A late John McGreal headed goal gave Town the points after it had appeared that a second half Gus Poyet goal had won the visitors a point. Marcus Bent had put Town ahead in the first half of an entertaining and open game.

Town started with Andy Marshall in goal in place of Matteo Sereni. The Italian was on the bench along with last week's two-goal hero Sixto Peralta. He was replaced in midfield by Matt Holland, back after injury. Into the centre of defence returned both John McGreal and Mark Venus. Marcus Stewart started on the bench allowing Alun Armstrong to join Marcus Bent up front.

It was the away side who started the stronger, but despite their possession they gave Andy Marshall little reason to get his gloves dirty.

Town's first opportunity came when Martijn Reuser headed weakly wide form a deep Chris Makin cross.

Spurs' best early chance was a poor shot from distance by Gus Poyet which Marshall had little trouble with. The former Norwich keeper was given a warmish welcome by his new home fans, although there were a number singing for Matteo Sereni as the players came out.

Marcus Bent had looked bright from the start and in the 12th minute he used his silky skills to turn Ledley King. The Spurs youngster got back to challenge and Town had a corner. Mark Venus stepped up to take it and Bent, running across goal, unmarked, headed past Sullivan in the Spurs' goal. It was the ideal response from Town to the early Spurs pressure.

Spurs came close to an equaliser two minutes later. Christian Ziege took a freekick from the left which whipped dangerously into the box. McGreal managed to clear the ball backwards and the danger was gone.

On 15 Sergei Rebrov had a shot deflect off Mark Venus and out for a corner. A minute later another Ziege freekick, given harshly against Jermaine Wright, looped into the box and bounced about the box eventually hitting Tim Sherwwod and bouncing wide of Andy Marshall's goal.

There was more bad news for Spurs in the 20th minute. Les Ferdinand, who had up to now won pretty much everything in the air, collapsed to the ground, clearly suffering. He underwent treatment for a while and returned to the fray.

On 22 Alun Armstrong had a good chance to put Town two-up. He ran through down the left, but Perry got back to take the ball off him.

Andy Marshall was in the thick of the action in the 15th minute when Rebrov hit a shot goalward after good work from Sherwood and Ferdinand. Ferdinand shot wide two minutes later.

In the 28th minute Alun Armstrong was felled by the linesman as he and Dean Richards challenged for the ball on the touchline. The linesman had raised his flag and caught the Town striker a blow in the face and the Geordie was treated for several minutes. Despite calls from some areas of the Town support referee Matt Messias refrained from showing his fellow official a card.

Gus Poyet hit another shot over a couple of minutes later before Les Ferdinand went off, still suffering with his earlier injury. Steffen Iversen took over up front.

There was more injury woe for Spurs on the half hour when Matt Holland tackled Ziege solidly and cleanly, but left the German on the ground in a heap and requiring attention.

On 34 Rebrov should have had Spurs on terms. He got on the end of an Iversen cross after good work from Poyet and Sherwood, but put the ball wide. Ziege returned to the fray after his treatment.

A minute later Town ought to have been two-up. Martijn Reuser was played in down the left by Jim Magilton. The Dutchman cut in and hit a shot which Sullivan saved well. The ball, however, looped to Marcus Bent who waited for it to come down and then headed straight back to the keeper with the rest of the goal gaping.

Former Town star Mauricio Taricco hit a shot which was deflected wide on 37. From the subsequent corner Town had to endure a bit of a scramble, but eventually Martijn Reuser cleared.

With four minutes of the half left Marshall saved a Rebrov shot from the edge of the area. The keeper had done nothing wrong in the first half, although Spurs had given him little that would seriously test him.

The latter stages of the the half saw Town the dominant side and with Marcus Bent, the player of the half, making some fine touches and Alun Armstrong looking full of confidence and running. The Town supporters wildly cheered a freekick just before the end after a half where referee Messias rarely gave a decision to the home side.

