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Premier League, Old Trafford – Manchester United 2 (Nani 51, Kagawa 53) Tottenham Hotspur 3 (Vertonghen 2, Bale 32, Dempsey 52).

Tottenham Hotspur held on to a thrilling 3-2 win at Manchester United, their first league victory at Old Trafford since 1989.

First-half goals from Jan Vertonghen and a Gareth Bale stunner gave Spurs a two-goal advantage at half-time, but United came out for the second period looking a different team.

Three goals marked a kamikaze three-minute period as Nani pulled one back for the hosts before Clint Dempsey and Shinji Kagawa traded blows for both sides.

United launched a late assault on the Spurs goal but a combination of backs-to-the-wall defending and weak finishing saw Andre Vilas-Boas’s side ride the match out to claim a scalp that could have great implications for the Portuguese’s nascent career in North London.

Despite boasting an enviable winning record over Spurs, the hosts were strangely subdued from the start and the visitors soon made them pay.

Vertonghen, getting forward from left-back, clumsily cut inside, and though he did not have the ball under greast control he was barely resisted by a stand-offish defence. His finish was not great either but it took a massive deflection off a sliding Jonny Evans, wrong-footing Anders Lindegaard to nestle in the bottom left.

Ordinarily such an early blow would spark United into action but they continued to look sluggish, the lively Dempsey firing just wide after good play from former Fulham team-mate Moussa Dembele. Aaron Lennon was also a threat, shooting just wide via a deflection from Rio Ferdinand.

Spurs were winning the midfield battle, although United were barely putting up a fight as Paul Scholes and Michael Carrick struggled to get on the ball.

Lone striker Robin Van Persie, meanwhile, was isolated up front from the start and barely in the game from the moment he was left hobbling by a crunching but fair William Gallas tackle.

Wayne Rooney and Danny Welbeck looked on from the bench and their concern was shared by Sir Alex Ferguson when Spurs doubled their lead in style.

Nothing should be taken away from Bale, who has scored similar goals against feted opposition in the past – most notably Internazionale – but he was allowed to run from halfway far too easily, with Ferdinand losing a five-yard head start as the Welshman fired across Lindegaard with his weaker right foot.

United were two down, at home, after just over half an hour, a status which appeared to finally spark them into action.

But for all their possession after Bale’s strike, Spurs only suffered one scare before half-time when Nani had his shirt pulled by Vertonghen in the box, an act missed by the referee.

No doubt spurred on by a blow-dry at Fergie’s barbershop, United were an entirely different proposition in the second half as they went for the jugular from the restart.

Rooney had come on for the ineffectual Ryan Giggs, while Scholes was spreading the ball and dictating the play as only he and Xavi can.

He started the move from which United pulled one back, allowing Rooney to play an inviting low cross that a late-arriving Nani prodded home, the Portugal winger acquitting himself well after press reports he had fought with a team-mate in training.

That sparked one of the more tumultuous 150 seconds in Premier League history as Spurs re-established a two-goal lead, United half-asleep at the back as Sandro fed Bale, whose shot was well-saved by Lindegaard only for an unchecked Dempsey to roll the ball into the net.

United responded immediately as, within seconds, it was back to 3-2 thanks to a fine ball from the otherwise disappointing Van Persie, Kagawa turning on a sixpence before sliding a cool finish in off the post.

With around 40 minutes left including stoppage time, United sensed one of their classic comebacks. But – for all their possession, for all Scholes’ wonderful crossfield passing, and for all the clever movement from Rooney, Kagawa and Nani – United could not break Spurs’ resolve.

They entertained in their attempts to do so. Rooney hit the post with a superb free-kick and wasted a few half-chances; Van Persie found the back of the net but was offside, also putting wide twice from good positions; in addition to his passing, Scholes forced a smart stop from Friedel with a piledriver from range; Carrick flicked a header against the frame of the goal; Patrice Evra headed straight at Friedel with a free-header.

United had several late penalty claims rejected, with Sandro accidentally handling in the box their best shout, while Kyle Walker seemed to get the ball when sliding in on Kagawa.

But they could not make a breakthrough and, despite the introductions of Welbeck and Javier Hernandez, Spurs were able to hold on for a triumph that was greeted with delight on the bench and with the travelling fans.

