Sheff Utd 2 Tottenham 1
Sheffield United skipper Phil Jagielka thundered home a penalty to lift the Blades 10 points clear of the relegation zone and pile on the away-day agony for Spurs, who went down 2-1.
Manager Neil Warnock's side produced a superb come-from-behind win after Jermaine Jenas had delightfully lobbed Tottenham in front in the second minute at Bramall Lane.
Striker Rob Hulse first hauled United level 25 minutes later, before Jagielka clinched the points with a match-winning spot-kick just after the hour.
``That's why we're staying up,'' chanted the Blades fans at the final whistle, and why Spurs are unlikely to return to Europe next season.
Despite away wins in the UEFA Cup this season at Slavia Prague, Besiktas and Bayer Leverkusen - all without conceding a goal - Martin Jol's side have still only won once on their travels in the league.
Yet they started so brightly, with Jenas getting them off to a flier on his return to the side after missing last week's 4-0 defeat to Manchester United with an ankle injury.
It was simply executed and badly defended as a throw from Pascal Chimbonda from just inside his own half was flicked on by captain Robbie Keane for Jenas to lob Paddy Kenny from 16 yards.
Yet United could have taken the lead themselves 45 seconds before that as a scuffed shot from Nick Montgomery was picked up on the edge of the area by Jon Stead.
But just as Stead was about to shoot, right-back Chimbonda made a crucial challenge, with the ball running through to Paul Robinson.
After Jenas' strike, Spurs then looked comfortable and they should have doubled their lead in the 10th minute, instigated by Teemu Tainio robbing left-back Chris Armstrong of the ball.
The Finn ran on and played in Keane behind the United defence, but after running wide and from a tight angle, the striker flashed his shot across the face of Republic of Ireland team-mate Kenny's goal.
Hulse had come within a whisker of the equaliser five minutes earlier, heading past Robinson but hitting the underside of the crossbar, before Jenas hacked clear.
Hulse, though, was not to be denied as he eventually equalised 80 seconds later. In meeting a Kazim-Richards corner at the far post, Hulse outjumped Michael Dawson and Ricardo Rocha - the latter making his Premiership debut.
The ball took a remarkable bounce off the turf inside the six-yard box as it skipped over Robinson's outstretched grasp and another three Spurs players as they tried to clear, before dropping into the net.
Stead rifled in two drives soon after, the first of which flashed past the right-hand post and the second forcing Robinson into a fine low save.
Emerging from their shell, Spurs finally replied when Dimitar Berbatov and Steed Malbranque played their part in setting up Jenas.
After a one-two with Malbranque on the edge of the area, Jenas thumped his eventual shot into the ground from 15 yards, with the ball bouncing wide of the right-hand post.
What followed in the second half may have lacked the entertainment of the first in terms of the quality of football, but it was no less incident-packed.
The Kazim-Richards/Hulse combination almost proved Spurs undoing again just before the hour, with the striker again clipping the bar with a point-blank header in meeting the winger's corner.
That served to lift United again as they pushed Spurs back and in the 61st minute a poor Tainio challenge on Quinn on the edge of the area led to referee Martin Atkinson pointing to the spot.
United had missed three of their previous four penalties, but Jagielka made no mistake as he blasted the ball past Robinson.
Atkinson, who had started the half with a booking for Rocha for going through the back of Hulse, then became the busiest person on the pitch.
Further cautions followed for Chimbonda, Jenas, Tonge, Keane and Jermain Defoe, the latter two minutes after his arrival as a sub and for his involvement in a tussle with Montgomery, who was also booked.
Jol ended the match with four strikers on the pitch as he also brought on Mido, but despite such strength in attack, Spurs failed to create a single chance in the closing 20 minutes.
Jol denies he is under pressure
Tottenham boss Martin Jol is adamant he is under no pressure but conceded he is concerned about his side's lack of form.
Jol saw Spurs throw away an early lead against Sheffield United at Bramall Lane, losing 2-1 to the Blades who are now 10 points clear of the relegation zone.
Spurs are now on a rocky run of six Premiership matches without a victory, while they cannot seem to find a winning formula away.
Despite victories in the UEFA Cup this season at Sparta Prague, Besiktas and Bayer Leverkusen - all without conceding a goal - Spurs have only managed one win away from White Hart Lane in the Premiership this season.
Their current run is such that they are now only three points above 16th-placed United.
Jol said: 'We are very concerned. We have to get it right. It's not hopeless but we are not as strong a team as we were last season.'
'Asked whether he was under any pressure, Jol replied: 'No. The only pressure I put myself under is to win, but we have to be a lot stronger than we are.'
Instead, it was United who were left celebrating, with manger Neil Warnock claiming victory had left him as proud as he has felt all season.
'The win over Arsenal in December was a special night for us, but this was a great result and so well deserved,' insisted Warnock.
'We suffered a massive blow last week when we conceded a 94th-minute goal at Blackburn to lose that game.
'Then to concede inside two minutes against a team that has not been doing so well recently put us under the cosh yet again.
'It was not a good goal from our point of view, but we then produced a very good all-round performance against a very good team.'
Warnock's side hold such a big gap over the bottom three, and the finishing line in sight, but the Blades' boss knows he cannot look too far ahead.
'I think we are playing as well as anybody at the moment, but we cannot look any further than the next game,' he added.
'We might have 30 points, but to be honest I'm disappointed we've not got 40 right now.
'We've thrown a lot of points away this season, in particular when I think of the two penalties we missed against Blackburn early on in the campaign.
