Kanoute strikes late winner for Spurs

Lesicester - 1 Tottenham H - 2 Frederic Kanoute struck a last-minute winner as Tottenham came from behind to grab victory at the Walkers Stadium yesterday. Kanoute rammed home the rebound in the dying seconds after substitute Stephane Dalmat's shot had struck the base of Ian Walker's post.

But three minutes into injury-time Spurs' match winner was stretchered off the pitch following a bad challenge which earned Muzzy Izzet a booking.

Spurs had been handed a lifeline by South African Mbulelo Mabizela just four minutes into his debut. Mabizela replaced Gustavo Poyet in the 74th minute when caretaker manager David Pleat was heading for his first defeat in charge. But moments later he had conjured up a sensational 25-yard rocket shot which crashed past Walker.

The visitors' chances had looked grim in a first-half highlighted by goalkeeper Kasey Keller's dreadful error which gave his former team the lead. Walker's long goal-kick was flicked on by Les Ferdinand and Paul Dickov turned and shot, only for Keller to let the ball slip through his legs. It was the least Leicester deserved for their spell of first-half pressure.

Izzet tested Keller in the second minute with a shot which the goalkeeper parried. And James Scowcroft headed wide from John Curtis's cross three minutes later.

Spurs' only early chance of note fell to Paul Konchesky, who charged down a clearance by Curtis but saw his shot saved by former Spurs goalkeeper Walker. Another former Spurs man, Ferdinand, was looking lively in his first home start since the opening day of the season and he tested Keller in the 13th minute.

Robbie Keane hit an overhead kick over Walker's bar while Alan Rogers was close from long-range for Leicester and then almost sent Dickov clear before City's bizarre opener. Walker's long goal-kick was flicked on by Ferdinand to Dickov on the left side of the Spurs penalty area. Dickov's left-footed shot lacked power but squirmed through Keller's legs for the first goal conceded under Pleat.

Scowcroft headed just wide for Leicester at the start of the second half but Spurs, with the influential Dalmat having replaced Rohan Ricketts, began to assert their control. Keane hit a looping shot onto the roof of Walker's net and Keith Gillespie's bad back pass forced his goalkeeper to save at a stretch.

Keller needed two attempts to save Dickov's rising effort just before the hour. Kanoute headed over Walker's bar in the 69th minute before Mabizela's sensational intervention. Fellow substitute Zamora played the ball across to the South African who whacked a goal-of-the-season contender past Walker. Spurs poured forward, with Dalmat's curling shot past Walker in the last minute setting up the winner as it struck the base of the right-hand post and rebounded.

Kanoute rammed the ball home from close to the penalty spot but his day was destined to end badly as he was the victim of Izzet's rash challenge deep into injury-time.