Tottenham 2 Aston Villa 0 - match report

Paul Lambert's side were thrashed 4-1 at Southampton a fortnight ago and although there was much more fight about Villa at White Hart Lane the outcome was the same.

The visitors also played the last 11 minutes of the game with 10 men after left-back Joe Bennett was taken off on a stretcher with his knee heavily strapped.

Villa were unchanged from the side which drew 1-1 with Albion last Sunday which meant that Lambert once again left Darren Bent on the bench despite the striker having scored in their last two games.

Former Villa keeper Brad Friedel was named among the Spurs substitutes, which brought to an end the American's record of consecutive Premier League matches at 310 as French No.1 Hugo Lloris made his debut for the home side.

Spurs started brightly and Jermain Defoe was guilty of missing a golden chance to open the scoring in the third minute when he but lifted his shot over the crossbar from eight yard, although the assistant referee had already flagged.

Villa had their first meaningful attempt on goal in the 21st minute when Brett Holman switched the play to Christian Benteke on the right and the Belgium striker cut inside before he struck a powerful shot which Lloris did well to keep out.

Defoe whistled a shot past the post on the turn just after the half-hour mark while Jan Vertonghen sliced his shot wide inside a crowded penalty area in the 35th minute.

The claret and blues looked dangerous on the counter attack and Holman sent Gabby Agbonlahor clear shortly before half-time but Spurs keeper Lloris came off his line well to save at the Villa forward's feet.

Villa carved open an opportunity just after the interval when Agbonlahor found Benteke with a cross from the left but his shot was straight at Lloris.

The £7m striker missed a sitter moments later when he was picked out by Marc Albrighton's teasing cross but could only head wide despite being completely unmarked.

But it was Tottenham who took the lead in the 58th minute when Bale's inswinging corner fell to Defoe at the back post.

The England striker controlled brilliantly and fired in a low shot, which seemed to being going wide, and the ball struck off the heel of Caulker and deflected past Villa keeper Brad Guzan.

Lambert introduced Bent and Charles N'Zogbia in the 66th minute but moments later the home side added a second after a cool finish from Lennon.

Clint Dempsey slid the ball into the path of Lennon and the winger capitalised on some indecision by Joe Bennett, who stood off him, to strike a low shot past Guzan into the bottom-left corner of the net.

Bennett was taken off on a stretcher with his right knee heavily strapped after he fell awkwardly in the 79th minute which forced Villa to play the remainder of the game with 10 men.

Guzan did well to get a palm on a Bale shot which struck the post in the 87th minute as the remainder of the game became an exercise in damage limitation for Villa.