Robbie's 23rd goal of the season adds to Reading's misery

ROBBIE Keane scored his 23rd goal of the season to give Spurs three deserved points at relegation-threatened Reading on Saturday, writes Patrick Mooney. The stand-in skipper fired home the only goal in the first half as Tottenham finally ended their seque

ROBBIE Keane scored his 23rd goal of the season to give Spurs three deserved points at relegation-threatened Reading on Saturday, writes Patrick Mooney.

The stand-in skipper fired home the only goal in the first half as Tottenham finally ended their sequence of four successive 1-1 draws.

Yet, Spurs inability to score a second goal almost came back to haunt them, needing two top saves from Radek Cerny to avoid dropping the points. Darren Bent, making a rare start alongside Keane, had his best game in a Spurs shirt.

Spurs dominated the first half and produced some lovely one-touch football. It came as no surprise when Keane fired them ahead in the 16th minute after good build-up play by Bent. Indeed, it should have been two shortly afterwards when Steed Malbranque finished neatly past keeper Marcus Hahnemann from Keane's pass but the goal was wrongly disallowed for offside.

And Malbranque should have scored again early in the second half instead of firing into the side netting, following Keane's excellent cross.

Then, Bent was denied a goal by Nick Shorey's fabulous block tackle before the striker hit a post with the keeper well beaten.

However, Reading roused themselves in the closing stages but Cenry produced top saves to deny Dave Kitson and Leroy Rosenior.

SPURS PLAYER OF THE GAME: Robbie Keane. Scored fine goal and led by example.

Team: Cerny 8, Hutton 7, Dawson 7, Woodgate 7, Gilberto 7, Zokora 7, Huddlestone 7 (O'Hara 7, 61), Jenas 7, Malbranque 8, Bent 7, Keane 8. Not used: Robinson, Chimbonda, Taarabt.