Three off as Spurs hit Toon

Sullivan got his marching orders in the second half

Tottenham 4-2 Newcastle

Referee Steve Bennett took centre stage at White Hart Lane to send three players off in an incident-filled Premiership clash.

Newcastle finished the match with nine men and Tottenham were down to 10 in a match that was not at all spiteful.

The Orpington official banished Newcastle's Peruvian international Nolberto Solano in the first half and then sent Spurs' Neil Sullivan and the visitors' Kieron Dyer off in the second half.

In between the red-card frenzy he also awarded three penalties, two of which were converted.

Solano put the visitors ahead but then saw red

Solano had put Bobby Robson's side into a deserved lead but was then dismissed for handling the ball on the line.

By that stage the home side had levelled through Gary Doherty and a Darren Anderton penalty after he was brought down in the box.

The England midfielder failed to convert his second spot kick after Solano's dismissal with Newcastle custodian Steve Harper saving with his legs.

But Ukranian striker Sergei Rebrov, recalled to the starting line-up after being a substitute on Saturday, made amends with a sublime finish.

The referee sees what he sees and he has to make a decision on that

  George Graham

Doherty, playing in a three-man defence after playing up front in place of Rebrov against Ipswich, found the £11m man who chipped Harper from 12 yards.

But barely a minute into the second half Dyer burst from his own half and was brought down by the outstretched arm of Sullivan in the box.

I would like to smash the ball, not at that referee but at another referee and see if he could get out of the way of it

  Bobby Robson

The former Wimbledon keeper protested his innocence, but to no avail and his replacement, Ian Walker was sent the wrong way by Dyer.

But the busy Dyer undid all his good work minutes later after arguing with a linesman following a challenge in the box and Bennett reached for the red again.

With gaps appearing all over the pitch, there were destined to be more goals and the game was sealed for Spurs by former Newcastle hitman Les Ferdinand.

He rose unchallenged to head in an Anderton cross to continue Tottenham's impressive home form.

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Tottenham:
Sullivan, Campbell, Perry, Anderton, Sherwood, Leonhardsen, Clemence, King, Ferdinand, Rebrov, Doherty.
Subs: Walker, Young, Korsten, Davies, Thelwell.

Newcastle:
Harper, Barton, Goma, Griffin, Hughes, Bassedas, Speed, Acuna, Solano, Dyer, Ameobi.
Subs: Given, Stephen Caldwell, Glass, Lua-Lua, Cordone.

Referee: S Bennett (Orpington)