Norwich's lack of depth helps maintain the rise of Jol

Norwich 0 - Tottenham

Tottenham's revival under Martin Jol continued as they chalked up a fifth straight win in the Barclays Premiership after struggling Norwich failed to convert their superiority at Carrow Road.

Norwich, battling to keep themselves out of the relegation zone going into 2005, dominated the game for around an hour, twice hitting the woodwork, through David Bentley and Leon McKenzie.

However, Spurs made the most of the one chance which eventually came their way, Robbie Keane firing in from close range after 73 minutes.

Michael Brown then crashed home a 25-yard effort five minutes later to make sure of the result, as Norwich were left counting the cost of the defeat which saw them lose three more players to injury.

Full-back Simon Charlton was one - he needed some early treatment on his leg following a challenge with Fredi Kanoute.

When the game restarted, Thimothee Atouba then made some progress down the left, and whipped in a teasing centre which had Robert Green flapping under his crossbar. Fortunately for the Norwich keeper, no-one was following up at the back post.

Charlton could, though, last only until the eighth minute when he had to be replaced by Adam Drury.

And Norwich almost took the lead moments later.

Darren Huckerby got clear down the right channel, before laying the ball back into the path of Bentley at the edge of the penalty area.

The on-loan Arsenal youngster took one touch before lashing a left-foot half-volley goalwards. Paul Robinson was rooted to the spot, but the Spurs keeper was saved by his left-hand post, the ball cannoning back into the six-yard box where Ledley King hacked clear under pressure from McKenzie.

Pedro Mendes then drove the ball over his own bar from two yards out after the resulting corner.

Huckerby had too much pace for Michael Brown down the left, and was then tripped on the edge of the box by the Spurs midfielder. He took the free-kick himself, with Mendes again on hand to clear on the line, this time from Gary Doherty's far-post downward header.

Bentley had another good chance in the 27th minute, sending a snap-shot over from six yards from Jonson's near-post flick-on.

There was a rare moment of action in the Norwich area when Doherty could only head a cross from the right up into the air, with Kanoute almost capitalising on the error, before he was eventually crowded out by a combination of the former Spurs defender, Green and Youssef Safri.

The Canaries were temporarily down to 10 men when Jonson had to go off with what looked like concussion from an earlier clash with Erik Edman, the Swede caught in the back of the head by the defender's leading arm. Paul McVeigh eventually came on in the 38th minute to face his former club.

There was another let-off for Spurs in first-half stoppage time when McKenzie got ahead of King to a long pass into the box and lifted the ball over the advancing keeper.

However, as the ball spun goalwards, Noureddine Naybet slid in to clear on the line.

Nigel Worthington made his final permitted substitution at the start of the second half, Phil Mulryne replacing Safri.

Norwich forced a corner on 51 minutes - and again were denied by the woodwork.

Huckerby whipped the ball in from the left. McKenzie powered in a bullet header which Robinson touched onto the bar at point-blank range, and Spurs hacked clear.

On the break, Kanoute then fed Keane at the edge of the Norwich box, but his return pass was just over hit and Green dashed out to collect ahead of the Frenchman.

The England squad man then showed alert reflexes to produce a fine one-handed flying stop to deny Mendes following a neat exchange between Kanoute and Keane.

After soaking up so much pressure, Spurs wasted no time in converting their chance when it finally came on 73 minutes.

Reto Ziegler's corner from the right went through towards Naybet at the back post. Drury made a complete hash of his attempted clearance, the ball falling to Keane six yards out and the Republic of Ireland striker lashed it into the far corner.

The home side had little time to regroup before it was 2-0.

Brown was given the freedom of Carrow Road when in a central position some 30 yards out after 77 minutes. He took the ball on a couple of yards before unleashing a fierce curling drive which gave Green no chance and secured Spurs' fifth straight league win.