Well, what a better way to give Dean Richards a big send-off than to see two of his former clubs pull off a Premier League classic?
Before the match began, an emotional special tribute was held to 'Deano', which began with the two teams entering the pitch followed by Bradford chairman Mark Lawn, ex-Southampton teammate Claus Lundekvam, former Spurs colleague Ledley King and Wolves' Matt Murray, holding their respective shirts aloft with Richards' name and shirt number of the back. The shirts will be auctioned off and the proceeds will go to St Gemma's Hospice in Leeds, where he was cared for and passed away. His widow Samantha and two children Rio and Jaden entered the pitch before former teammates Don Goodman and James Beattie and former managers Graham Taylor and Dave Jones joined the representatives and both teams and sets of fans in a minute's standing ovation. There were fewer dry eyes through it all.
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| Family, players, fans and ex-colleagues pay tribute to Dean Richards |
The match got under way and it was us who looked dangerous and played the better football to begin with. Adam Hammill's diagonal ball into the box saw Nenad Milijas stretching but his header was always going wayward. But 20 minutes in, it was Milijas who supplied the first goal when he recieved the ball from a cleared corner, he whipped it in for Kevin Doyle to beat Huerelho Gomes to head in. But Spurs' attacking prowess, they were always going to threaten. Steven Pienaar just fired wide before Jermain Defoe found a bit of space and fired a curling effort from 20 yards after half an hour. Four minutes later, he repeated the trick from a much tougher position leaving Wayne Hennessey with no chance. And five minutes before half-time, a deflected Doyle shot saw it's way to Milijas from three yards and Alan Hutton pulled back the Serb, a red card for denying a clear goalscoring opportunity was certain but Mark Halsey only gave him a yellow. Doyle made no mistake in sending Gomes the wrong way to send the game all square at half time.
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| Richard Stearman heads in the goal that never was. |
The second half was only three minutes old when Roman Pavlyuchenko - perhaps the most likely player to have been sacrificed had Hutton been sent off - slammed a powerful shot into the roof of the net. But kept on fighting we did and Matt Jarvis whipped in a ball from the left for Stephen Ward, who only got a flick and no direction on the ball. Milijas broke forward again and forced a save from Gomes to tip onto the post, and he was forced to stretch from a Kevin Doyle cross but he couldn't control it. Halfway through the second half and Harry Redknapp had intentions to finish us off on the break by bringing on Gareth Bale and Aaron Lennon and they nearly did when Bale pounced on a miscommunication but was denied by Hennessey. Moments later, Milijas delivered a free-kick which Gomes and Richard Stearman raced for and 'Stears' beat the keeper to head home, only for Halsey to disallow for what is believed to be a foul on the keeper, goalkeepers are a protected breed so this is normal to be honest. More moments later Spurs had another chance to kill us off when the post denied Defoe of his hat-trick. It would've been harsh on us but we managed to get the equaliser three minutes from time when Jarvis' ball met the head of Fletcher who did well to direct it into the corner.
A good result but a win would've justified the performance, but you have to be happy with a point as it was a must after West Ham and West Brom picked up wins. Also, it's a great showing of resolve that we've come behind twice and equalised. We will not lay down and roll over!
LINE-UPS
Wolves (4-5-1): Hennessey; Foley, Stearman, Berra, Elokobi; Hammill (Fletcher, 74), Henry, Ward (Ebanks-Blake, 60), Milijas, Jarvis; Doyle. Subs Not Used: Hahnemann, Craddock, Mouyokolo, Griffiths, Doherty.
Spurs (4-4-2): Gomes; Hutton, Dawson, Gallas, Assou-Ekotto; Pienaar (Bale, 69), Jenas, Sandro, Modric (Kranjcar, 85); Defoe, Pavlyuchenko (Lennon, 74). Subs Not Used: Cudicini, Bassong, Palacios, Crouch. Booked: Hutton, Gallas, Dawson.
STATS (WOLVES - SPURS)
Shots on target (off): 4 (9) - 10 (5) Corners: 7 - 4 Fouls: 10 - 11
Possession: 44% - 56% Referee: Mark Halsey (Bolton) Attendance: 28,669
Stats according to BBC Sport
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