Tottenham 2-1 Newcastle: Brilliant Bale brace sees Spurs beat Toon

Gareth Bale was once again the match winner for Tottenham as his double downed Newcastle 2-1 at White Hart Lane.

The Welsh wing wizard has been rightly lauded for his recent displays in a Lilywhite shirt and pulled another out of the bag to send Spurs, ahead of Chelsea’s game with Wigan, into third place.

The 23-year-old opened the scoring after just five minutes when his delightful dipping free-kick beat Tim Krul at his near post.

While Lewis Holtby, who appears to be having an immediate impact at White Hart Lane, lashed an effort just over the crossbar.

But Newcastle gradually crept back into the game and found themselves level after 25 minutes when Yoan Gouffran’s strike deflected off Michael Dawson and, with Hugo Lloris already diving, flashed into the back of the net.

The Magpies, buoyed by their goal went close through Yohan Cabaye but saw their charge to take the lead halted when Gouffran left the field on a stretcher following an innocuous clash with Kyle Walker.

But it was Spurs who snatched the lead as one of their devastating pacy counter attacks yielded yet another goal.

A long ball forward found Bale who, after controlling the ball, fought off the attentions of Steven Taylor and rifled a low shot beyond Krul.

He nearly added a third moments later when he skipped behind the Toon defence again, but this time his powerful effort was tipped over by the Dutch goalkeeper.

Newcastle substitute Shola Ameobi nearly gave the Toon a last-gasp equaliser but Lloris, somehow, touched the ball wide.

While Bale twice missed chances to grab a hat-trick in the game’s dying embers.