Bent and O'Hara inspire Spurs win

Tottenham head coach Juande Ramos continued with his knack of inspired substitutions as Darren Bent and Jamie O'Hara came off the bench to defeat Portsmouth 2-0.

With snow and sleet making chances difficult to come by, the game was fizzling out towards a goalless draw until Ramos made his move.

Bent headed in the first goal ten minutes from full-time, the 100th goal at Spurs' ground this season, before setting up O'Hara for the second.

Much of the focus prior to the game was on Jermain Defoe's absence from the Pompey line-up due to transfer rules and, with six goals in the six games since leaving Spurs, the visitors missed his lively presence.

A flick from Berbatov almost sent through Robbie Keane through early on.

Then James saved from Tom Huddlestone's 25-yard free-kick before almost being embarrassed by Keane.

The striker tried to rob him of the ball when he returned to the pitch on the blindside of the goalkeeper.

Pompey survived and almost opened the scoring with their next move. Sean Davis, a former Spurs player, spotted Paul Robinson off his line but the goalkeeper managed to tip over the lob.

At the other end, Pascal Chimbonda flashed a volley just wide and Berbatov had the ball in the net in the 28th minute after Keane had slipped him through - but play was called back for offside.

Michael Dawson then thumped a volley onto the crossbar after chesting down Huddlestone's corner, while Berbatov curled over the bar when he found a yard of room on the edge of the area.

John Utaka picked up a booking for an aerial challenge on Chimbonda in the second half and the Pompey winger also drilled in a dangerous cross when the visitors broke.

Ramos responded by taking off Lennon and Dawson for Bent and O'Hara with 20 minutes left.

Robinson was almost caught out by Richard Hughes' quick free-kick, then he hesitated when he came to claim Glen Johnson's cross. Kanu stole the ball but Didier Zokora managed to clear.

Spurs made the most of the reprieve and Bent headed in 11 minutes from the end when Steed Malbranque's shot was blocked and Berbatov's scuffed effort fell into the path of the substitute.

Bent set up the second two minutes later, racing down the left before crossing for O'Hara to tap into an empty net.

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