Spurs ease past Coventry

Davies evades the challenge of Edworthy

Coventry 0-2 Tottenham
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Goals from Gustavo Poyet and Les Ferdinand ensured Spurs cruised through a potentially tricky FA Cup tie at Coventry.

The Premiership team played crisp, precise football through midfield and were rarely troubled defensively.

Coventry - without Lee Hughes and Lee Mills - lacked bite up front and seemed short on self-belief after a poor run that had seen them lose five of their previous seven games.

The home team were restricted to long-range efforts while Spurs - particularly after going 2-0 up - created numerous chances to increase their advantage.

  Key moments

23 mins: Poyet scores for Spurs

52 mins: Ferdinand doubles Spurs' lead

Tottenham will now meet Bolton in the fourth round of the cup after Sam Allardyce's team beat woeful Stockport.

Coventry were fortunate not to concede a penalty in only the second minute of the match.

Simon Davies crossed from the right and the ball clearly struck David Thompson on the arm - but referee Neale Barry waved play on.

Davies was involved again shortly afterwards.

I was delighted with us tonight, it was a very professional performance.

Spurs boss Glenn Hoddle

He passed to Sergei Rebrov before surging into the Coventry penalty area to meet the Ukrainian's subsequent cross, but he was unable to get any power on his header.

Coventry's best efforts in the early phase of the match were long-range shots from Julian Joachim and Lee Carsley, both of which were saved by Neil Sullivan.

Slick opener

Spurs' neat play through midfield was rewarded with a goal after 23 minutes.

Darren Anderton's cross from the left was hit too deep but was collected by Davies on the right flank.

The former Peterborough midfielder intelligently looked up and spotted Poyet's run, before accurately crossing for the 34-year-old Uruguayan to head home.

Coventry's best chance to equalise before half-time came after the otherwise excellent Davies was caught in possession by Thompson.

Joachim strides away from Sherwood

The Sky Blues' midfielder broke forward before playing a diagonal ball to Joachim, whose shot was saved by Sullivan.

More top quality approach play at the start of the second half almost culminated in a second goal for Spurs but Mauricio Taricco - unmarked eight yards out - headed limply wide.

Spurs did double their advantage after 52 minutes.

Gary Breen diverted Anderton's searching low cross from the right against Magnus Hedman's left-hand post.

But - having avoided the embarrassment of an own goal - Breen could only watch as the ball rebounded into the path of Ferdinand, who tapped home from two yards for his 13th goal of the season.

We gave them a bit too much respect.

Coventry boss Roland Nilsson

After scoring a second goal Spurs totally dominated the match, stroking the ball around with almost nonchalant ease.

Ferdinand almost scored again later in the game but his header from Anderton's precise cross was well saved by Hedman.

Another pin-point Anderton cross picked out Tim Sherwood, who narrowly missed from close in, while Taricco went close with a long range shot.

Coventry almost scored a consolation goal in the final minutes but Muhamed Konjic headed over.

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Coventry: Hedman, Edworthy, Shaw, Breen, Konjic, Antonelius (Martinez 72), Thompson, Carsley (Quinn 69), Betts, Joachim, Bothroyd (Delorge 80).
Subs Not Used: Hydlgaard, Fowler. Booked: Shaw, Konjic, Breen.

Tottenham: Sullivan, King, Richards, Perry, Davies, Taricco, Sherwood, Poyet, Anderton (Leonhardsen 80), Ferdinand (Iversen 73), Rebrov.
Subs Not Used: Keller, Etherington, Gardner. Booked: Sherwood.

Attendance: 20,758

Referee: N Barry (Scunthorpe).