Ferguson’s side now lie third in the league, four points off leaders Chelsea and one shy of Everton, with Spurs a point behind in fifth.

MAN OF THE MATCH

Jan Vertonghen (Tottenham) – Got the ball rolling with an early goal and impressed both in attack and defence from left-back. A strong part of Spurs’ late resistance.

Andre Villas-Boas is still looking for his first victory as Tottenham boss after a late Robert Snodgrass equaliser earned Norwich a deserved 1-1 draw at White Hart Lane.

Tottenham's new signing Moussa Dembele had come off the bench to put Tottenham in front in the 68th minute with a fine goal but it was a rare bright spark in an otherwise limp performance from the hosts.

Indeed, Spurs needed Brad Friedel to be in top form between the sticks as he made a number of fine saves as Norwich boss Chris Hughton, who spent 28 years at Tottenham as a player and a coach, was rewarded with a gutsy display from his troops.

Snodgrass levelled in the 85th minute but there was still time for more disappointment for Spurs as substitute Tom Huddlestone was sent-off for showing his studs while going in for a 50-50 ball just before the end.

Tottenham had plenty of possession in the opening 45 minutes but looked devoid of ideas and imagination, and if anything the hosts were lucky to go in at half-time level.

Norwich were sitting back and looking to hit on the counter-attack but they had the two best chances in the opening period and if it wasn't for the exploits of Friedel on two separate occasions they would have taken the lead.

After just nine minutes the American keeper tipped Russell Martin's header onto the crossbar after the Tottenham defence failed to deal with a fine Snodgrass free-kick.

Then just two minutes from the break Snodgrass himself came close, again from a header, but Friedel somehow managed to shift position and make a super save from point blank range.

Tottenham on the other hand failed to create one clear cut chance in the opening 45 minutes, with a fizzing left foot shot from Gareth Bale on the half hour being their best effort, but while that shot had plenty of power, it was straight enough that John Ruddy was able to punch it away.

Villas-Boas reacted at the break by bringing on £15m new signing Dembele for Sandro and Tottenham had a brief promising spell just after the break with another summer signing Gylfi Sigurdsson catching a volley clean that had to be saved by Ruddy. Sigurdsson would be substituted for Emmanuel Adebayor soon after.

Despite the Tottenham changes though, Norwich once more settled into their counter-attacking style and continued to manufacture chances of their own.

Grant Holt headed a half chance over in the 51st minutes and then just after the hour, Friedel had to make another good save to push away a low Anthony Pilkington effort.

Spurs fans finally had something to cheer about in the 68th minute though when a moment of class from Dembele put them in front. The Belgian tricked Jonny Howson on the edge of the area with a lovely little drag back and then fired a low shot expertly into the net.

Tottenham might have hoped to kick on after that but again Norwich crept back into the game.

Huddlestone was brought on for Jermain Defoe to try and shut up shop but Norwich got their leveller five minute before the end as Martin and Holt won successive headers from a cross before the ball fell for the impressive Snodgrass to expertly dispatch a finish from just inside the box into the corner of the net.

Neither Clint Dempsey or Hugo Lloris were signed by Tottenham in time for this game but while they could have done with the former against the Canaries, their man between the sticks certainly wasn't the problem as Friedel had to make one last save in stoppage time after Holt's back-heel set up Bradley Johnson for a powerful shot on the edge of the area.

That late effort came when Tottenham were down to 10-men.

Whether the red card was merited is open to debate but what is undisputable is the fact that Norwich were full value for their point and that Villas-Boas will soon be under pressure if performances, and more importantly results, do not quickly improve.

Tottenham Hotspur's frustrating start to the season continued when they were held to an entertaining 1-1 draw by West Bromwich Albion in their Premier League clash at White Hart Lane.

After Spurs had bossed the first half but hardly troubled West Brom goalkeeper Ben Foster, it took until the 74th minute for the home side to open the scoring via Benoit Assou-Ekotto's deflected strike from range.

Not long before that goal Emmanuel Adebayor had come off the bench to make his second Tottenham debut, but it was West Brom substitute Romelu Lukaku who injected an urgency and attacking impetus into the visitors which culminated in James Morrison's stoppage-time equaliser.

