Tbilisi was Boom Town for Dinamo man Andros

OUR away support may have witnessed a goal rush in Tbilisi on Thursday but one Spurs fan who really struck gold was Andros Townsend.

Anyone who plays down our wings in the coming weeks will be saddled with the pressure of filling you-know-who's boots.

Yet it is not overplaying it to say that Townsend's performance in the Europa League qualifying first leg has altered the landscape of his whole career.

Prior to the game the winger, 22, was considering his options having been turfed out on loan a whopping NINE times.

The most recent of those was a successful stint at QPR in the second half of last season.

His performances reportedly impressed  a host of Premier League clubs and, with Tottenham's recent exodus of British players, Townsend looked next on our homegrown scrapheap.

The player himself admitted this week that if first-team football was not an option at White Hart Lane then he would have to move on, which put Swansea, Everton and West Brom on red alert.

But then came the Dinamo game - a goal, two assists and a man of the match display that will have thrust him to the forefront of Andre Villas-Boas' thinking.

It was exactly the sort of reaction that boss AVB would have been looking for. Townsend grabbed his chance by the scruff of the neck and shook it till its pockets were empty.

Certain recently departed Spurs players - without pointing fingers - have rarely taken opportunities in such devastating fashion.

And if, as seems to be the case, AVB is replacing some of his restrictive, two-dimensional players with more agile and adaptable alternatives, then Townsend could hardly have better proven the flexibility of his own game. 

His goal in Tbilisi was basically a foot race - explosive pace with a great finish from distance. 

It was skill, rather than speed, to beat the defender before crossing for Paulinho then a cutback with his wrong foot to feed Roberto Soldado for 3-0.

Townsend's performance ticked every box and, if he can make a habit of it against better opposition, then he'll soon find himself on every team sheet.