BURNLEY // Tottenham started the day with a slim chance of catching Arsenal, in third, and claiming the final automatic Champions League spot. The ended it grateful for the fact they had secured fourth place on Wednesday night against Manchester City after Burnley came from behind to beat them 4-2. Brian Laws's relegated side went down fighting as they battled back from two down at Turf Moor yesterday courtesy of a superb second-half display.
Spurs won their spot in the Champions League with a 1-0 victory over City at Eastlands and they looked to be cruising when Gareth Bale and Luka Modric netted inside 32 minutes. But Wade Elliott pulled one back before the break and incessant Burnley pressure in the second half paid off when first Jack Cork levelled and then Martin Paterson put the Clarets ahead. Steven Thompson put the icing on the cake with a late fourth.
"We had the game in complete control and it looked like we would go on and score two or three more," Harry Redknapp, the Tottenham manager, told reporters after the game, "but it wasn't to be. "Perhaps I should have rested a few but I wanted to give them the chance to finish the season off. It's a dream to be in the Champions League but it's just a shame we didn't finish the job and I'll go home with the hump tonight."
Laws paid tribute to his players for their fighting spirit. He said: "It's a very nice feeling. We started very, very slowly and I was very disappointed. But we regrouped. When we move the ball we can open up and we did that in the second half. It was great credit to the players. They could have switched off but they didn't and they've given everybody a lift." * PA
