Sport

More woe for Jol

English FA Premiership/Charlton - 2 Tottenham Hotspur - 0: Martin Jol must wish the past four days had never happened

Jon Brodkin at The Valley
Thu Mar 17 2005 - 00:00

English FA Premiership/Charlton - 2 Tottenham Hotspur - 0: Martin Jol must wish the past four days had never happened. As if the FA Cup defeat at Newcastle was not depressing enough for Tottenham's head coach, he last night saw his team suffer a significant setback in their hopes of qualifying for the Uefa Cup.

Jerome Thomas' early goal and a late free-kick by Danny Murphy, who turned down Spurs last summer, lifted Charlton's own European ambitions as Tottenham's poor finishing in the first half and uninspired play afterwards left Jol facing a third consecutive defeat.

Tottenham had plenty of possession throughout but their creativity was minimal after the interval, even if Andy Reid had a free-kick headed off the line.

Murphy found no such barrier to his set-piece, curling the ball over the ball and in off a post.

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This derby had taken on added importance because of the teams' shared determination to finish high enough to get into Europe. Sixth place will guarantee a Uefa Cup place now that Chelsea have won the League Cup, and even seventh will suffice if Arsenal and Manchester United - both of whom will finish in Champions League positions - contest the FA Cup final.

Charlton's supporters must have been dreaming of where next season could take them when they went ahead after four minutes. Collecting a pass from Paul Konchesky, Thomas was not closed down by Noe Pamarot and darted inside the fullback before curling an excellent shot past Paul Robinson, via the far post, from about 25 yards.

Although Robbie Keane brought a low stop from Dean Kiely early in the second half, there was little testing in that and Spurs always struggled to pierce a combative Charlton side.

CHARLTON: Kiely, Young, Perry, El Karkouri, Hreidarsson, Rommedahl (Johansson 53), Murphy, Holland, Konchesky, Thomas (Fish 76), Bartlett (Euell 71). Subs Not Used: Jeffers, Andersen. Booked: Euell. Goals: Thomas 4, Murphy 85.

TOTTENHAM: Robinson, Pamarot (Kelly 86), Gardner, King, Edman, Reid, Carrick (Davis 70), Brown, Ziegler (Defoe 60), Kanoute, Keane. Subs Not Used: Cerny, Atouba. Booked: Pamarot, Edman, Brown, Reid.

Referee: C Foy (Merseyside).