Maddison’s dream return helps Spurs to long-awaited Premier League win

LONDON (AP) — Tottenham beat Coventry City 3-1 at home for its first win of the season and climbed off the bottom of the Premier League table on Friday.

James Maddison’s sublime strike against his boyhood club 14 minutes into the game put Spurs in the driving seat. Coventry equalized early in the second half but Omar Marmoush’s curling shot put the home side ahead again and Ben Davies sealed all three points in stoppage time.

Spurs had lost three and drawn three coming into the match and there was a real worry that the London club might face a relegation battle like last season, when it escaped on the final day.

This long-awaited win will not allay those fears but the grit involved against a plucky Coventry will give Spurs fans hope the season can now kick on.

The return of Maddison for a first start in 536 days was key, the former Coventry player sending a curving strike into the top corner early on.

Spurs were on top for the rest of the first half without threatening and its toothlessness looked like it might haunt it after Jack Rudoni drew Coventry level four minutes into the second half.

Goalkeeper Antonín Kinský got a hand on his close-range shot but could not stop it squirming into the net.

However, Marmoush’s lovely strike — his first Spurs goal since signing from Manchester City in the summer — calmed nerves at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and Davies’ low drive in the sixth minute of injury time relieved all tension in north London.

Spurs rose four places to 16th. Coventry was one place behind.

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