Hugo Rodallega's second-half strike earned Wigan their first points of the season after a resilient performance away to lacklustre Tottenham.

Rodallega smashed in a fine cross-shot as the Latics shrugged off two heavy home drubbings to record their first victory at White Hart Lane.

Steve Gohouri also hit the bar for the visitors with a volley while Antolin Alcaraz missed a glorious chance.

Spurs offered little but Jermain Defoe twice went close in the first half.

First the England forward collected Benoit Assou-Ekotto's pass and spun brilliantly in the box only to see his well-struck shot superbly saved by Ali Al Habsi.

And Defoe then turned sharply on the edge of the area and showed pace and power to get away from two defenders before flicking a shot just wide with the outside of his right boot.

But in truth Spurs were well below par and Wigan thoroughly deserved their win for a tenacious display in which they showed commendable character.

On their last visit to Tottenham in November 2009, the Latics suffered a 9-1 hammering with Defoe scoring five.

And Wigan's confidence can hardly have been helped after their 8-0 mauling at Chelsea on the final day of the 2009-10 season was followed up by 4-0 and 6-0 defeats at the DW Stadium in their opening two matches of the 2010-11 campaign.

But Wigan started much the brighter and could easily have taken advantage in the opening stages of a Spurs side looking like their midweek Champions League exploits had caught up with them.

The north Londoners lacked bite and sharpness in the opening 20 minutes and nearly found themselves trailing but Gohouri's belting six-yard volley crashed off the bar and to safety from Alcaraz's fine nod back.

Dream-like defending from Assou-Ekotto - which twice saw the left-back caught in possession in the opening 15 minutes - could also have easily led to Wigan goals.

But the home side suddenly woke up around the mid-way point of the first period and it was Defoe - still in the side despite fears over his ongoing groin injury - who was their main threat, with two typically alert efforts.

Neither chance found the back of the net and when Defoe's strike partner, Peter Crouch, was forced off injured at the interval Spurs boss Harry Redknapp took the opportunity to try to liven things up.

However Crouch's replacement, Roman Pavlyuchenko, offered little in a dreary 25 minutes after the break which saw the north Londoners continually frustrated by Wigan's organisation.

And as frustration among the home fans grew it was the visitors who started to look more likely to break the deadlock.

Alcaraz somehow blazed over from six yards for a contender for miss of the season and Gomez volleyed over.

But with Spurs still breathing a collective sigh of relief, Rodallega did find the back of the net for the visitors with a searing shot across keeper Carlo Cudicini.

Finally the home side woke from their slumbers and Tom Huddlestone sent a volley just past the post and Defoe saw another fizzing strike also go just wide.

In a frantic finish Niko Krancjar and Michael Dawson were both denied by the excellent Al Habsi.

But Tottenham could not find an equaliser and slipped to their first home defeat in 18 league and cup games.