Tottenham 1 Reading 0:Tottenham have developed a reputation for high entertainment in recent weeks, and they will be delighted to have moved into the Premiership's top six with a scoreline once disparagingly associated with their fiercest rivals.

Paul Robinson has not kept a clean sheet in the league since October and, although "1-0 to the Tottenham" hardly has a ring about it, this result moves them to within seven points of Arsenal in fourth place. A fifth consecutive Premiership win was secured, however, in controversial circumstances.

There was no disputing that Reading's Greg Halford handled the ball for Tottenham's decisive 40th-minute Robbie Keane penalty, but the grey area of intent left Steve Coppell feeling hard done by amid claims that the referee Alan Wiley had changed his mind.

"When the ball hit his hand he sort of panicked and then there was a secondary motion and it hit him again," said Coppell. "The first appeal went up and the referee shook his head and said 'No' and then there was another appeal and he just seemed to change his mind.

"As the beaten team you think all kinds of sinister motives. In the second half it hit (Michael) Dawson on the hand - he didn't know anything about it but, by the letter of the law, could we have had a penalty? I think, 'Little Reading, there is not much chance of getting it'. To lose it on that leaves a funny taste."

It was easy to feel some sympathy for Coppell. It was clearly unintentional, although Halford, who was making his debut after becoming Reading's £2.5 million record signing in January, did impede the progress of Keane's run.

"It was ball to hand and not hand to ball," said Halford, "when Keane appealed, the referee shook his head and then all of a sudden he has given it which is a bit strange. He (the referee) said the ball had changed its direction when it hit my hand."

Keane duly converted the penalty, although Martin Jol probably had it right when he said: "Five out of 10 (referees) wouldn't give it, five out of 10 would. We created 15 or more chances so I thought (the result) was well deserved."

Prior to the match, the Reading chairman, John Madejski, had spoken of his belief that, if he wanted the job, Coppell could make a successful England manager, and his team have certainly now won the respect of the Tottenham manager.

Previously Jol had said "If we lose to a team like Reading, then we are in serious trouble" but yesterday he had nothing but praise for the visitors. "They are very good - they do all the right things," he said.

Despite the prospect of games in Sevilla and against Chelsea within the space of only two days later this week, Tottenham were at full strength for their chance to move sixth before Everton face Aston Villa tonight. They made a lively start and went within inches of taking the lead on three occasions in the opening quarter. The common thread in these chances was the vision of Steed Malbranque.

The Frenchman wobbled the side-netting with his shot and then swung in a cross which was delightfully chested into the path of Keane by Dimitar Berbatov. Keane looked certain to score but Marcus Hahnemann produced an instinctive reaction save with his right shin.

Reading, however, always posed a threat on the counter-attack. Halford presented Leroy Lita with one golden opportunity from six yards but the Reading forward could only head on to the post.

The ebb and flow of the match continued after Keane's disputed penalty and Reading's stand-in goalkeeper Adam Federici, who had replaced Hahnemann after the American suffered a hip injury, made good saves from Berbatov and Jermain Defoe.

The England striker was also unfortunate to have a goal disallowed when Berbatov had moved into an offside position without interfering with play.

Guardian Service