'But Phil scored a very important one for us today - one I wouldn't have had the bottle to take. But he has done well to give us a great victory.'
Manager Neil Warnock's side produced a superb come-from-behind win after Jermaine Jenas had delightfully lobbed Tottenham in front in the second minute at Bramall Lane.
Striker Rob Hulse first hauled United level 25 minutes later, before Jagielka clinched the points with a match-winning spot-kick just after the hour.
``That's why we're staying up,'' chanted the Blades fans at the final whistle, and why Spurs are unlikely to return to Europe next season.
Despite away wins in the UEFA Cup this season at Slavia Prague, Besiktas and Bayer Leverkusen - all without conceding a goal - Martin Jol's side have still only won once on their travels in the league.
Yet they started so brightly, with Jenas getting them off to a flier on his return to the side after missing last week's 4-0 defeat to Manchester United with an ankle injury.
It was simply executed and badly defended as a throw from Pascal Chimbonda from just inside his own half was flicked on by captain Robbie Keane for Jenas to lob Paddy Kenny from 16 yards.
Yet United could have taken the lead themselves 45 seconds before that as a scuffed shot from Nick Montgomery was picked up on the edge of the area by Jon Stead.
But just as Stead was about to shoot, right-back Chimbonda made a crucial challenge, with the ball running through to Paul Robinson.
After Jenas' strike, Spurs then looked comfortable and they should have doubled their lead in the 10th minute, instigated by Teemu Tainio robbing left-back Chris Armstrong of the ball.
The Finn ran on and played in Keane behind the United defence, but after running wide and from a tight angle, the striker flashed his shot across the face of Republic of Ireland team-mate Kenny's goal.
Hulse had come within a whisker of the equaliser five minutes earlier, heading past Robinson but hitting the underside of the crossbar, before Jenas hacked clear.
Hulse, though, was not to be denied as he eventually equalised 80 seconds later. In meeting a Kazim-Richards corner at the far post, Hulse outjumped Michael Dawson and Ricardo Rocha - the latter making his Premiership debut.
The ball took a remarkable bounce off the turf inside the six-yard box as it skipped over Robinson's outstretched grasp and another three Spurs players as they tried to clear, before dropping into the net.
Stead rifled in two drives soon after, the first of which flashed past the right-hand post and the second forcing Robinson into a fine low save.
Emerging from their shell, Spurs finally replied when Dimitar Berbatov and Steed Malbranque played their part in setting up Jenas.
After a one-two with Malbranque on the edge of the area, Jenas thumped his eventual shot into the ground from 15 yards, with the ball bouncing wide of the right-hand post.
What followed in the second half may have lacked the entertainment of the first in terms of the quality of football, but it was no less incident-packed.
The Kazim-Richards/Hulse combination almost proved Spurs undoing again just before the hour, with the striker again clipping the bar with a point-blank header in meeting the winger's corner.
That served to lift United again as they pushed Spurs back and in the 61st minute a poor Tainio challenge on Quinn on the edge of the area led to referee Martin Atkinson pointing to the spot.
United had missed three of their previous four penalties, but Jagielka made no mistake as he blasted the ball past Robinson.
Atkinson, who had started the half with a booking for Rocha for going through the back of Hulse, then became the busiest person on the pitch.
Further cautions followed for Chimbonda, Jenas, Tonge, Keane and Jermain Defoe, the latter two minutes after his arrival as a sub and for his involvement in a tussle with Montgomery, who was also booked.
Jol ended the match with four strikers on the pitch as he also brought on Mido, but despite such strength in attack, Spurs failed to create a single chance in the closing 20 minutes.
Jol denies he is under pressure
Tottenham boss Martin Jol is adamant he is under no pressure but conceded he is concerned about his side's lack of form.
Jol saw Spurs throw away an early lead against Sheffield United at Bramall Lane, losing 2-1 to the Blades who are now 10 points clear of the relegation zone.
Spurs are now on a rocky run of six Premiership matches without a victory, while they cannot seem to find a winning formula away.
Despite victories in the UEFA Cup this season at Sparta Prague, Besiktas and Bayer Leverkusen - all without conceding a goal - Spurs have only managed one win away from White Hart Lane in the Premiership this season.
Their current run is such that they are now only three points above 16th-placed United.
Jol said: 'We are very concerned. We have to get it right. It's not hopeless but we are not as strong a team as we were last season.'
'Asked whether he was under any pressure, Jol replied: 'No. The only pressure I put myself under is to win, but we have to be a lot stronger than we are.'
Instead, it was United who were left celebrating, with manger Neil Warnock claiming victory had left him as proud as he has felt all season.
'The win over Arsenal in December was a special night for us, but this was a great result and so well deserved,' insisted Warnock.
'We suffered a massive blow last week when we conceded a 94th-minute goal at Blackburn to lose that game.
'Then to concede inside two minutes against a team that has not been doing so well recently put us under the cosh yet again.
'It was not a good goal from our point of view, but we then produced a very good all-round performance against a very good team.'
Warnock's side hold such a big gap over the bottom three, and the finishing line in sight, but the Blades' boss knows he cannot look too far ahead.
'I think we are playing as well as anybody at the moment, but we cannot look any further than the next game,' he added.
'We might have 30 points, but to be honest I'm disappointed we've not got 40 right now.
'We've thrown a lot of points away this season, in particular when I think of the two penalties we missed against Blackburn early on in the campaign.
'But Phil scored a very important one for us today - one I wouldn't have had the bottle to take. But he has done well to give us a great victory.'
posted by dgarden at 1:54 pm
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