CHIEF Soccer Writer Gordon Sharrock reports exclusively for our web site from every Wanderers match.

This was his report on Monday, March 24:

19:47: MONDAY, MARCH 24, 2003

BARCLAYCARD PREMIERSHIP

WANDERERS V SPURS

SAM Allardyce rewarded the players who won convincingly at Sunderland by naming an unchanged line-up for the Sky TV showpiece game against Glenn Hoddle's Spurs.

There had been suggestions that Simon Charlton might return after missing the Stadium of Light game with a knee injury but he did not figure in the squad - Ricardo Gardner continuing at left-back with Per Frandsen retaining his place in midfield on the day he was recalled to the Denmark international squad for the European Championship qualifiers against Romania and Bosnia.

Having dropped into the bottom three over the weekend as a consequence of West Ham's 2-0 victory over Sunderland, Wanderers were looking to regain their advantage over the in-form Londoners but they faced a Spurs side boosted by the return of Robbie Keane after a three-match injury lay-off and Darren Anderton after suspension.

Wanderers: Jaaskelainen; N'Gotty, Laville, Bergsson, Gardner; Frandsen, Campo, Okocha; Mendy, Pedersen, Djorkaeff. Subs: Nolan, Andre, Ballesta, Barness, Poole.

Spurs: Keller; Taricco, Bunjevcevic, King, Thatcher; Anderton, Poyet, Carr, Davies; Keane, Sheringham. Subs: Doherty, Slabber, Etherington, Toda, Sullivan.

Referee: Graham Poll.

20:52: WANDERERS 0, SPURS 0.

Half-time

WANDERERS had the range but could not find the target in a first-half shoot-out with Spurs that surprisingly ended scoreless.

Jay-Jay Okocha, Bernard Mendy and Henrik Pedersen all had opportunities to stretch Kasey Keller but the American keeper, who signed a new contract earlier in the day, was never troubled.

It was Spurs who crafted the better opportunities though and it took well-timed interventions from Florent Laville, Gudni Bergsson and Ricardo Gardner to prevet Simon Davies, Goran Bunjevcevic and Stephen Carr testing Jussi Jaaskelainen.

22:02: WANDERERS 1, SPURS 0.

JAY-JAY Okocha kept his nerve to snatch a dramatic and vital victory for Wanderers with a penalty two minutes into overtime.

The last-kick win hoisted Sam Allardyce's survival squad out of the bottom three and it was no more than they deserved after a rousing second half performance.

And it was a welcome turn of fortune for Wanderers, who four times this season have seen victories snatched from their grasp in the dying seconds.

The Reebok held its breath as Okocha strode forward to stroke the spot-kick wide to Kasey Keller's left after Spurs sub Gary Doherty had fouled Youri Djorkaeff.

A point would have been enough to have taken Wanderers above West Ham on goal difference, but that would have been an injustice after their sensational show in the second period when they did everything but score.

Spurs had the edge in the first half, fashioning the best of the chances but finding Gudni Bergsson and Co in resolute mood. But it was a different story after the interval when Allardyce tightened things up at the back with Anthony Barness replacing Ricardo Gardner.

Practically all the action was at the other end with Keller making stunning saves to deny Youri Djorkaeff and Pierre-Yves Andre, Okocha heading wide from close-range and Bergsson hitting the post with a header against his former club.

Wanderers: Jaaskelainen; N'Gotty, Laville, Bergsson, Gardner; Frandsen, Campo, Okocha; Mendy, Pedersen, Djorkaeff. Subs: Barness for Gardner (h-t), Andre for Mendy 72 mins. Not used: Nolan, Ballesta, Poole.

Spurs: Keller; Taricco, Bunjevcevic, King, Thatcher; Anderton, Poyet, Carr, Davies; Keane, Sheringham. Subs: Doherty for Thatcher 21 mins, Etherington for Anderton 87 mins. Not used: Slabber, Toda, Sullivan.

Referee: Graham Poll (Tring, Herts).

Attendance: 23,084.