Bolton 3 Tottenham 1: Bolton won this game with late goals from Tal Ben Haim and Kevin Davies, but only after Jermain Defoe had equalised and given them a fright which was all but negated when they lost Fredi Kanoute two minutes later, sent off for two unnecessary yellow cards.
Both sides are aiming for Europe but their managers' differing philosophies show they are taking contrasting routes.
This was highlighted before kick-off when Tottenham announced that Tom Huddlestone, Derby County's highly-rated defender, will be joining for £2.5 million in the summer and Bolton paraded Vincent Candela, (31), and on loan from Roma.
Candela, like Michael Dawson and his former Nottingham Forest colleague Andy Reid, signed too late to be eligible to start but Spurs did have Mido, their Egyptian attacking acquisition, on the bench.
They would have quickly noticed that a central tenet of Sam Allardyce's game plan was that Kevin Nolan and El Hadji Diouf exerted maximum pressure on the Spurs full backs, the young Dubliner Stephen Kelly and the Swede Erik Edman.
Both full backs largely held their own but that did not stop Bolton winning a series of set-pieces, with their infamous long throws looming large.
While Ledley King and Anthony Gardner proved equal to such barrages, Spurs had problems further forward.
Allardyce's central midfield combo of the deep-lying Ivan Campo, Stelios Giannakopoulos and Gary Speed were severely cramping the passing ambitions of Michael Carrick and Michael Brown, leaving Kanoute and Robbie Keane isolated.
By the start of the second period a dead ball appeared to offer the best hope of a goal and so it proved, Kelly's arm preventing Kevin Davies from getting his head to another high ball directed into the box. Much to Tottenham's disgust, the referee adjudged it a handball and Diouf duly lashed the penalty high into the roof of the net and well out of Paul Robinson's reach.
The last thing Tottenham wanted was another defeat to go with the recent reverses suffered at the hands of Chelsea and Crystal Palace and they belatedly came to life.
Carrick duly showed everyone a little of his class and Brown forced Jussi Jaaskelainen to tip his rising 25-yard shot over the bar. Significantly it was Finn's first serious save of the night.
Increasing desperate, Martin Jol sacrificed a defender, Edman, in order to facilitate Defoe and it swiftly proved to be the most inspired of substitutions. Within two minutes the England striker had equalised, accepting a Keane pass he held off the challenge of Ricardo Gardner before steering a long shot through the legs of Jaaskelainen.
Barely had the visiting celebrations ceased when Kanoute, earlier booked for dissent, namely arguing with the referee, was sent off for receiving a second yellow card, this time for a reckless hack at Anthony Barness.
Bolton: Jaaskelainen, Barness (Fadiga 77), N'Gotty, Ben Haim, Gardner, Nolan, Campo, Speed, Diouf, Davies (Pedersen 90), Giannakopoulos (Hierro 88). Subs Not Used: Poole, Jaidi. Goals: Diouf 49 pen, Ben Haim 86, Davies 87.
Tottenham: Robinson, Kelly, King, Gardner, Edman (Defoe 63), Davies, Carrick, Brown, Atouba, Keane, Kanoute. Subs Not Used: Bunjevcevic, Marney, Cerny, Mido. Sent Off: Kanoute (68). Booked: King, Kanoute. Goals: Defoe 66.
Referee: M Dean (Wirral).
