Bent lifts White Hart Lane gloom

Tottenham 2 Wisla Krakow 1

Bent headed home with 17 minutes remaining, the striker’s third in as many matches, to earn Spurs their first victory during a frustrating start to the campaign.

Even that only slightly dampened the spirits of the boisterous away support whose team nowrequire a 1-0 win to reach the group stages of Europe’s second-tier competition.

Wisla’s fans were silenced for just a minute during the first half after David Bentley’s opener, but Tomas Jirsak levelled to open up the tie.

Afterwards Tottenham assistant first-team coach Gus Poyet admitted Spurs must go into the second leg looking to win the match.

“It will be a tough game in Poland and we have to make sure we do not lose there,” Poyet said.

“We will have to go there with the mind to win. It will be a totally different game from the one tonight and we are not in a good position so we need to win.”

Bentley provided the corner for away keeper Mariusz Pawelek’s first save of the match, after 24 minutes, when Jonathan Woodgate’s header was claimed at the second attempt.

Pawelek required treatment after throwing himself at Bent again, with Bentley again providing the service. Wisla’s goalkeeper was able to continue despite a lump on his head, but he was picking the ball out of his net after Spurs’ next move, in the 33rd minute.

Giovani dos Santos sent Lennon away down the left and his cross found its way to the back post, with Bentley sending the ball in the direction it came, around Sobolewski and into Pawelek’s far post.

But the lead only lasted a minute, with Boguski nutmegging Gareth Bale before centring, with Jirsak lashing into the net after a lay-off from Pawel Brozek.

Boguski could have given them the lead but Heurelho Gomes produced a stunning save before the interval, turning the ball around the post to deny the striker.

In the second half Bent had a strike chalked off when he tapped in after a flowing move down the left resulting in Jenas crossing to the far post – replays suggested it was a harsh decision to call it offside.

Wisla threatened a second when Mauro Cantoro volleyed over the bar from a promising position but Bent grabbed his goal as the visitors threatened an upset.

Campbell held the ball up on the right and floated in a cross, with Bent climbing over Cleber to send the ball past Pawelek.

SPURS: Gomes; Gunter (O’Hara, 57), Woodgate, King, Bale; Bentley, Zokora, Jenas, Lennon (Campbell, 57); Giovani (Assou-Ekotto, 70); Bent

WISLA: Pawelek; Singlar, Baszczynski, Cleber, Diaz; Boguski (Malecki, 73), Sobolewski, Cantoro, Zienczuk; Jirsak (Lobodzinski, 61); Brozek (Niedzielan, 79)

Referee: Lucilio Cardoso Cortez Batista (Portugal).