Hoddle's ship sunk by subs

Glen Little came off the bench and produced a dazzling display of wing play to completely change the course of the game.

But if Spurs replacement Robbie Keane had not left his shooting boots at home then extra time at the least would have been on the cards.

However, the Irish international missed three times in one-on-ones, cracked a late volley against the crossbar before Burnley secured a famous cup victory to reach the fourth round of the League Cup for the first time in 20 years.

Two great names who share a great history produced a match that was worthy of the traditional rivalry between the two sides and the Clarets did deserve their triumph.

For 27 minutes that looked a highly unlikely outcome as Tottenham Hotspur gave Burnley a footballing lesson and the home side barely touched the ball - but then Little came on.

During the opening period Spurs simply ran Burnley ragged with the promising young wide men Matthew Etherington and Simon Davies causing havoc down left and right.

If Dean West was asked to give a description of the sole of Etherington's boots he would be able to do it perfectly, down to the very last stud, so often was he chasing him.

The end product wasn't bad either and Les Ferdinand and Steffen Iversen must have thought they were in for a good night.

In fact it was from a Davies corner that Spurs took a deserved lead, Gus Poyet doing what he has done regularly since arriving in England, arriving to power home a header as others were made to look statuesque.

Glenn Hoddle had made his intentions clear by naming a strong line-up and his side certainly played like they have got the Worthington Cup high on their list of priorities. The only player rested was Teddy Sheringham and his side was packed with costly internationals.

For his part Stan Ternent had left his star winger on the bench as he looked to have "two solid banks of four" to stop the sieve like defending that had seen 12 goals conceded in the last three games.

But it was soon obvious it was not working, Little came on and suddenly it was a whole new ball game.

"We were quite tentative in the first 20-25 minutes, we gave a goal away from a set piece and we didn't have anywhere to go when we had the ball," admitted Ternent.

"We made the change, Glen gave us a bit of width and the rest is history."

And what a wonderful piece of Clarets history it was too. Within minutes they had seen more of the ball and created more chances and the first half ended with the pendulum swinging towards the home side.

Having chased shadows for almost half an hour, suddenly they were the elusive ones and the partnership of Robbie Blake and Little was causing havoc.

Gareth Taylor and Lee Briscoe had chances, Paul Weller was breaking forward with intent and Spurs, so dominant in the opening stages were on the back foot.

Slow starts have been a feature for Burnley all season and the question was whether they could keep the momentum going after the break. The answer was an emphatic YES!

Graham Branch, who was shining at left back, saw his deep cross headed over by Taylor, West fired over after a flowing move and Weller was also off target with a shot from range.

But two goals either side of the hour mark put Burnley ahead and sent the home fans wild.

The first one featured three men on top of their game. Weller burst forward, fed Little to his right and his ball inside was hammered home by Blake, helped by a deflection.

Four minutes later it was 2-1 with Little again involved, his swinging cross converted by skipper Steve Davis with a header that Poyet would have been proud of.

But in between the two goals it could, maybe should, have been 2-1 to the visitors. Keane had come on at half time for the injured Les Ferdinand and from Iversen's flick he was through on goal.

It was odds on a goal but he flicked it past Marlon Beresford and also wide of the keeper's right hand post.

The closing stages provided classic cup tie action, thrills and spills galore. Blake looked to have wrapped it up when Weller's pressure forced a defensive error and Blake's run and left foot shot smashed against the post.

And with only three minutes remaining more Little magic looked certain to give Burnley a third goal but first he and then Taylor were denied.

But for Hoddle the key moments were three more misses by Keane. In the 78th minute he was one on one with Beresford again but lobbed the ball into the keeper's hands.

He made a better fist of his third effort when a mistake by Branch put him through in the 90th minute but Beresford's legs did the trick.

Having missed three great chances Keane seemed determined to make amends with a stunning volley from long range in stoppage time. It hit the bar, possibly aided by the fingertips of Beresford but the ball sailed into the visiting fans and with it went the hopes that Spurs had of going one better than losing in the final last year.

Premiership sides regularly lose to Football League clubs in the Worthington Cup but that is often because they field second strings.

That was not the case last night and anyone doubting Spurs disappointment just needed to see Hoddle's face at the end.

His side had been beaten, Burnley had triumphed and it is the Clarets fans who can look forward to the draw for the fourth round on Saturday.

BURNLEY 2

(Blake 58, Davis 62)

TOTTENHAM 1

(Poyet 17)

At Turf Moor Att: 13,512

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