Blackburn 0-1 Tottenham

More Premiership photos Jol hails "important" Spurs win

Spurs won for the first time away in the league under new coach Martin Jol.

Robbie Keane scored the game's only goal on 56 minutes with a cool finish after a superb run from Michael Brown.

Blackburn had plenty of possession, but none of their strikers could replicate Keane's finishing, though Paul Robinson made a good save from Paul Gallagher.

Blackburn keeper Brad Friedel also played well, the American saving twice from Jermain Defoe as well as diving low to save Pedro Mendes' effort.

Keane's goal was well-taken, but it was the way it was created by Brown that really caught the eye.

The Spurs midfielder picked the ball up in his own half, shrugged off Tugay's tackle and then foul, before ending up in the box after going past Nils-Eric Johansson and Andy Todd.

Having waited for support, Brown slipped the ball to Keane, who rammed his shot past Brad Friedel.

Just before and after Keane's goal, Friedel made good saves from Mendes and Defore.

Both sides have enjoyed less than auspicious starts to the season and that faltering form was very much in evidence in a disjointed first-half.

Paul Dickov's combative presence in the Blackburn attack proved a major irritant to the Spurs defence, primarily due to his fiesty tackling.

Ledley King, Nourredine Naybet and Thimothee Atouba were all to feel the force of Dickov's never-say-die attitude.

Lay off Michael Brown - a brilliant performance today, he made the goal single handedly and worked hard all game From SR Have your say on 606

Dickov's tackle on King particularly infuriated the Spurs defence and soon after the Scot earned a yellow card for his challenge on Naybet.

While Dickov hustled and bustled, Keane and and his striking partner Defoe, provided an altogether different perspective on the art of forward play.

Defoe's clever dummy allowed him to work some space but the England international shot straight at Friedel.

Keane then ended a run with a shot which took a deflection that went narrowly wide.

Friedel's best save in the first-half was with his feet, when the American got down to divert a Defoe shot over the bar after the Spurs striker had been released by Keane.

Just before the interval Barry Ferguson flighted the ball over to Craig Short from a free-kick.

The Blackburn defender guided a header into the path of his central defensive partner Todd, who volleyed wide.

In the opening period Paul Robinson had not had to make a save, but immediately after the restart the England goalkeeper made a superb one-handed save to deny Gallagher.

The young Blackburn striker was soon replaced by Jay Boothroyd, a reflection of Blackburn's laboured efforts in attack.

However Spurs did have to survive one nervy moment when Naybet had to react swiftly to clear off the line a Todd header.

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Blackburn: Friedel, Neill, Todd, Short (Matteo 85), Johansson, Reid, Ferguson, Tugay (Thompson 65), Emerton, Dickov, Gallagher (Bothroyd 56).
Subs Not Used: Flitcroft, Enckelman.

Booked: Dickov, Tugay, Thompson.

Tottenham: Robinson, Kelly, Naybet, King, Atouba, Pedro Mendes, Brown, Carrick, Ziegler (Redknapp 73), Defoe (Kanoute 88), Keane (Gardner 77).
Subs Not Used: Pamarot, Fulop.

Booked: Naybet.

Goals: Keane 56.

Att: 22,182.

Ref: M Dean (Wirral).