Sheff Utd 2-1 Tottenham

By Sam Lyon

Phil Jagielka [front] celebrates his winner at Bramall Lane

Phil Jagielka's second-half penalty earned Sheffield United a deserved win from a pulsating match at Bramall Lane as Spurs' poor run of form continued.

The visitors actually got off to a fine start when Jermaine Jenas raced onto Robbie Keane's flick to lob home.

However, United levelled when Rob Hulse headed in Colin Kazim-Richards' corner.

And, after both sides had missed fine chances to grab a second, United sealed the points when Jagielka scored after Teemu Tainio's foul on Stephen Quinn.

Interview: Sheffield United boss Neil Warnock

It was a win that barely looked likely after Spurs had bossed the first 20 minutes, capped by Jenas' fine second-minute strike.

Keane, who again flattered to deceive for Spurs, should have made it two when he raced onto Tainio's pass only to slide wide of goal with the Finn and Berbatov unmarked in front of goal.

And the Irishman, who felt hard done by when he went down theatrically under the challenge of Chris Armstrong, almost set up Berbatov for a goal but the Bulgarian's tame header drifted wide.

606 DEBATE: Give your thoughts on the match

But United are made of sterner stuff than their last visit to the Premiership, and their never-say-die attitude was more than apparent as they fought their way back into the game.

Having already caused Spurs all sorts of problems in the air, Hulse thought he had levelled when his header from Kazim-Richards' cross came off the bar and bounced down off the line.

Replays suggested the officials were right to rule that the ball had not crossed the line, but there was no mistaking the true leveller, the striker beating Michael Dawson and Ricardo Rocha in the air to head into the ground and home.

All of a sudden, United were in control and Jon Stead twice fired decent efforts wide of goal in the face of some woeful Spurs defending.

Jermaine Jenas' [left] opener was not enough for Tottenham

The visitors were sporadically putting together some excellent moves, and one such manoeuvre should have brought their second when Jenas fired wide after good work by Berbatov and Steed Malbranque.

Ricardo Rocha also had a goal disallowed after Berbatov was adjudged to have fouled Stead, but it was United that looked the more threatening and 15 minutes into the second half they took the lead.

Referee Martin Atkinson had little choice but to award a penalty when Tainio took out Stephen Quinn in the box, and Jagielka crashed home the spot-kick.

A superb encounter took a turn for the ugly when substitute Jermain Defoe got involved in a spat with Chris Lucketti that resulted in both players being booked, even though Defoe's swipe at Lucketti appeared to be above shoulder height.

Tottenham boss Martin Jol threw on Mido in a four-pronged attack as he desperately looked to get something out of the game, but Defoe wasted the best - and only - chance the Londoners had when Jagielka blocked his shot late on.

It meant the hosts held on for only their fifth win at home all season, and moved 10 points clear of the drop zone.

Spurs, however, with just one win in eight league games, find themselves 10 points away from a European spot as the pressure on manager Jol continues to grow.

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Sheffield United boss Neil Warnock:
"I am so very proud of my players, this win epitomises everything about this club.

"Nick Montgomery was a colossus for us and, despite the fact Tottenham have some top players and played some good stuff at times, we deserved everything we got.

"As soon as we got in front I knew that the players, from front to back, would put their bodies on the line to protect it and we did."

Tottenham manager Martin Jol:
"We can have no excuses because we had a very strong side out, but it should have been our day.

"We had a lot of chances, especially in the first half, and then we have a goal disallowed for a foul that was not as bad as Hulse's on Dawson for their goal.

"It has been a disappointing month, and our league form is frustrating because we were so good last year. We are not as solid as we were then, but we have everything to play for still and we must get back to winning ways as soon as possible."

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Sheff Utd: Kenny, Geary, Jagielka, Lucketti, Armstrong, Kazim-Richards (Fathi 72), Tonge, Montgomery, Stephen Quinn, Hulse (Bromby 90), Stead.
Subs Not Used: Gerrard, Webber, Nade.

Booked: Montgomery, Tonge, Bromby.

Goals: Hulse 27, Jagielka 62 pen.

Tottenham: Robinson, Chimbonda, Dawson, Rocha, Assou-Ekotto, Jenas, Zokora, Tainio (Defoe 63), Malbranque (Mido 73), Keane, Berbatov.
Subs Not Used: Cerny, Stalteri, O'Hara.

Booked: Rocha, Defoe, Chimbonda, Jenas, Keane.

Goals: Jenas 2.

Att: 32,144

Ref: M Atkinson (W Yorkshire).