Tottenham see off plucky Palace

Posted Sunday, September 20, 2015 by Foxsports.com

Son Heung-Min earned Tottenham their first home win of the Premier League season after seeing off Crystal Palace 1-0 at White Hart Lane on Sunday.

Tottenham 1 Crystal Palace 0
Cabaye hits post before half-time
Davies has headed goal disallowed
Sako shot tipped onto woodwork
Son finally fires Spurs in front

Match Summary

Spurs asked most of the questions in the opening 45 minutes but it was Palace who came closest to finding the back of the net after Yohan Cabaye's curling effort crashed off the base of the post just moments before the break.

Ben Davies then thought he had headed the hosts into the lead after 57 minutes but the linesman's flag for a foul by Harry Kane meant the midfielder's effort would not count.

The visitors were then again denied by the woodwork soon after as Hugo Lloris tipped Bakary Sako's shot onto the upright, and Spurs rubbed salt in their wounds after breaking up at the other end, with Son rounding off a blistering counter-attack by slotting home between Alex McCarthy's legs.

Full Report

Spurs almost found a way through after just three minutes but Kane could only send a free header over from a few feet out, while Palace created their first real chance after 21 minutes, but no-one in a red and blue shirt was able to get on the end of Sako's brilliant ball across the face of goal.

Yannick Bolasie then worked a great chance after twisting this way and that to open up a shooting opportunity, but he couldn't get the proper connection and dragged his effort wide of the mark.

Mauricio Pochettino's men looked destined to break the deadlock just after the half-hour mark as McCarthy could only parry Erik Lamela's shot into the path of Kane, who in turn squared the ball back across the six-yard area, although his team-mates were not on the same page and the chance went begging.

Palace twice came close to taking the lead before half-time, but Sako saw his curling free-kick tipped behind by the diving Lloris, before Cabaye was cruelly denied by the base of the post after connecting sweetly with the outside of his boot from a tight angle.

Spurs started the second half strongly and Lamela managed to test McCarthy with a free-kick after 52 minutes, with the keeper getting across well to just thwart the forward's goal-bound effort.

The home fans were finally on their feat after 57 minutes as a melee in the Palace box ended with Davies nodding into the back of an empty net, but the celebrations were short lived after the linesman flagged Kane for a foul, with replays showing the decision was a correct one as the striker had been impeding Brede Hangeland.

Palace then came within a whisker of taking the lead themselves as Sako's rasping first-time drive at the near post brought a stunning save from Lloris, who somehow managed to just tip the ball onto the post and out.

Spurs went on to rub salt in their wounds after finally breaking the deadlock with around 20 minutes remaining, Christian Eriksen leading the charge before slipping in Son, who steadied himself before firing the ball between the keeper's legs and into the back of the net.

Alan Pardew's side looked desperate to get something out of the game, but almost seemed to rush their play, reverting to long-ball tactics and first-time crosses which failed to trouble the home defenders.