Spurs claim vital away win

London - Tottenham gave recuperating manager Harry Redknapp the perfect tonic after his heart surgery with a 3-1 win against Fulham at Craven Cottage on Sunday.

Redknapp, 64, has been advised to stay away from football for four to five weeks after having two stents inserted to unblock coronary arteries on Wednesday.

He missed Thursday's Europa League defeat at Rubin Kazan and was absent from the dug-out again at Craven Cottage.

But Redknapp's spirits would have been lifted by Tottenham's victory, which moved the north London club into fifth place in the Premier League, level on points with fourth placed Chelsea and with a game in hand.

Gareth Bale put Tottenham ahead in the 10th minute when Aaron Lennon's cross reached the Welsh winger, who scored with a shot that deflected in off Chris Baird.

The second goal came in first-half stoppage time when Lennon's surging run tormented Baird and ended with a fierce shot that flashed past Mark Schwarzer.

Fulham got one back in the 57th minute when Tottenham defender Ledley King headed Danny Murphy's corner against team-mate Younes Kaboul's back and the ball cannoned into the net for an own goal.

But Spurs survived several late scares and Jermain Defoe's 90th minute goal clinched their seventh win in eight league games.

The defeat left Fulham one point above the bottom three and was especially disappointing for boss Martin Jol, who had been hoping for a win over his former club.