1-0 v West Ham United - 22 October 2006 - Home

Tottenham edged out London rivals West Ham with a single strike from Mido.

Jermain Defoe should have opened the scoring but his close-range shot was blocked by keeper Robert Green, who was making his West Ham debut.

Defoe then sparked an unseemly melee when he appeared to bite Javier Mascherano after the Argentine's foul.

But fortunately Mido provided some class when he superbly flicked up Edgar Davids' centre, swivelled and volleyed the ball into the far corner.

As good a goal as it was, whether it was worthy of Mido collecting a booking for removing his top is questionable.

And when Mido went close to scoring another goal in the second half, when he steered Aaron Lennon's centre just wide, perhaps he had prevented himself seeing red - should he have disrobed again.

In a feisty opening 45 minutes, five players were booked, including Defoe and Mascherano for their part in the unsavoury incident that led to needless confrontation between the teams.

Mascherano's challenge from behind on Defoe left both players grounded - and from that position a farce developed.

The England striker seemed to bite his opponent's arm but the Argentine hardly helped the situation by attempting to outdo Robert De Niro in the acting stakes as he hit the ground like a felled tree.

In rushed nearly all the players to give their well-informed opinions and, sadly, the incident was not far off the most noteworthy action of the half.

That is until Mido stepped in and scored a cracker, which would ultimately earn Spurs all three points.

Had Spurs been more clinical with the quality crosses that Lennon provided all game, their winning margin would have been greater.

The tricky winger gave an exemplary display of how to use pace and direct running to excellent effect.

Certainly Hammers left-back Paul Konchesky would not even think about taunting Lennon with the old refrain "can I play you every week", seeing as he was given a torrid afternoon.

For their part, West Ham managed to put together some nice passing movements but lacked penetration and rarely caused keeper Paul Robinson any trouble.

Marlon Harewood did force one save out of the England stopper, who dived to his right to push away the effort, but it was a stop he would have been expected to make.

The visitors' most likely source of a goal would have been if Robinson had failed to clear a backpass - and West Ham have now gone seven matches without a goal.

Spurs always looked the likelier to add to the scoring and, but for an exquisitely timed challenge by Danny Gabbidon on Robbie Keane in the box, they might have done.

Tottenham manager Martin Jol: "We should have scored a second goal and finished the game. We didn't and that made it difficult. "In the first half we didn't play well but we were professional. And I didn't think we gave away a lot and we deserved to win.

"It was our third game in a week and not easy. But it was a great performace and the team showed great character."

West Ham Boss Alan Pardew: "I think that we deserved something from the effort we put in. I can't fault my players' spirit and commitment to the cause. "We lacked sharpness in the final third - and that is down to a lack of confidence but we tried hard to win.

"It was big blow for us to go in at half-time 1-0 down. We switched off and we got punished."