The break saw George Burley switch his side about. Off came Martijn Reuser, the star of this fixture last season, replaced by Jamie Clapham. Town switched to 5-3-2 with Hermann Hreidarsson in the middle of the three central defenders. For Spurs Christian Ziege came off, replaced by Simon Davies. Mauricio Taricco went to left-back.

The first decent opportunity of the half saw Sergei Rebrov het a shot well over from just outside the area on 51.

Town, however, had a much better opportunity two minute later when Alun Armstrong played Marcus Bent in down the left. Bent used his pace and as Sullivan came out, slipped the ball by him, but just by the post. It was a fine opportunity and very close to the vital second goal.

A couple of minutes before the hour John McGreal played a fine ball down the wing to Jermaine Wright. Wright got to the byline and crossed the ball for Bent who headed goalwards. Sullivan saved brilliantly and fans started to wonder whether they might rue those missed chances.

Within a couple of minutes Spurs had the ball in the net, but Rebrov had been flagged offside as Poyet's ball came through to him.

George Burley decided to give Marcus Stewart half an hour, replacing Alun Armstrong, but it was Spurs who were to score. Rebrov played in Poyet who hit a right-foot shot beyond Marshall and Town fans started to wonder how important Sullivan's earlier saves might prove.

In the 66th minute referee Messias went off for treatment. He looked to be suffering from cramp, but after a couple of minutes carried on. George Burley switched Sixto Peralta for Jim Magilton.

Marcus Bent looked determined to get Town back ahead and in the 67th minute made a strong run down the right. he tried to cut in and shoot and his effort looped off a defender for a corner.

Darren Anderton hit a shot just past Marshall's post a minute later as the game continued to be as open as any at Portman Road this season.

On 74 referee Messias decided he couldn't carry on and was replaced by fourth official Styles. Few Town fans rued Messias's departure as he'd seemed somewhat reluctant to give Town freekicks all afternoon. Rob Styles, however, is not a man usually welcomed by the Town support.

As the game went into the last ten minutes Steffen Iversen hit a shot over the bar. At the other end Marcus Stewart flicked a header wide from a John McGreal cross.

McGreal though was to make a more significant contribution a minute or so later. Town won a corner on the Spurs right. Mark Venus sent in one of his whipped crosses and this time it was John McGreal left unmarked and he headed powerfully home for his second goal in a week. The ex-Tranmere man scored the goal for the reserves at West Ham as they drew in mid-week.

Town now just had to defend for the final seven minutes or so, but Spurs were throwing everything forward.

Gus Poyet was lucky not to get a red card late on when he appeared to elbow Mark Venus. The Town defender spent a while on the ground, but was determined to get back into action. Poyet was shown a yellow card, the first of the afternoon.

As the game appeared to be about to go into injury time Mauricio Taricco was brought off and Matthew Etherington came on. As he left the field the Argentinian was given a standing ovation by his old supporters.

The injury time board was still a few minutes away and finally appeared, in our estimate, after three minutes of extra time had already been played. And when it did come it didn't bring great news for Town supporters - there were five more minutes to endure.

Spurs were throwing everything forward and were starting to get caught. Marcus Bent got away down the Town right and sent in a low cross, just to far away from Jamie Clapham and Marcus Stewart in the middle. It appeared from Stewart's reaction that Clapham had got a touch on the ball and taken it away from him as he dived in at the far post.

After what seemed a lot longer than five minutes, and with the clock very close to 5pm, the referee blew his whistle and Town had another three points.

Not the finest overall display by the Blues, but some solid defending and periods of excellent football won the day. Marcus Bent was the player of the day with his pace and skills causing no end of trouble. Spurs were like Town on a bad day; a lot of possession, but to very little overall effect. And their management will be unhappy with the way they conceded to the goals.

Derby next week, up into third from bottom and the Great Escape looks well on schedule!

Photo: Action Images

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