By Sam Sheringham
**Substitutes David Bentley and Roman Pavlyuchenko made instant impacts as Tottenham came from behind to storm into an FA Cup semi-final at Wembley.**Bobby Zamora met Damien Duff’s pass with a crisp finish to give confident Fulham a deserved half-time lead.
But the introduction of Bentley at the break changed the game, with the winger curling in a free-kick before crossing for Pavlyuchenko to volley home.
Eidur Gudjohnsen rounded off a fine move to set up a clash with Portsmouth.
The Wembley meeting on 11 April means a reunion for Spurs boss Harry Redknapp with the side he led to FA Cup glory in 2008.
And the veteran manager can take great credit for making a double substitution at half-time, and gambling on the fitness of Pavlyuchenko when Vedran Corluka was forced off through injury.
Fulham, who had been much the better side in the first half, will have to wait a little longer for their first trip to the famous London venue since they lost to West Ham in the 1975 FA Cup final.
But Cottagers fans can console themselves with the prospect of a Europa League quarter-final against Wolfsburg in what has been a truly memorable season for the club.
606: DEBATE
“Bentley was superb and changed the momentum of the game”
LiNeKeR
Like two boxers sparring, the teams spent the early stages sizing each other up with Danny Murphy and Wilson Palacios exchanging fairly tame long-range shots.
After 10 minutes, Fulham midfielder Simon Davies produced a more venomous strike which brought a diving two-handed save from Heurelho Gomes.
Fulham claimed first blood with a goal from the top drawer. Duff found space in midfield and threaded a perfectly-weighted pass into Zamora’s path.
The former Spurs striker met the ball first time and curled his finish into the corner.
Spurs responded well, with Gudjohnsen forcing a good low stop from Mark Schwarzer with a clever back-flick from Peter Crouch’s lay-off.
Then the Icelander met Gareth Bale’s cross with his chest and teed up Modric, whose left-footed half-volley flashed just wide.
Fulham could have extended their lead on the stroke of half-time. Full-back Stephen Kelly slipped a pass through to Zoltan Gera, who chipped the ball to the far post where a back-peddling Zamora could only plant his header over the bar.
Redknapp shook things up a half-time with Bentley and Tom Huddlestone coming on for Benoit Assou-Ekotto and Niko Kranjcar.
And the impact was almost instantaneous with Bentley’s whipped free-kick from the left flank eluding everyone and bouncing into the far corner.
Schwarzer may have been distracted by Corluka, who dived but failed to make contact with the delivery.
Spurs were forced into another change as Corluka limped off with a twisted ankle to be replaced by Pavlyuchenko, who had required a late fitness test on a hamstring injury.
And once again, the change paid rapid dividends. Bentley beat his man down the right and hoisted a cross to the far post where Pavlyuchenko lashed a volley past Schwarzer at the near post.
Spurs were rampant and it was no surprise when the third goal arrived courtesy of slick passing move.
The ball was worked to Modric, whose through-ball took a slight deflection off a Fulham defender on its way through to Gudjohnsen, who nipped in ahead of Schwarzer and poked home.
Clearly rattled by the shock of conceding three goals in 19 second-half minutes, Fulham failed to mount a significant rally, with their best chance falling to Duff, whose half-volley draw a smart save from Gomes.