Spurs head coach Andre Villas-Boas's first home game in charge at White Hart Lane came against the side he lost to in his final game as Chelsea manager back in March. The Portuguese coach was again put under pressure by the Baggies as the final whistle was greeted by more than the odd boo from the home crowd, despite the many encouraging signs in Spurs' performance and West Brom's own part in an exciting final quarter of the game.

Despite completing his return to the club on a permanent basis following last season's successful loan spell, striker Emmanuel Adebayor was only named on the Tottenham bench due to Villas-Boas's concerns over the Togolese's match fitness.

Gylfi Sigurdsson joined Adebayor among the substitutes but another summer signing, Jan Vertonghen, made his first start for the club alongside William Gallas in central defence. Michael Dawson was once more left out of the squad completely, with a move away from White Hart Lane seemingly imminent.

Like Spurs, West Brom boss Steve Clarke once again left his club captain out of the starting line-up as Chris Brunt was on the bench, just as he was for the 3-0 win over Liverpool on the opening day.

Spurs completely dominated the first half in every respect. They had 11 shots throughout an opening period in which they had 66 per cent of the possession, but it was not until the 45th minute when Ben Foster was called into action, and even then it was only to gather up Defoe's tame effort.

Gareth Bale and Aaron Lennon were getting plenty of joy from wide positions, but the lack of both personnel and height in the area meant their aerial crosses were largely redundant and their low balls into the box were fired wide.

After the break West Brom were much more efficient in putting pressure on Tottenham's defenders, and while it took time for that pressure to be converted into chances it softened them up for the arrival of Lukaku midway through the half.

However, it was Tottenham who deservedly went ahead with a little more than a quarter of an hour remaining. Assou-Ekotto, who'd earlier had a well-taken free-kick tipped over the bar by Foster, was on hand to strike low as Sigurdsson's corner came all the way out to him. The strike took a significant deflection off Graham Dorrans that left Foster helpless to stop it hitting the back of the net.

Soon after coming on Lukaku forced a quality low save from Brad Friedel, and the Belgian's strength and movement began to unsettle the hitherto unruffled Spurs back line.

The intensity increased inside the home half to the point where an 89th-minute corner caused pandemonium inside the Spurs box, and Assou-Ekotto had to head Gareth McAuley's effort off the line via the crossbar.

Moments later, a clearly rattled Tottenham were finally breached in the first of four added minutes. As the second wave came following another West Brom corner, this time it was William Gallas who headed off the line and Morrison pounced to coolly stroke home a finish which gave Friedel no chance.

At the final whistle a share of the points was fair for the two coaches, who spent three years working together at Chelsea under Jose Mourinho. The delight in the away end and the dissatisfaction around the rest of the ground was the perfect illustration of the differing expectations and fortunes the pair have experienced in their new jobs thus far.

Newcastle United got their 2012/13 Premier League campaign off to the right start at the expense of Tottenham Hotspur, who they beat 2-1 at the Sports Direct Arena.

After Jermain Defoe had cancelled out Demba Ba's opener, Hatem Ben Arfa scored a penalty he had won himself to gain some measure of revenge on the team who beat them 5-0 the last time they met.

Ba scored a sumptuous curling finish 10 minutes into the second half to register his first goal since February, only for Defoe to level with a quarter of an hour remaining. The visitors were only on terms for four minutes, however, before Ben Arfa put the Magpies back in front from the penalty spot after Rafael van der Vaart had tripped him in the area.

The win gave Newcastle their first victory on the first day of a top-flight campaign in five years, while Tottenham have now lost their last four opening-day fixtures which have been away from home.

Newcastle manager Alan Pardew was able to start with strike duo Papiss Cisse and Ba as well as French midfield pair Yohan Cabaye and Ben Arfa despite all four being injury doubts heading into the game. Fabricio Coloccini was missing through injury, but fellow centre-back Steven Taylor made his first appearance of 2012 after suffering from a long-term injury.

Tottenham head coach Andre Villas-Boas raised eyebrows with his first starting XI by leaving summer signing Jan Vertonghen on the bench, preferring to go with veteran centre-back William Gallas alongside Younes Kaboul. The club's other summer signing, Gylfi Sigurdsson, did start however.

