Coleman praises ‘massive’ win over Spurs in battle for fourth

Coleman praises Everton's ‘massive’ win over Spurs in battle for fourth

11-Dec-2012 2:30:00 AM

The Republic of Ireland international is delighted to see his side eventually reap their rewards after creating ‘chance after chance’ against their Champions League challengers

Seamus Coleman has praised Everton’s “massive” win over Tottenham on Sunday, which moved the Toffees into fourth place and kept them in the race for Champions League qualification.

The Toffees fell behind to a deflected Clint Dempsey strike before Steven Pienaar and Nikica Jelavic scored two quick-fire goals to seal a 2-1 victory for the Toffees in injury time.

Coleman was relieved that Everton’s profligacy did not cost them three points, with his cross for Pienaar’s equaliser preventing a slip down the table.

“It was a big game and a massive few points,” the Republic of Ireland international told the club’s official website.

“Before the game I was at home looking at the table and it occurred to me that a win could really put us up there but with a defeat we were looking at maybe dropping down to ninth.

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“I thought during the first half, ‘here we go again’. We were making chances and not taking them.

“I got into a few good positions myself and probably didn’t get the cross in I’d have liked, so that’s why in the end I was pleased I got my head up and picked out Pienaar.

“When we were making cross after cross and chance after chance I was thinking, ‘someone please just score’.”

Coleman returned from injury for the first time since suffering defeat against Reading and now hopes to build on what has been an impressive start to the 2012/13 campaign, both individually and as club.

“I was really pleased to be back and involved in the goal,” he added.

“I thought I’d be fit for last week but unfortunately wasn’t, so it was good to be back in the team.

"I thought I had done it again in the first half but fortunately I got up and ran it off. I felt good in the end.”