Tottenham's players were wheeling away in delight at finally breaking down Stevenage's stubborn resistance when Phil Dowd and his assistant (I'm afraid I don't know who it was) made a very sharp and observant observation. The ball poked into the Stevenage net from close range had in fact struck Scott Parker - who was standing on the goal line - before it entered the net.
The assistant did not immediately raise his flag for offside. It's quite possible that he was able to tell Phil Dowd that Parker was indeed in an offside position and Dowd may have been the one to notice the ball take a high-speed deflection off Parker.
Whatever, it was great team work by the two officials to reach the correct decision. As Parker tried his best to disappear and give the impression he was nowhere near the touchline, the two officials spoke urgently for a few seconds before the assistant raised his flag to indicate offside.
I have to say Dowd, in recent games, is looking fitter than ever and today he was completely on top of what could have been a feisty game, very close to the action at all times.
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