Tottenham finished one place and four points above Newcastle last season, although fourth place was not enough to secure Champions League football for the Londoners. It was Spurs who dictated much of the early tempo as the home side began with plenty of caution.

That is not a quality many would immediately bestow upon Magpies midfielder Cheick Tiote, however, and he drew great cheers from the home support for his typically crunching early tackle on Kyle Walker. It looked as though that challenge had caused the Newcastle man an injury, but the robust Ivorian played through it.

Despite plenty of enterprising play from Spurs, with Aaron Lennon looking particularly dangerous on the counter-attack, it was Newcastle who had the first chance. Papiss Cisse turned and shot from around 20 yards from goal, and his low strike deflected off the boot of strike partner Demba Ba's boot and trickled just wide, much to the relief of the helpless Brad Friedel.

Soon Spurs began to carve out the opportunities that their play warranted. Sigurdsson saw his curling free-kick tipped wide by Tim Krul after Danny Simpson was perhaps fortunate to not receive second yellow card for a foul on Gareth Bale.

Jermain Defoe got the better of Taylor but saw his low strike rebound off the foot of the near post. Bale was also denied by the frame of the goal when his header back across goal from Lennon's cross was over Krul but came back off the crossbar.

Newcastle began to take the game to their visitors after the break, but their opening goal still had the feel of being against the run of play when it came on 54 minutes. Kyle Walker's attempt at a headed clearance saw the ball drop at the feet of Ba, who took a touch before caressing a curling shot out of Friedel's reach and into the net. It was his first goal since he netted on Cisse's debut for the club against Aston Villa on February 5.

Soon afterwards Pardew was sent to the stands by referee Martin Atkinson after he had angrily shoved a linesman.

As the game wore on Spurs struggled to create as much as they had done before the break, and it was a scrappy goal which got them back on terms on 76 minutes. Gallas met Lennon's cross with a header that Krul saved with his legs, and the ball rebounded of the post before Defoe reacted quickest to bundle it home.

Just three-and-a-half minutes later, however, Newcastle were back in front. Ben Arfa's trickery saw him sneak in between Lennon and Van der Vaart and burst into the box, inviting the Dutchman to trip him over. After a discussion with Ba about who should take the spot-kick, Ben Arfa was vindicated in insisting he did by sending Friedel the wrong way.

Clearly deflated by that goal, Spurs were unable to muster much of a late assault on a share of the points, and Pardew saw his team close out the win from on high.

Liverpool missed out on the chance to move up to sixth in the Premier League table after they were held to a 0-0 draw by Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield.

Not even the return of Luis Suarez was enough to stop the Reds sharing the points on their own turf for an eighth time in 12 league games this season.

The stalemate means that Liverpool remain in seventh place, where they are now one point behind Arsenal. Tottenham remain in third following their first goalless draw of the season, five points behind Manchester United and seven short of leaders Manchester City.

This match had been circled in the calendar for many weeks by Liverpool fans because it marked the return from suspension of Suarez. The Uruguay forward was eligible to play for the Reds for the first time since Boxing Day after he completed his eight-match suspension.

However, it looked for a time as though he would again be denied the right to play as a thick fog settled over Anfield which threatened to see the match postponed. Referee Michael Oliver ruled the game could go ahead, but the conditions on a wintry evening in England were enough to make Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp miss the game as his flight from London was cancelled.

Mercifully the fog lifted as kick-off approached, giving all of Anfield a better chance to catch a glimpse of Suarez on the bench and for a phalanx of photographers to snap England manager Fabio Capello in the stand.

Spurs came into this fixture with a host of key players missing, although they were least affected by their absentees at the back as Michael Dawson and Ledley King started together for the first time this season.

Dawson had the Anfield crowd on their feet in the opening five minutes when he felled Andy Carroll with a sliding tackle inside the box after a weighted pass from Steven Gerrard, but Oliver correctly saw that it was a fine challenge from the Spurs defender.

