Latics left stunned by nine-goal Spurs

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 9
Crouch 9
Defoe 51, 54, 58, 69, 87
Lennon 64
Bentley 88
Kranjcar 90+3 

WIGAN ATHLETIC 1
Scharner 57

Report by Paul Chialton

Roberto Martinez has often said this season that there will be many harsh lessons, today was probably the harshest.

At half-time things were looking alright for his side who, despite starting badly and conceeding an early Peter Crouch goal, worked their way back into the game and threatened to equalise on a couple of occasions.

Charles N'Zogbia saw an effort from out wide clip the bar, and Jason Scotland forced Heurelho Gomes into a good save low down.

But the second-hald cast a different story, one no-one could have predicted. Aaron Lennon and Jermaine Defoe, both with sights on South Africa in the summer, tore Latics apart.

Their pace and movement saw them take up numerous dangerous positions in and around the penalty area, and more often than not they made sure the ball found its way into the back of the net.

Defoe went on to bag five, Lennon for all his hard-work and industry earned hinmself on the score-sheet and just to rub salt into the wounds Niko Kranjcar and David Bentley made the score-board a sore sight.

Latics' inability to start either half with conviction or purpose led to their downfall and gave Spurs the platform on which to build such a win.

A tough week ahead for the team and a lot of wrongs to put right in time for the arrival of Sunderland to the DW Stadium on Saturday.

Latics: Kirkland; Melchiot, Bramble, Boyce, Edman; Diame (Cho, 85), Thomas (Gomez, 66); N'Zogbia, Scharner, Rodallega; Scotland
Subs: Pollitt, Figueroa, Koumas, Kapo, Sinclair

Spurs: Gomez; Corluka, Woodgate, Dawson, Assou-Ekoto (Bassong, 81); Kranjcar, Palacios (Jenas, 84), Huddlestone, Lennon (Bentley 77); Keane, Crouch
Subs: Alnwick, Hutton, Keane, Pavlyuchenko