Tue 22 December 2020, 09:30
Tottenham HotspurIt's over 10 years since Gareth Bale appeared to defy footballing physics to score one of the great goals of his career at Stoke City.
The scores were level on the half-hour mark of a typically helter-skelter afternoon at Stoke under Tony Pulis in August, 2010, when Aaron Lennon broke down the right, spotted Gareth and chipped a cross towards him in the left corner of the penalty area. The only problem was the ball was arriving at Gareth about five feet off the ground. Problem? What problem? Gareth just re-positioned himself to meet the ball first-time and propelled a full volley into the top corner. It was breathtaking.
It was Gareth's second on the day and enough for victory as we somehow kept out wave after wave of Stoke attacks. Heurelho Gomes produced some big saves and Peter Crouch made a point-blank block on the line in the latter stages.
Who knew then what this 2010/11 season would deliver? Gareth's performances in the Champions League - not least in the back-to-back games against holders Inter - took him to the world stage. We beat Inter and AC Milan, reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League at the first attempt and finished fifth in the Premier League with the likes of Gareth, Luka Modric, Crouchy and Rafa van der Vaart providing memories that will last a life time.
The highlights - Stoke 1-2 Spurs
Match data
Stoke City: Sorensen, Huth, Collins, Shawcross, Faye, Whelan (Sanli 63), Whitehead, Delap (Sidebe 85; Tonge 88), Etherington, Fuller, Walters. Substitutes (not used): Begovic, Higginbotham, Wilkinson, Pugh.
Spurs: Gomes, Corluka, Dawson, Kaboul, Assou-Ekotto, Lennon (Walker 87), Jenas, Palacios, Huddlestone, Bale, Crouch. Substitutes (not used): Alnwick, Naughton, Bassong, Kranjcar, Rose, Livermore.
Goals: Stoke - Fuller 25. Spurs - Bale 19, 30.
Venue: Britannia (now bet365) Stadium.
Attendance: 27,243.