Last Tuesday saw Everton's match with Manchester City at Goodison Park stopped due to a man handcuffing himself to a goalpost, and less than a week later another match on Merseyside was halted by a pitch invader when a cat ran on to the field. The ash grey feline scampered across the turf and past a bemused Brad Friedel before a steward calmly gathered it up.

That intrusion proved to be the main talking point of a first half in which both sides passed the ball around well in midfield but were largely unable to trouble the opposition keeper.

Jay Spearing had one fearsome strike from range but the ball swerved wide and struck the stanchion behind the net. The Liverpool midfielder still awaits his first goal for the club.

Glen Johnson forced a save from Friedel's legs just before half-time, but there was little to separate the two teams at the break.

The home crowd were made to wait for Suarez to be introduced as neither side made a change at the break.

Martin Kelly stung the palms of Friedel from range near the hour mark, but the game was given a big lift when Suarez did eventually make his entrance on 66 minutes.

He appeared to have lost none of his livewire movement or cunning guile during his absence as he was immediately involved, though the more infamous side of his game also emerged soon enough as he earned a booking for a boot to the midriff of Scott Parker less than five minutes after coming on.

Another Liverpool booking soon afterwards went to Martin Skrtel when the Slovakian defender lunged in with a challenge that caught Gareth Bale on the shin. Other officials may have seen that incident differently.

Carroll fired over the bar when he should have at least tested Friedel before Suarez was the most striking example of a Liverpool player who failed to meet a good delivery with a dangerous header.

Bale - who had earlier earned a booking for an act of simulation - could have won the game for Spurs when he beat the offside trap with five minutes remaining. The Welshman was one-on-one with Pepe Reina but the decision to finish through the Spaniard's legs was the wrong call.

With Suarez back among their ranks Liverpool can have fresh cause for optimism, but the fact they had 15 shots against Spurs and were once again unable to find a winner will be of great cause for concern.

Tottenham Hotspur suffered their first defeat in 12 Premier League games when they were beaten 2-1 by Stoke City in a thrilling and controversial match at the Britannia Stadium.

Former Spurs player Matthew Etherington scored twice in the first half with two goals that came as a result of the Potters' trademark long throws. The club's main exponent of those set plays, Rory Delap, was not playing, but in his stead Ryan Shotton provided the airborne assault that led to Tony Pulis getting the better of his former manager Harry Redknapp.

Emmanuel Adebayor pulled a goal back for Spurs after half-time from the penalty spot, but their hopes of claiming a result were hit when Younes Kaboul was sent off with eight minutes remaining for a second bookable offence.

The visitors had several appeals for handball in the box turned down, but referee Chris Foy declined to give Spurs a second spot-kick.

Stoke's third win in a row sees them move up to eighth in the table, while Tottenham remain five points behind second-placed Manchester United after a run of six consecutive wins was brought to an end.

Stoke showed signs of what was to come as early as the first minute when the first of Shotton's long throws was headed away by Benoit Assou-Ekotto but only as far as Etherington, whose volley was scrambled away by goalkeeper Brad Friedel.

The visitors were tested again on 13 minutes, and this time Etherington got his first goal since Stoke's 5-0 thrashing of Bolton in last season's FA Cup semi-final. Spurs dealt with the initial throw but it was enough to see them unable to regain their shape before Shotton sent in the second ball. Peter Crouch - one of four ex-Spurs players in the Stoke squad - shielded the ball near the byline before sneaking it through Friedel's legs allowing Etherington to finish from close range.

Tottenham began to play their way into the match but were for the most part unable to break through Stoke's resolute back line. Any aerial deliveries were swatted away with ease thanks to the Potters' significant height advantage, while the supply line to lone striker Adebayor was largely cut off.

The Londoners' best chance came from distance when Luka Modric had a drilled effort from 25 yards tipped around the foot of the post by Thomas Sorensen.

Etherington then doubled his team's lead just before half-time, and this time the long throw was even more influential. Jonathan Walters flicked Shotton's delivery on and Etherington miscued his first-time shot, but it was still enough to loop over the helpless Friedel.

Redknapp responded by making two changes at the break - bringing on Jermain Defoe and Sebastien Bassong for Aaron Lennon and Assou-Ekotto. Bassong sent a header over the bar from a corner before Crouch did the same from a Shotton throw.

