Tottenham 1 - 0 Bolton

Gomes, who pulled off a couple of excellent saves, celebrates Spurs' winner

By Sam Lyon

A Tom Huddlestone thunderbolt secured Spurs a nervy win over Bolton to take them a step nearer a top-four finish.

The midfielder lashed home a stunning first-half goal from 20 yards to earn a vital home win that keeps Spurs a point above fifth-placed Manchester City.

It was no less than Tottenham deserved, despite their nerves, with Bolton keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen saving from Gareth Bale and Peter Crouch twice.

But Bolton played their part, Heurelho Gomes twice saving from Matthew Taylor.

And, with the hosts' lead so slender, the result was in the balance right up until referee Chris Foy's final whistle - a whistle that, when it came, provoked jubilant scenes of relief from the home crowd.

It sets up what promises to be a crackerjack of a match against Manchester City at Eastlands on Wednesday, a fixture that - with Aston Villa out of the running for fourth spot as a result of their defeat in Manchester on Saturday afternoon - could effectively be a winner-takes-all play-off for the final Champions League spot.

Tottenham will know a draw might just be good enough from that match, though, provided they beat Burnley away on the final game of the season.

Redknapp sets sights on Man City

But they might want a more assured display in Manchester after a professional Bolton display ran them close in this game - and a late injury worry over keeper Gomes will have to be assessed before Wednesday too.

The last time Spurs managed a top-four finish was back in 1990, when they finished third under Terry Venables, so their nerves at White Hart Lane were perhaps understandable.

They did, though, play a part in a stuttering home display. Though solid at the back, with right-back Younes Kaboul particularly impressive, Spurs' efforts to press forward more often than not broke down thanks to a poor touch or good Bolton defending.

The in-form Gareth Bale was again the hosts' most threatening attacking outlet, the winger forcing a smart save from Bolton keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen from range, while Roman Pavlyuchenko should have done better from one of the Welshman's crosses from six yards out early on.

But this was a decent display from Bolton, despite the fact that having secured their survival last weekend not a huge amount rode on the result of this match.

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And when they occasionally broke the shackles with a foray forward they certainly caused the odd flutter in the Tottenham defence, their best effort of the first half coming when Michael Dawson did well to bravely block from Gretar Steinsson's shot.

The longer the half went on, the more it became apparent that something special might be needed to break the deadlock. With 37 minutes on the clock, Huddlestone provided it.

A Spurs short corner routine led to Benoit Assou-Ekotto laying it to Huddlestone and the midfielder, with power and precision, arrowed an unstoppable effort into the top corner from 22 yards out.

Some might have expected the goal to settle the hosts, but despite a fine home record of late which includes wins over Arsenal and Chelsea, memories of defeats to the likes of Stoke and Wolves this season ensured the home support were biting their fingernails with just a goal in it.

Bolton's increasing confidence only added to the hosts' tension, too.

Coyle happy with Bolton progress

Taylor had a left-footer from range saved on the stretch by Gomes in the home goal, while only a Kaboul block stopped the same player's goalbound effort levelling the scores with Gomes stranded.

Spurs were creating chances, too, Pavlyuchenko heading Kaboul's cross wide at the near post and Bale excellently denied one-on-one by Jaaskelainen after Jermain Defoe's clever through-ball.

With the minutes ticking down and the hosts increasingly desperate to put the game to bed, substitute Peter Crouch saw a header cleared off the line and then his shot saved after a fine solo run, while former Bolton player Eidur Gudjohnsen slid wide with the goal gaping in injury time.

It still, though, took a smart save from Gomes at the other end from Taylor's chest-and-volley to keep Spurs ahead and, ultimately, preserve their slender advantage in the race for fourth.

A sixth straight home win - their first 1-0 of the season - ensures Tottenham can finish no lower than sixth spot now, but their eyes will solely be focused on an even bigger prize when they travel to Manchester in midweek.

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Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp:
"I didn't expect anything other than a tough game today. People were saying to me we should bang in four or five, but Bolton are a good team with a good manager and I knew it'd be a hard day at the office.

"We should have scored more, but in the end the win was all important. Tom's goal was brilliant - he's been great all season - while Dawson and Ledley were both excellent.

"I had a choice with Ledley whether to play him today and against Burnley, or just Manchester City, but I just felt today's was a match we had to win.

"Who knows, he might even be fit for Wednesday. If not I have Sebastien Bassong to come in and he's terrific, so it's good that I've got options all over the field again now."

Bolton boss Owen Coyle:
"I always felt we were in the match right until the end, against a Tottenham side full of quality.

"I felt, from out point of view, we were terrific. We matched them for large periods and it took a wonder goal to separate the teams in the end.

"Both teams had chances - Gomes made two fantastic saves, but, of course, Jussi made a couple of big saves too.

"Looking at where we've come from, we were bottom three when I came here, we've come on leaps and bounds and we must continue that improvement next season."