Welcome to Taxi For Maicon for text coverage of our first leg Europa League tie against Hearts at Tynecastle.
Starting XI: Gomes, Walker, Kaboul, Dawson, Assou-Ekotto, Lennon, Livermore, Kranjcar, Bale, Van Der Vaart, Defoe.
We'll be providing a purely Spurs voice; totally biased and typically cynical. Keep checking back here for updates of the game.
7.45pm: Spurs kick off to a chorus of boos from the Tynecastle crowd. Some neat passing in the opening moments, interspersed with us giving the ball away far too easily before Van Der Vaart releases Bale down the left to no avail.
7.50pm: GOAL Hearts 0-1 Spurs (Van Der Vaart)
One-twos all round from Spurs, after threatning just moments before with a shot from the edge of the box, VDV exchanges passes with Defoe. He looks like he's lost posession on the edge of the box but it deflects back into his path through the middle and the Dutchman slides it easily under the keeper to open the scoring.
7.55pm: Ideal start for Spurs and Hearts haven't really hit back. VDV is dropping deep and looking to make things happen. Defoe looks quick and all our lads look reasonably assured in possession.
8.00pm: GOAL Hearts 0-2 Tottenham (Defoe)
Class goal. Absolutely class. Lennon changes pace quickly to come in off the LEFT touchline, plays yet another one-two with VDV before feeding Defoe's run into the box. Not exactly a close first touch from Jermain but he's onto it like a flash and tucks it away easily.
8.03pm: Hearts have nothing so far. Before the second goal John Sutton hit a wild effort at goal from a long way out. Surely it's a bit early for desperate measures. Maybe not.
8.09pm: Kyle Walker looking to prove himself at right-back this evening and, as Hearts start to press, he gets back well to challenge Templeton. Our defence is wobbling a bit the more the ball is pumped into our box and the home fans are regaining a voice as their team grows in confidence.
8.12pm: GOAL Hearts 0-3 Tottenham (Livermore)
Another man looking to impress is Jake Livermore; and he's done just that. Slick passing in midfield between VDV, Defoe and eventually Livermore who slams the ball near post and it goes in after a touch from the keeper.
8.15pm: Remember last year's Euro qualifier? We were on the wrong side of this scoreline by now. Our lads would do well to remember that and I'm sure Harry Redknapp will point that out at half time. But as yet, we're still on the attack and Jermain Defoe acrobatically directs Lennon's cross from the right onto the bar, only to be called offside.
8.21pm: Kranjcar finds Bale on the left. Hearts are well aware of his danger but that isn't stopping him. He flashes down the wing and wins a corner from which Kaboul drifts in at the far side of the box to control and volley over.
8.30: That's half-time and it's the end of a good half of football. A nice way to start the season if we can keep it up.
8.46pm: Hearts kick off the second half.
8.50pm: Pressure from Hearts as they force three corners. It's difficult to have any more confidence in our defence. Gomes gets a touch on the third corner, but Andrew Driver bundles into the box and gets a shot away only for his own player to eventually deflect it wide.
8.55pm: Our grasp on this game is getting slippery as a strong Kaboul challenge sees him booked. He got the ball but his studs were up, fair decision. The 35-yard free-kick comes to nothing.
9.02pm: On the sideline, Tom Huddlestone is getting a shirt on and his presence would be useful in the centre of midfield right now. Van Der Vaart gives the ball away and Templeton flies onto the ball and tears through the middle of our defence. But Walker makes another impressive interception in front of Gomes and Livermore. Huddlestone comes on for VDV, and makes an immediate impact running onto a Defoe pass but fires his shot wide.
9.05pm: GOAL Hearts 0-4 Spurs (Bale)
Huddlestone's made a huge difference and is controlling the midfield. Gareth Bale runs onto a chipped pass from the big man, his first touch takes him past the keeper as his pace leaves the Hearts back line looking for a flag, simple tap in after that.
9.11pm: Andros Townsend comes on for Gareth Bale.
9.18pm: Hearts are getting dirty. Not physical, dirty. Kranjcar, Assou-Ekotto and now Kaboul are going to be bruised tomorrow.
9.19pm: GOAL Hearts 0-5 Spurs (Lennon)
Counter attack. Townsend breaks clear, outside of the boot ping to Defoe on the left who swings it in for Lennon to tap in. The Hearts fans are leaving and the Spurs fans are singing for Super Pav, who comes on for Defoe.
9.26pm: We're still knocking it about and pressing Hearts into their final third. Kranjcar looks eager to make his mark on the game, although at 5-0 you can't help think it's a game he should already have made his mark on. He's been solid but not uber-creative. Probably not enough to push for a start at Old Trafford at the weekend anyway.
9.30pm: A goal for the home side probably isn't going to change the tie, but you'd prefer we kept a clean sheet. Ryan Stephenson comes forward onto a headed clearance and drives the ball hard and low. It fizzes a foot past the right of Gomes' goal.
9.35: Almost some champagne footy from our front line as Lennon, Townsend and Pav probe for the space to create a sixth. But that's it. Final whistle. Game over. You never want to say job done, but we're not just in the driving seat, we're sat on the bonnet.
That's it from Taxi For Maicon this evening. Thanks for reading and keep checking back for news and opinion pieces throughout the week.
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