Robbie Keane's 58th-minute penalty and a screamer from Jermain Defoe left Birmingham in further relegation trouble at White Hart Lane. Spurs striker Keane stepped up to send Maik Taylor the wrong way after he was fouled by Matthew Upson.

Birmingham had Muzzy Izzet sent off for a second booking after he was adjudged to have dived when challenged by Michael Dawson a few minutes later.

Defoe sealed the points, firing into the roof of the net in injury time.

After making nine changes from the side that was trounced 4-1 at Manchester City in their previous Premiership outing, Birmingham manager Steve Bruce was looking for a few answers from his relegation-threatened team.

They may not have been able to produce much in front of goal but he could not have criticised their endeavour.

But being four points adrift from safety at the start of play suggested their chances had not been snapped up when they arrived.

And it was the same in this encounter as they were denied the best opportunity in the opening half-an-hour.

There was little Jiri Jarosik did wrong as he attempted to turn Julian Gray's cross in at the near post but keeper Paul Robinson flicked out his right arm to divert the shot.

Spurs were no more successful. The approach play appeared neat enough but the final ball was lacking, with service from set-pieces uncharacteristically poor.

Ledley King did manage to control a corner from Michael Carrick but keeper Taylor was able to block his shot.

Bruce's side probably just about shaded the first half and missed a great opportunity within seconds of the restart to give themselves a priceless lead.

Jarosik was again at the hub of the attack and Gray, a virtual spectator in the first half, was played straight through inside the Spurs area.

However, Robinson was able to race off his line and spare his defenders' blushes by diving to his right and pushing the shot away.

But Spurs were handed just the sort of break Birmingham would have cried out for in the 58th minute.

The visitors could have little argument as Upson hauled Keane down inside the area.

The Republic of Ireland striker took the resulting penalty himself and sent Taylor the wrong way to give Spurs an undeserved lead.

Keane should have put Spurs further ahead moments later when released by a through ball from Edgar Davids but Taylor stood firm between his posts to keep out the weak effort.

It became even worse for the visitors when Izzet was sent off for a second booking after the referee thought he dived under Dawson's challenge.

Blues still pressed forward but were hit on the break in injury time.

Jermaine Jenas made a swift run and slipped the ball through to substitute Defoe, who fired an unstoppable shot into the roof of the net from just inside the area.

Tottenham first-team coach Chris Hughton: "We know we have been in a game and we are pleased and grateful to have won when it was not one of our best performances. "But we are able to finish games strongly and that is very pleasing.

"They are all tough games and we don't expect anything less from our forthcoming games.

"It was great for Jermain Defoe and he is always capable of that. We are fortunate to have four quality strikers."