Robbie Keane came off the bench to fire Tottenham back into the top half of the Premiership table with a long-range late winner against Middlesbrough.
Keane’s 84th-minute strike secured a 2-1 win for Spurs after Boro’s German defender Robert Huth had cancelled out Dimitar Berbatov’s volleyed opener just after the break.
But the Irish forward’s match-winning contribution was overshadowed by a late brawl, which resulted in Tottenham midfielder Didier Zokora and Boro’s George Boateng being red-carded.
Spurs should have put the match beyond the visitors’ reach long before Huth’s equaliser.
On-form Jermain Defoe, who had scored five goals in his previous four starts, went close with a 15th-minute free-kick and drew a good save from Mark Schwarzer after being played in by Berbatov, who also had a good shout for a first-half penalty turned down after apparently being pulled down by Huth.
Spurs’ pressure finally paid off three minutes after the break.
Tom Huddlestone’s free-kick was headed back across the goalmouth by Pascal Chimbonda and Berbatov beat Schwarzer with a superb dipping volley.
Defoe should have continued his scoring run in the 55th minute, when Zokora sent him clear of the back four, only for Jonathan Woodgate to snuff out the danger with a superbly judged tackle.
Chimbonda spurned another good chance before Boro started to come back into the match, spurred on by the entry of Australia striker Mark Viduka following his recovery from a toe injury.
With just over ten minutes left, Boro equalised, Huth hammering in a volley after Woodgate had a header cleared off the line by Steed Malbranque.
Spurs regained their lead within four minutes, thanks to Keane, who came off the bench after the equaliser. Huddlestone tapped a short free-kick to the Ireland forward and he unleashed a powerful drive that Schwarzer could not keep out, despite getting a hand on the ball.
In the night’s other Premiership match, Charlton dragged themselves off the bottom with a dramatic late winner against Blackburn at the Valley.
The match appeared destined to end in a stalemate before Talal El Karkouri scored from a stoppage-time free-kick.
It was Charlton’s first win under new head coach Les Reed and enough to lift them above Watford at the bottom of the table.
”Hopefully now we can turn around our season,” said Reed. ”I am not guaranteeing it but there is a lot more confidence in that dressing room now. They know how well they can play.”
For Blackburn and Middlesbrough, Tuesday’s defeats mean they are both just three points above the relegation zone. — Sapa-AFP