Spurs humbled by Arsenal

Press, 15 August 1988, Page 21

Spurs humbled by Arsenal

NZPA-AFP London Arsenal yesterday humbled a Tottenham Hotspur side that was showing off £5 million (512.7 M of close-season signings in the opening match of the International Club soccer tournament at Wembley. Spur’s newly acquired jewels were decidedly short of lustre as they went under, 4-0. Arsenal’s home-grown striker, Paul Merson, aged 20, began the rout in the thirty-second minute and George Graham’s team added three more in the last 15 minutes as Spurs’ expensive defence fell apart. Brian Marwood, a relatively inexpensive $1,524,000 buy from Sheffield Wednesday, scored almost identical second and third goals for the Gunners.

In the seventy-fifth minute he tapped in a David Rocastle cross and six minutes later was left free again to hammer in a shot from a Lee Dixon cross.

Alan Smith completed Tottenham’s agony two minutes from time by lashing in a fourth goal

past a helpless Bobby Mimms.

Spurs should have gone ahead against their north London rival after 25 minutes, but a $5.08M signing, Paul Gascoigne, shot straight at the Arsenal goalkeeper, John Lukic, when clean through. It was a frustating afternoon for the midfield star, who was given little scope to show his talent by a tough-tackling Arsenal side. He was lucky to escape a booking midway through the second half when he appeared to throw a punch at Dixon. Spurs’ other big signing, the striker, Paul Stewart, who came from Manchester City for $3.81M, hardly got a kick and was substituted in the second half. O In Scotland, a former Everton fullback, Gary Stevens, scored the first goal of the new Scottish Premier League season on his debut for Glasgow Rangers. The SI.7M close-season signing struck seconds before the interval, the only first-half goal in the top division. Ally McCoist

headed a second in the sixty-fifth minute to complete a 2-0 win over Hamilton. The champion, Celtic, beat Hearts, 1-0. Frank McAvennie scored in the fifty-first minute after a splendid pass by Paul McStay. Celtic’s Andy Walker was brought down by Mike Galloway six minutes before time but his penalty was saved by Henry Smith. A goal by John Clark two minutes into the second half gave Dundee United a 1-0 win over St Mirren. Results:

Premier division: Celtic 1, Hearts 0; Dundee 1, Aberdeen 1; Hamilton 0, Rangers 2; Hibernian 1, Motherwell 0; St Mirren 0, Dundee United 1. Division one: Ayr 3, Clydebank 2; Falkirk 0, Airdrieonians 0; Forfar 1, Meadowbank 0; Morton 0, Clyde 2; Partick 1, Dunfermline 2; Queen of South 2, Kilmarnock 2; St Johnstone 3, Raith 1. Division two: Albion 1, East Stirling 0; Brechin 2, Alloa 1; Cowdenbeath 2, Montrose 6; Dumbarton 3, East Fife 1; Queen’s Park 2, Berwick 0; Stirling 2, Stenhousejnuir 0; Stranraer 0, Arbroath 1.