Tottenham Hotspur coach Chris Hughton admitted a sense of relief after his side ground out a St Stephen's Day win over Birmingham City despite being well below par.
Spurs lacked their usual fluidity and were struggling to break down a resolute Birmingham side until Robbie Keane converted a 57th-minute penalty.
The goal sparked an action-packed last half hour. Birmingham had Muzzy Izzet sent off for a second yellow card, when he was penalised for a dive in the box, and Spurs sealed the win in stoppage time with a blockbuster of a strike from Jermain Defoe.
It was tough on Birmingham, who have now lost eight of their last 10 league games and sit second from bottom in the table, and boss Steve Bruce was furious with referee Phil Dowd for awarding Spurs the penalty and for dismissing Izzet.
Hughton recognised Tottenham had not been at their best so was delighted to have secured the victory and remain level pegging with Liverpool on 34 points.
The former Irish international defender said: "The pleasing aspect from our point of view is that in a game where we know we can play better we have still come out winning. I hope it is the sign of a good team.
"Birmingham came with a system, made it difficult for us and got a lot of bodies behind the ball at times. It was hard to break them down so it was a relief once the goal went in. That then gave us the opportunity to get the second one, which was a cracker.
Hughton said he had not had a chance to review the controversial decisions on video but judging by the players' reactions he felt Keane deserved his penalty.
"Sometimes you look for reactions and we had enough players around who felt it was a penalty," he said.
But Bruce was furious. He felt the Blues had enjoyed the better of the game until referee Dowd ruled Keane had been impeded by Matthew Upson.
In a poor game Birmingham created enough chances to have won. Paul Robinson pulled off excellent saves from Jiri Jarosik and Julian Gray while Emile Heskey planted a header wide.
But the game hinged on Keane's penalty and the dismissal of Izzet, who will now miss tomorrow's clash with Manchester United.
"To say I was disappointed in the decisions is an understatement. Muzzy was booked in the first half for absolutely nothing. Then he was sent off for a so-called dive - but if anybody made a meal of getting a penalty it was Robbie Keane," said Bruce.
He added: "That is what football has come to. It's pathetic. I usually have the utmost respect for that referee but he was poor. He could not wait to get the red card out of his pocket."
