Spurs 4 West Ham United 0 . . .

Spurs cruised to victory against ten-man West Ham at White Hart Lane this afternoon.

Two early headed goals from Dimitar Berbatov set them on the way, before subs Gilberto and Darren Bent finished it off in the closing minutes.

It was a third straight 4-0 defeat for the hapless Hammers.

Tottenham could have had more, with West Ham reduced to ten players following the dismissal of Luis Boa Morte on the stroke of half-time.

This was an impressive Spurs performance following two successive defeats.

It was the Hammers who started the better of the two teams, and they had a number of good chances in the opening five minutes, as Spurs struggled to get out of their own half.

An error from Tottenham keeper Paul Robinson almost gifted the visitors an opener, Bobby Zamora one of a number of players to try to force the ball home during the ensuing scramble.

From the resultant corner, Dean Ashton drove over.

It looked like it was going to be a difficult afternoon for Spurs, but they were to strike twice in three minutes to effectively wrap up the points.

The first goal came on eight minutes, Berbatov heading home a Tom Huddlestone cross.

Three minutes later, Tottenham doubled their lead and it was almost a mirror image of the first goal, Berbatov meeting Huddlestone's cross at the near post to flick home with his head.

The Hammers were stunned. It was the perfect response from the hosts to what had been a very encouraging start from their London neighbours.

Spurs were now in full control and Huddlestone was just wide with a header of his own, this time from an Aaron Lennon centre.

West Ham had lost their last two games 4-0 and you could see why. They were looking very nervous at the back, as Tottenham moved into cruise control.

Steed Malbranque drove just wide on 34 minutes, while Berbatov, looking to complete his hat-trick before the interval, fired straight at keeper Robert Green a couple of minutes later.

Lennon continued to cause problems down the wing, as the Hammers began to look towards the interval, keen not to concede another.

But things were to get worse for the visitors in first-half injury time, Boa Morte receiving a red card for a second bookable offence. Though he may have been unlucky with his first caution, he could not complain about the second, diving into a challenge with Lennon. It had been coming.

Tottenham started the second half brightly, with a Huddlestone drive drifting just over.

West Ham enjoyed a brief spell of dominance early on, but Ashton drove over after making room for himself, before Lucas Neil saw a shot easily saved by Robinson.

But Spurs soon resumed control and it was now a question of how many, the Hammers seemingly content to just hold out without conceding any more.

Didier Zokora saw a side-footed effort blocked by Scott Parker, before Ashton had a volley deflected over at the other end.

Tottenham, despite their pressure, had to wait until five minutes from time for their third, a fine Lennon dummy setting up sub Gilberto, who fired past Green.

Berbatov almost added a fourth in the dying minutes, finding the side netting after Green had fumbled an Alan Hutton effort.

But a fourth did come in injury time, Bent on target to make it another afternoon to remember for the LIlywhites.