David Dunn scored from the penalty spot to start Birmingham's season with a win against Tottenham at St Andrews.

England midfielder Dunn marked his Premiership debut for the Midlands club with the winner after Anthony Gardner was punished for a challenge on Robbie Savage.

Robbie Keane should have equalised for Tottenham after the break but hit the post with just keeper Maik Taylor to beat.

Spurs have spent £11.25m bolstering their attack in the summer but failed to break down a resilient Blues defence.

Both sides came out of the blocks in fiery fashion and there was little to separate the two teams during a competitive start.

But Spurs were left breathing a sigh of relief on the quarter-hour mark when Blues defender Jamie Clapham's free-kick hit the post before being cleared by Gary Doherty.

Birmingham slowly seized control of the match and Geoff Horsfield broke through onto the Spurs goal but disappointingly dragged a shot wide.

The home side kept up the pressure and their enigmatic Frenchman Christophe Dugarry was the next player to let Spurs off the hook.

He latched onto a Stephen Clemence flick-on and, with keeper Kasey Keller rushing way out of his goal, chipped his effort wide.

Birmingham's pressure finally told after 35 minutes when Spurs defender Anthony Gardner conceded a penalty for a foul on midfielder Savage.

Gardner was quickly closed down by the Welsh international and was adjudged to have brought down the Wales international by referee Rob Styles.

Dunn - a £5.5m summer capture from Blackburn Rovers - confidently put away the spot-kick, which Keller managed to get a touch to but could not stop going in.

An inspired Dugarry run opened up the visitors defence on the stroke of half-time but his shot did not have the power to beat Keller at full stretch.

Tottenham boss Glenn Hoddle gave £6.25m summer signing Helder Postiga the nod ahead of fellow new arrival Bobby Zamora to partner Robbie Keane in attack.

But Spurs failed to find the necessary quality of supply for their strikers and Postiga was replaced by Zamora early in the second-half.

The move almost had an immediate effect as Keane found himself one-on-one with keeper Taylor but hit the Blues post.

Zamora looped a header just over crossbar and Spurs did have an increased threat.

Taylor had to save well from Spurs substitute Dean Marney after 80 minutes but Birmingham held on for the three points.