Hutton should’ve been sent off, admits frustrated Harry
WOLVES (3) vs TOTTENHAM (3)
TOTTENHAM manager Harry Redknapp admitted his side were lucky to finish with 11 men in yesterday’s pulsating draw against Wolves.
Two sensational goals from Jermain Defoe, his first Premier League strikes of the season, cancelled out Kevin Doyle’s opener, but the Irishman equalised from the penalty spot five minutes before half-time after Alan Hutton had denied Nenad Milijas a clear goalscoring opportunity.
Redknapp claimed he didn’t have a clear view of the incident, but that by the letter of the law referee Mark Halsey should’ve awarded the Scotland international a red card.
He said: “I didn’t have a clue why he had give it because we couldn’t see from the dug-out. I haven’t looked at the video. If he pulled his arm, it must be a clear goalscoring opportunity. He is very lucky not to get sent off then.”
Roman Pavlyuchenko re-established Spurs’ lead early in the second-half, but Wolves earned a deserved point through a superb Steven Fletcher header three minutes from time.
“It’s a blow. It looked like we got three points and I hoped we won. I thought we deserved to win, we got three fantastic goals, amazing strikes and had chances to kill it off,” said Redknapp, whose side remain in fifth place, level on points with Chelsea but having played a game more.
On a more positive note, Gareth Bale made his comeback as a second-half substitute following more than a month out with a back injury.
Spurs face AC Milan in the Champions League on Wednesday and Redknapp is confident the Wales winger will have a big role to play in ensuring Spurs cash in on their 1-0 first leg advantage, assuming Bale suffers no response to a groin niggle.
Redknapp said: “When Gareth came on and started to run with the ball, it was exciting. We’ve missed that for the last five or six weeks.
“Hopefully he’ll be okay for the Milan game in a couple of days time and he seems all right after the game. He just felt the pitch was a bit heavy and his groin was a bit tight.”
Teammates lead tribute to Deano
PLAYERS and officials from the former clubs of Dean Richards led an emotional tribute to the defender, 36, who passed away last week ahead of Tottenham’s match at Molineux.
Richards’ widow Samantha and their children Rio and Jaden joined the teams before the match at Molineux.
Representatives of all his four former clubs, including Spurs club captain Ledley King and former Wolves goalkeeper Matt Murray, held their shirts aloft on the pitch before a minute’s applause.