The Force is with Newcastle

They run out to music from Star Wars but they are, undeniably, the less sophisticated face of North London football and against Newcastle United, even the formidable home record of Tottenham Hotspur failed them.

It all started well enough, with a sustained assault on the Newcastle goal that brought fierce early pressure and fine saves from Berbatov and Defoe before Malbranque’s 13th minute cross was expertly finished by Defoe to grab an expected lead, despite the fact that the Spurs striker was in an offside position.

But when young Huntington grabbed a shock equaliser just two minutes later with a shot from an acute angle that squeezed in off Robinson’s heel, it was the signal for a more even game and in particular an exciting second half. Berbatov restored the lead when he seized on a kind bounce from Solano’s block to steer the ball home, but the game was transformed by two minutes of magic from Obafemi Martins. In the 71st minute he swivelled and sent an unstoppable shot past Robinson and two minutes later he set up Nicky Butt for the winner.

Perhaps they should change the record.