOTM: Marney. A good performance at right back against DC United in a tribute match and a couple of solid but unspectacular appearances under Hoddle had not led many people to suspect the 20 year old was capable of a match winning display like this. He proved Jol's selection right and if he can put in a few more showings like this, he could have a very bright future at the club.

Spurs winning run came to an end against an organised Palace outfit.

Andy Johnson's late goal was frustrating but probably no more than Palace deserved on reflection.

Early on Spurs seemed willing to let Palace come at them, like Muhammed Ali absorbing punches and biding his time before delivering a potential knockout punch. That blow came from the usual source, Jermain Defoe. Just seconds after breaking away from 2 defenders and cracking a shot which came back off the post he went for the same move again. Different post, different outcome as this time it nestled in the back of Kiraly's net.

Johnson and Kanoute both had goals disallowed for offside and Robinson came under a barrage of shots in the first half, miraculously keeping them all out. The balance of power swung at half time and Kiraly was much the busier keeper, in his trademark tracksuit bottoms, which prompted plenty of chants about pyjamas, dressing gowns and teddy bears during duller passages of play.

10 minutes from time with Palace looking to have run out of ideas, Johnson turned and shot from 25 yards. Robinson saw it late and was unable to get across to stop it going into the bottom corner.

MOTM: Robinson. Stopped virtually everything that was thrown at him all afternoon and a key part of the more defensive tactics Jol seems to adopt in the 1st half of matches these days.

A lethal display of finishing from Jermain Defoe ripped a woeful Saints side to shreds and extended our winning run to 4 games.

He opened his account in under 10 minutes as a ball from Carrick allowed Kanoute to break down the right. For a moment it looked as if Kanoute had waited too long to get his cross in and the chance had gone, but Defoe had cleverly found space in the box and slotted the ball home when Kanoute did eventually cross it.

Southampton had a couple of chances to get back on level terms through Phillips and Crouch but Spurs went 2 goals to the good before the half hour mark - having not previously scored in the opening 30 mins of any game all season.

Telfer tried to tackle Kanoute but succeeded only in laying the ball through for Defoe to run onto and he made no mistake with the finish.

Kanoute, Telfer and Defoe all tried their luck from distance and Pamarot had headed wide from close range before Spurs got their third of the afternoon. Carrick sprung the Saints offside trap with a lovely ball over the top to Kanoute and he slotted home.

A miskick from King and hesitation from Robinson right at the start of the second half saw Crouch pull one back. Suddenly the Saints started to play a bit and there were a few worried faces, thinking back the defeat by Man City where we lost 4-3 having led 3-0 at the break.

Spurs don't crumble under Martin Jol however, and having weathered the storm they made the game safe when Defoe followed up after Niemi saved from Brown.

Defoe could have had another before he turned provider, dinking the ball over the defence for Keane to control and poke home, although Niemi would no doubt have felt he should he done better, allowing the ball to squirm under him.

MOTM: Defoe. Only one candidate. Superb performance showing his instinctive finishing ability at its best.