Harry’s gain as Palace chance luck too often
HARRY KANE once said you cannot give him two chances. Crystal Palace gave him five – and of course, in the end, they paid the price.
It was the 88th minute when Christian Eriksen floated in yet another corner. Palace substitute Damien Delaney had only been on the pitch for four minutes but the Irish defender lost Kane in the low South London sun and the header was instant and deadly.
Palace keeper Wayne Hennessey got a hand to it but the header was too powerful and the ball nestled in the net. On the touchline, Roy Hodgson hung his head.
His side, crippled by a dozen injuries, had fought so hard. And yet Kane, who missed two glaring chances and went close twice more, simply would not be denied. One moment of class and Palace’s hard work was undone.
This was not Kane’s best game for Tottenham by a long way. But the encouraging sign for England with a World Cup coming up, is that, even on an off day, the marksman still has the faith he is going to find the net. This late strike made it 35 for the season and 11 in his last 10 games.
Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino picked an attacking tam against wounded Palace and his side were on the front foot from the start, as Eriksen’s free-kick found Ben Davies at the far post, but Palace scrambled clear.
Then came Kane’s first miss of the day, as Hennessey brilliantly tipped his shot over.
Serge Aurier gave the Selhurst Park crowd a laugh as he became the first Premier League player to be penalised for managing to make three foul throws in one match. But there was not much else to smile about for Palace. TOLD YOU SO: Kane celebrates his late winner
CRYSTAL PALACE TOTTENHAM
Andros Townsend saw his low shot saved by Hugo Lloris but that was about as good as it got in an attacking sense, with Christian Benteke a lonely figure up front. Tottenham’s French goalkeeper had one of his quietest afternoons of the season. Eriksen wasted another chance as Spurs probed and then Kane, six yards out, screwed his effort horribly wide when Ben Davies’ cross was helped on. It looked easier to score. Hennessey saved from Aurier as the pressure continued to mount, then pulled off an even better stop as he plunged low to deny Davies. Dele Alli enraged the crowd first when he went down under Patrick Van Aanholt’s challenge and then when he fell over Hennessey, igniting once again the accusations of diving that have dogged the England man. They will not go away. Kane tested Hennessey again with a shot on the turn and then put another effort an inch wide as Place clung on. Palace central defensive stalwart James Tomkins went down with cramp, tried to battle on, but had to come off and on went Delaney, who had made just one appearance since the end of September. The door had creaked open – and Kane took full advantage. Poor old Palace are now only above the bottom three on goal difference and their next two games see them face Manchester United and Chelsea.
CRYSTAL PALACE (4-2-3-1):