2-0 v Brentford FC - 26 September 2000 - Home

Tottenham sealed their place in the Worthington Cup third round after an unconvincing display against Second Division Brentford. Oyvind Leonhardsen ended a goal drought stretching to five-and-a-half hours with the first on 52 minutes before Steffen Iversen sealed the win 10 minutes from time.

But it was otherwise an uninspired performance from the home side who were thankful that Scott Partridge failed to capitalise on Ramon Vega's blunder moments before Leonhardsen's goal.

Spurs boss George Graham had kept faith with the side that stuttered to a 0-0 draw with Manchester City on Saturday.

Iversen, Steffen Freund and Leonhardsen all tested goalkeeper Olafur Gottskalksson with long-range efforts with White Hart Lane hoped history was about to repeat itself, Spurs having beaten the Bees at the same stage in 1998 on the way to winning the trophy. On that occasion the aggregate score was 6-4.

But it was never going to be the same this time when, after a promising start, Spurs went off the boil.

It took until just before the half-hour for Spurs to threaten again, Iversen forcing a good save from Gottskalksson with an angled drive and then heading on to the roof of the net from the resulting long throw.

The home side did have the ball in the net after 30 minutes, Les Ferdinand sliding home Steve Carr's low right-wing cross only to be adjudged offside.

At the other end Brentford thought they had good claims for a penalty when Lorenzo Pinamonte went down under Chris Perry's challenge.

Spurs were not to gift Brentford the opener with five minutes of the second period gone.

Vega completely miskicked as he tried to clear, but Partridge failed to keep his composure in front of goal and blasted high and wide with only Sullivan to beat.

That seemed to jolt the home side into life, and they finally ended their goal drought.

Scott Marshall could only flick Sherwood's header back towards his own goal - and Leonhardsen was quickest to react, sliding the ball between the goalkeeper's legs to the massive relief of the home support.

That support could not entirely relax, however, as Brentford forced a number of corners - one the result of Ben Thatcher belatedly announcing his presence in the game by putting Rowlands into the advertising hoardings.

Leonhardsen could have doubled the lead on 62 minutes after being put through by Sergei Rebrov, but Gottskalksson sprinted from his line to make a brave save at the Norwegian's feet.

Thatcher went close to a second with a flashing drive that flew just past the right-hand upright before Iversen finally eased the worries of the home fans.

Leonhardsen this time was the provider, breaking down the right and bringing a good save from the goalkeeper who was unlucky to see the ball rebound straight to Iversen who had the simplest of tasks to steer the ball home.