Spurs were given a lifeline just post the hour mark when Modric invited a challenge from Glenn Whelan in the Stoke box and the Ireland midfielder took the bait. Adebayor scored coolly from the spot to register his fifth goal in his last four games.

Scott Parker forced a decent save from Sorensen and Adebayor curled an effort just wide as Tottenham began to find openings.

With 15 minutes left if what was building to a thrilling climax, referee Foy suddenly became the focus of attention. The official did not see Kaboul's shot clearly rebound off Shawcross's arm on the line, and in the very next phase of play Adebayor had the ball in the net only to be incorrectly ruled offside.

Then, in the final 10 minutes, Kaboul chased desperately after Walters down the left flank and sent him tumbling. Foy had already booked Kaboul for his justified protestations after Shawcross had hauled him over inside the box, and showed the France defender a second yellow for the challenge on Walters.

With Spurs down to 10 men Stoke were able to close out the victory thanks in no small part to the excellent hold-up play of Crouch, who celebrated a second victory at the Britannia over a former club having beaten Liverpool 1-0 back in September.

Tottenham assumed second place in the Premier League table after a convincing 3-0 win over 10-man Bolton at White Hart Lane.

It took Gareth Bale just seven minutes to put the hosts in front, exploiting sloppy marking with a cool finish, before Gary Cahill was harshly shown a straight red card for a challenge on Scott Parker.

A barrage of pressure and chances ensued from the rampant home side scored through Aaron Lennon and Jermain Defoe in a second half blitz to secure the three points which lift Harry Redknapp's side above Manchester United into second place.

An injury to Ledley King meant William Gallas was handed his first Premier League start of the season and Defoe was again preferred to Rafael van der Vaart as Tottenham looked to stretch their unbeaten run to 11 matches, while Bolton made one change to the team that lost 2-0 to Everton, with Dedryck Boyata coming in for the suspended David Wheater in defence.

Gary Speed had a three-and-a-half year spell at Bolton, and a minute's applause preceded kick-off in tribute to the Welshman, and within seven minutes Bale made a tribute to his former Wales boss after opening the scoring.

Bale stole in at the near post to stab home from Luca Modric's corner in clinical fashion after slack marking from Bolton enabled him to net his sixth goal of the season and fifth in four league games, before whipping off a red boot and holding it aloft.

Spurs continued to control the possession, but it was Stuart Attwell's decision to send off Cahill in the 18th minute which effectively invited the rout. Zat Knight put his defensive partner under undue pressure with a poor pass before the Tottenham target carved down Parker just inside the Bolton half and was dismissed on the dubious grounds of being the last man.

What followed was a near relentless stream of Spurs pressure as Jussi Jaaskelainen was forced to make a string of stunning saves. One such stop saw the inspired Finn deny Defoe with his legs in the 24th minute as the forward raced into the box and latched on to Aaron Lennon's pinpoint cross.

Seconds later at the other end, Brad Friedel had to effectively wake himself up to backtrack hastily and tip Chris Eagles's shot over the bar after the ball took a vicious deflection off Younes Kaboul.

Owen Coyle was forced to introduced Gretar Steinsson on the half hour mark at the expense of Fabrice Muamba in a tactical reshuffle, with Bolton's defensive ranks in desperate need of bolstering.

A flurry of clear-cut chances followed, with Bale driving a wild shot over the bar from close range, and Jaaskelainen making a superb double save to deny the Welshman and Defoe seconds later as the hosts continued to press forward incessantly.

Finally, the second goal arrived just five minutes after the restart as Kyle Walker, Emmanuel Adebayor and Defoe all combined to good effect before Lennon shuffled inside from the right with exquisite footwork before crashing an emphatic finish beyond Jaaskelainen into the far corner of the net.

It was Tottenham's turn to feel aggrieved in the 56th minute as Benoit Assou-Ekotto zipped down the left, cut inside and was clumsily tripped inside the Bolton box by Kevin Davies, but referee Attwell again defied expected decision and awarded a corner to the disbelief of the home fans.

But the feeling of discontent did not last for long as Defoe marked the hour with a cool finish after more diabolical marking from a set piece cost Bolton dearly as the forward was afforded a simple goal from a corner.

