Spurs edge past Fulham

Hayles headed Fulham level just before the break

Fulham 1-2 Tottenham

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Tottenham needed a late strike from Welsh international Simon Davies to edge past Fulham at Craven Cottage and into the Worthington Cup quarter-finals.

Davies flashed a low left-footed shot home five minutes from time to see Spurs through.

The visitors had taken an early lead via Sergei Rebrov before Barry Hayles levelled just before half-time.

Rebrov's third start for Tottenham this season had threatened to end early after the Ukrainian was forced from the field in the opening minutes.

A clash with Abdeslam Ouaddou left the diminutive striker with a gash on his head and he needed three stitches in the wound.

Sheringham's knock down gave Rebrov an opening

But soon after his return he latched onto a headed knock down from Teddy Sheringham and lashed a right-footed shot from the edge of the area past Maik Taylor.

Rebrov was at the heart of Spurs' best moves and it was his cross that Christian Ziege volleyed against the outside of Taylor's post.

The same combination almost extended their lead, but the German's shot slipped wide of the post and beyond Sheringham.

Tottenham had defused most of Fulham's first-half attacks with the home side's main threat being Luis Boa Morte.

Missiles were thrown at the former Arsenal striker by Tottenham fans when he took a corner late in the first-half.

Referee Mike Halsey halted the match as he investigated the incident.

Despite the threat of Boa Morte, it was Barry Hayles who levelled the match just before the break.

Steve Finnan swung in a cross from the right and the former Bristol Rovers striker escaped the attention of Goran Bunjevcevic to stoop and head past Neil Sullivan.

Late effort

Both sides struggled to assert themselves in the second half, but the introduction of Steed Malbranque gave Fulham some impetus and they created the better openings.

But it was Rebrov's low cross across the face of the goal that almost gave Tottenham the lead.

Sheringham made firm contact at the near post, but Taylor made a stunning save to deny the England striker.

The match appeared to be destined for extra-time, but Davies' instinctive strike five minutes from the end saw Spurs in the quarter-finals.

A free-kick was nodded down by Ledley King, and Davies, on the edge of the box blasted a left-footed drive past a stranded Taylor.

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Fulham:Taylor, Finnan, Harley, Goma, Ouaddou, Clark, Collins, Goldbaek, Davis, Boa Morte, Hayles. Subs: Van der Sar, Brevett, Melville, Malbranque, Saha.

Tottenham: Sullivan, Perry, Ziege, King, Bunjevcevic, Freund, Anderton, Leonhardsen, Davies, Rebrov, Sheringham. Subs: Kelly, Iversen, Thatcher, Thelwell, Piercy.

Referee: M Halsey (Welwyn Garden City)