Redknapp's Spurs break league duck
Tottenham are out of the relegation zone thanks to Darren Bent's fifth goal of the season
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Sunday, 26, Oct 2008 09:11
Harry Redknapp inspired Tottenham to their first league win of the season after beating Bolton Wanderers 2-0 at White Hart Lane.
A header from Roman Pavlyuchenko and a Darren Bent penalty give Redknapp victory on his first day in charge after his shock exit as Portsmouth manager last night.
The presence of Redknapp appeared to fire up the home side who made a frenetic start. Jamie O'Hara's shot deflected behind for a corner while David Bentley fired over from long-range.
And it was winger Bentley who set-up Spurs' opener when his pinpoint cross from the right was headed in by Pavlyuchenko for his first league goal in English football.
But the north London club's defensive frailties were nearly exposed when Kevin Davies shot wide after Benoit Assou-Ekotto's poor back-pass while keeper Heurelho Gomes flapped at a free-kick minutes later which led to Davies hitting the post.
Redknapp's men nearly benefited from a goalkeeping blunder by Bolton when Jussi Jaaskelainen spilled a cross but Tom Huddlestone could only blaze his shot over.
Bolton's chances of salvaging something were destroyed on 55 minutes when McCann was given a second booking for a horror challenge on Huddlestone.
But they came agonisingly close to an equaliser when another feeble punch from Gomes fell to Fabrice Muamba, whose volley landed on the roof of the net.
At the other end, Jaaskelainen kept the Trotters in the game with stunning saves to deny Huddlestone and substitute Bent while Aaron Lennon fired over from close range.
Spurs sealed victory with a controversial penalty when Bent went over after colliding with the keeper, and the striker picked himself up score the spot-kick for his fifth goal of the season.
Bolton were unable to grab a consolation in the dying stages as Tottenham kick start their season ahead of the north London derby against Arsenal on Wednesday.