Jaaskelainen further distinguished himself late on with fine saves from Bale and Parker as the Bolton goalkeeper spared his side the ignominy of a real thrashing, while the woodwork came to the visitors rescue when the Finn was eventually beaten Defoe as drove a low shot against the near post.

Spurs have now won six consecutive Premier League games for the first time in the club's history while leapfrogging United into second place in the table, albeit with the champions facing Aston Villa in the late kick-off, while Coyle was left to bemoan a poor refereeing decision and his side's frailties at the back after another chastening defeat.

Blackpool put some much-needed space between them and the Premier League relegation zone with a 3-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur at Bloomfield Road.

Charlie Adam maintained his 100 per cent record from the penalty spot to give Blackpool the lead before top scorer DJ Campbell added another just before half-time.

After Tottenham laid siege to their hosts' goal - they ended up registering 25 shots, 10 of which were on target - Blackpool substitute Brett Ormerod added a third 10 minutes from time to seal the Tangerines' first win over Spurs since 1966.

Roman Pavlyuchenko scored a late consolation for Spurs, but by then most of the travelling fans were already headed back to London. However, the Russian's injury-time strike means that Bloomfield Road has still not seen a clean sheet from any team all season.

The win was only Blackpool's second in their last 10 league games, but it was enough to lift them from 16th to 12th in the table, below Blackburn Rovers on goal difference. Tottenham's first defeat in six league games denied them the chance to go third and they remain in fourth, two points behind Manchester City.

Blackpool manager Ian Holloway was typically bold in his team selection, handing striker Sergei Kornilenko his debut in a three-man attack alongside Campbell and James Beattie, while Spurs boss Harry Redknapp fielded Jermain Defoe and Pavlyuchenko up front.

This rearranged meeting between two of the Premier League's most attacking sides promised plenty of goalmouth action, but the opening stages failed to produce, with Steven Pienaar's sliced shot from range the only effort of note.

That all changed on 18 minutes when Campbell drew a foul from Sebastien Bassong inside the Spurs area, and Blackpool skipper Adam stepped up to convert his fifth spot-kick of the season.

Spurs were sparked into action, with Steven Pienaar having several efforts blocked before Defoe lifted the ball over goalkeeper Richard Kingson only for Craig Cathcart to head the ball off the line.

Defoe, still searching for his first league goal of the season, was again denied at the last when Kingson palmed Aaron Lennon's cross into the path of the England striker, but once more Cathcart was well placed to block the effort.

That denial of an equaliser for Spurs was compounded by a sucker punch as Blackpool doubled their lead on the break. Campbell surged forward through the centre before passing to Kornilenko, who moved the ball out wide to Beattie. The striker, on loan from Rangers, bent in an inviting cross which Campbell headed in at the far post for his ninth league goal of the season.

Tottenham have recouped more points from losing positions this season than any other side, and the manner in which they emerged after break certainly illustrated that.

Right from the restart Neal Eardley made a vital sliding block on Pienaar's effort inside the area, and soon afterwards Pavlyuchenko had a header saved by Kingson and Luka Modric flashed a strike just over the bar.

Adam's surge into the Spurs box and low strike across goal showed Blackpool still carried a real threat, but Spurs continued to hammer their hosts and it only looked a matter of time before they broke through.

Half-time substitute Jermaine Jenas and Pavlyuchenko both narrowly missed low balls across the six-yard box before Kingson blocked another Pavlyuchenko header.

Niko Kranjcar and Peter Crouch were introduced to try and force the issue, but when Modric was denied a penalty by referee Chris Foy after Kingson sent him flying, it looked as though Tottenham's luck had run out.

And so it proved when two Blackpool substitutes combined to put the game beyond the visitors on 80 minutes. Benoit Assou-Ekotto shielded the ball from the persistent Matt Phillips inside the Tottenham box, but in doing so showed it to Ormerod, who tucked a finish underneath Heurelho Gomes for his first Premier League goal in over seven years.

By the time Pavlyuchenko's speculative effort clipped off Cathcart and over Kingson's head in the third minute of injury time, the result was no longer in doubt, and even the late denial of an extra step up the table could not dampen Blackpool's joy at hearing the final whistle.