Tottenham 1 Blackburn 0:Roman Pavlyuchenko's winner at White Hart Lane lifted Tottenham out of the Premier League relegation zone and plunged 10-man Blackburn deeper into trouble. Martin Olsson was guilty of an error in the build-up to Pavlyuchenko's sixth of the season, and the Rovers full back's wretched afternoon was finished off within 39 minutes when he was dismissed for two bookings.
Rovers boss Paul Ince did not make eye contact as Olsson made for the tunnel after his two fouls on Aaron Lennon — the visitors were left a man short and have now gone eight league games without a win.
It was Lennon who set up Pavlyuchenko's strike and he was showing the sort of form that took him to the World Cup for England in 2006.
Spurs boss Harry Redknapp has brought the best out of Darren Bent since his appointment as manager last month — and now it appears he has had the same affect on Lennon.
The result meant a day of mixed emotions for goalkeeper Paul Robinson, who was given a warm reception by Spurs fans after leaving for Blackburn in the summer.
Redknapp has inspired a turnaround in Spurs' season but there are still creases to be ironed out, starting with Robinson's summer replacement Heurelho Gomes.
Gomes has been guilty of a series of errors since arriving from PSV Eindhoven — and he looked jittery again when he fumbled a Morten Gamst Pedersen corner in the early stages, with Vedran Corluka hacking clear to save his blushes.
Contrasted to Gomes, Spurs' strikers are full of confidence, although Pavlyuchenko was given a helping hand for his opener after Olsson lost the ball to Lennon.
Olsson failed to catch the Spurs winger and the ball was squared to Pavlyuchenko to side-foot into the net, the striker leaving Robinson with no chance.
Pavlyuchenko could have doubled the lead eight minutes later when his header hit the post from David Bentley's free-kick, then Ryan Nelsen cleared off the line when Ledley King steered the rebound on target.
Gomes rushing out of his goal almost offered Rovers a way back in the game — Brett Emerton lobbed the ball over the Brazilian but Jonathan Woodgate beat Benni McCarthy to the loose ball and headed clear.
Blackburn looked to be making progress, with Christopher Samba almost on the end of an Emerton free-kick — but their efforts were undermined by Olsson receiving two yellow cards in 12 minutes.
Spurs continued to look for their second and Tom Huddlestone curled an effort from 30 yards that went just over Robinson's crossbar, while Andre Ooijer blocked when Bent raced through.
Bentley sent over a cross that Christopher Samba needed to hack clear, while Lennon was demanding more of the ball on the right flank as Spurs looked to take advantage of their extra man.
Woodgate headed over from Bentley's free-kick, just after the former Rovers winger was tripped by Ooijer. Fraizer Campbell was sent on and should have headed in a second.
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