Sunderland striker Darren Bent missed a penalty on his return to White Hart Lane as Tottenham secured a 2-0 victory through goals from Robbie Keane and Tom Huddlestone.
Bent had the chance to level for the visitors against the side he left in controversial circumstances but Heurelho Gomes saved his weak spot-kick.
Huddlestone grabbed his third of the season with an effort that crashed in off the crossbar, doubling the lead after Keane's early strike.
The home side were ahead in the 12th minute. Craig Gordon saved from Keane but the ball squirmed through the Sunderland goalkeeper and was tapped in by the striker.
Kieran Richardson and Phil Bardsley were off target for the visitors before two penalty shouts in quick succession 12 minutes before the interval.
The first was when Heurelho Gomes dived at the feet of Bent and looked to have got some glove on the ball as the Sunderland striker was sent sprawling. Jermain Defoe then thought he was fouled at the other end but was himself penalised.
Andy Reid struck the post before the break with a 35-yard dipping drive, before Bent won a dubious penalty. Referee Kevin Friend only gave the Spurs stopper a yellow card when he was the last man, with Gomes parrying Bent's placed spot-kick.
Gomes saved twice more, both times from Steed Malbranque, before Huddlestone had a powerful drive cleared off the line by Paulo da Silva, with Gordon taking a knock to his wrist in the build-up.
Gordon's injury saw him replaced by former Spurs goalkeeper Marton Fulop - but the first thing he had to do was pick Huddlestone's thunderbolt out of the net.
Niko Kranjcar's ball over the top was held up by Defoe and he laid the ball back for Huddlestone to crash home. Gomes pulled off another stunning save to deny Michael Turner before the end.
Comment 1 - 11 of 11
Gomes showed Twitter why he isn't Spurs quality. By the way, Sunderland wasn't unlucky, like several of you claim they were. They were poor and their finishng was poorer. A well deserved result in the end for Spurs, and we'll march on.
Come On You Spurs!
as i said an average team with overated players somehow won when we clearly dominated most of the game but had bad luck
nah tone
not quiet mate just disappointed to put so much into the game and get nothing out ,but thats football in the top division aint it?? different clas in the fizzy pop league (lower class that is )ha ha ha ha aha ha hah ha ha ha ha ha defo penalty in the first half as well
Gomez last player on the park and stays on with only a yellow card Consistency ???????? none and that my friend is a FACT
two plYER IN THE mAN cITY GAME HEADS TOGETHER MAKING PLANK!!!!!AND THEY BOTH STYAED ON THE PITCH WITH JUST A TALKING TOO??????
dISCUS PLASE COS AM STATTING TO GET CONFUSED AT THE RULES OF THE GAME AND HOW THEY ARE BEING INTERPRETED BY oFFICIALS
Was a penalty but lucky for us Harry's wife never took it!!
Both sides were missing key players, so twitter struggled without the beachball to partner him up front............COYS
28.12.1996 Toon 7 HarrinGAY hotspurts 1
Looks like all the regular mackems have gone quiet. Come on lads get out from under that rock its only a blip! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Good job twitter showed why we were glad to see the back of him here.................................COYS
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
eifion.hughes, try watching it on a PC. Laptops can be tricky sometimes. PS, congrats about the laptop
JUST ANOTHER STROLL AT THE LANE.NOT SURE ABOUT DENTS PEN.WATCHED IT ON THE LAPTOP AND I THINK GOMES GO THE BALL FIRST.
COYS/STID
JUST ANOTHER STROLL AT THE LANE.NOT SURE ABOUT DENTS PEN.WATCHED IT ON THE LAPTOP AND I THINK GOMEZ GO THE BALL FIRST.
COYS/STID
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