BEN Chief Soccer Writer Gordon Sharrock's exclusive website reports from White Hart Lane.
FA CUP (Sponsored by AXA) 4th Round
SPURS v Wanderers
PRIORITIES or no priorities, there was no repeat of the events of December when a weakened Wanderers side crashed out of the Worthington Cup, beaten 6-0.
Sam Allardyce had youngsters Cleveland Taylor and Jeff Smith in his squad but fielded his strongest possible side with David Norris and Wayne Buchanan the only reserve team regulars on the subs' bench.
Simon Charlton failed a fitness test on the knee injury he picked up in the 3-2 defeat at Newcastle on Saturday and Bruno N'Gotty was again missing so
Ricardo Gardner switched to left back and Bo Hansen was drafted into midfield.
Allardyce went without Fredi Bobic and instead had Henrik Pedersen operating in support of Michael Ricketts who was being watched by England coach Sven Goran Eriksson.
Glenn Hoddle made four changes to the Spurs team beaten 1-0 at Derby on Saturday - Darren Anderton, Matthew Etherington, Ben Thatcher and Sergiy Robrov brought into the starting line-up at the expense of Oyvind Leonhardsen, Teddy Sheringham, Simon Davies and Chris Perry.
Spurs: Sulllivan; Tarricco, King, Richards, Etherington, Iversen, Anderton, Sherwood, Poyet, Rebrov, Thatcher. Subs: Keller, Ferdinand, Sheringham, Leonhardsen, Thelwell.
Wanderers: Jaaskelainen; Barness, Bergsson, Whitlow, Gardner, Hansen, Nolan, Farrelly, Pedersen Ricketts. Subs: Poole, Holdsworth, Johnson, Buchanan, Norris.
Referee: Steve Dunn (Bristol).
SPECULATION was intense at White Hart Lane that Wanderers were aiming to sign Youri Djourkaev - a World Cup winner with France - who is currently with Kaiserslautern in the Bundesliga and is reported to be flying in from Germany to discuss a possible loan signing.
20:35: SPURS 2, WANDERERS 0
Half-time
JUSSI Jaaskelainen, beaten six times on his last visit to White Hart Lane, kept Wanderers in the game with three outstanding saves in the first 20 minutes but was powerless to prevent Spurs taking command of this fourth round FA Cup tie.
The big Finn denied Gus Poyet and Stefan Iversen twice but was beaten on 21 minutes when Darren Anderton, fouled by Anthony Barness, picked himself up to score from the penalty spot.
Wanderers had little to offer other than a couple of off-target shots from Kevin Nolan, before Iversen doubled the Spurs lead in the 35th minute, beating Mike Whitlow to Anderton's cross for a smart finish.
21:43: SPURS 4, WANDERERS 0
JUSSI Jaaskelainen played a blinder but left White Hart Lane for the third time in two months, having conceded 13 goals.
The big Finn made a string of sensational saves to prevent Spurs running up a massive scoreline on their way to a fifth round home tie against Tranmere.
But, as in the Worthington Cup when they enjoyed a 6-0 romp, Glenn Hoddle's men still strolled it.
It was an unfortunate night for Anthony Barness, who was harshly called for a foul on man of the match Darren Anderton in the 21st minute when the England man picked himself up to put Spurs ahead from the penalty spot, and had the misfortune to gift Spurs their fourth with an own goal at the same end where he put through his own goal in the Worthington Cup tie.
In between Anderton laid on goals for Stefan Iversen (35 mins) and Matthew Etherington (55 mins).
Spurs: Sullivan; Tarricco, King, Richards, Etherington, Iversen, Anderton, Sherwood, Poyet, Rebrov, Thatcher. Subs: Leonhardsen for Taricco (75 mins), Thelwell for Anderton (75 mins). Not used: Keller, Ferdinand, Sheringham.
Wanderers: Jaaskelainen; Barness, Bergsson, Whitlow, Gardner, Hansen, Nolan, Farrelly, Pedersen Ricketts. Subs: Buchanan for Whitlow (h-t), Holdsworth for Ricketts (61 mins), Johnson for Nolan (64 mins). Not used: Poole, Holdsworth, Johnson, Buchanan, Norris.
Referee: Steve Dunn (Bristol).
Attendance: 29.093.
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