However, from the start, the side seemed determined to ensure that the home advantage would be made to pay.  Three minutes in and Leo hits a cracker from the edge of the area and leaves Poom grasping at fresh air.  What should have been two for him and the team saw the keeper spread himself well and the rebound came at Sergei so fast, he only had time to direct it towards goal and unfortunately wide.  You felt a goal then would have really opened the floodgates ... even for a team like Spurs who find goals hard to come by.  But not for the first time this season, Tottenham failed to turn their chances into goals.  Bad finishing and good keeping kept it to one and then before you knew it, Riggott got on the end of a free-kick and it was all square.  It seemed to unnerve Sullivan who shortly after took a quick goal-kick to Vega on the edge of the box, but the Swiss centre-half had two men on him and did well to get away from them, only to give the ball away as another closed him down.  The panic of not putting the game beyond reach was setting in.  Luckily, as is becoming a regular feature, Stephen Carr came to the rescue.  A little passage of play saw Spurs actually retaining possession and Clemence put a pass right for Carr to run on to.  He hit the ball across the keeper and it flew off the wet turf and into the net.  He seemed reluctant to celebrate as the fans had turned on the team when the equaliser went in six minutes earlier and he seemed to want to point out to the crowd that they should get behind the team.

They did that two minutes into the second half, when Oyvind Leonhardsen hit a second and put the game into Tottenham's hands.  Even then, some slack defending let in Derby for a couple of chances.  Sullivan twice saved shots when Derby players were through and another from outside the box.  The defence played OK, but Perry had a nightmare.  His distribution was very poor and he seemed on edge.  Whether that had anytihng to do with Vega playing alongside, I don't know, but Ramon had a solid game today.  Didn't try anything flash and did what he had to do.  Thatcher even had a better game (I know it was only Derby, but still) and got booked for a succession of fouls (two as I counted them, one of which I would have debated with the ref).  Carr as usual was superb.

Sherwood had a better day today and his passing was short and accurate.  When he did lay one off too far ahead for someone to get, he at least acknowledged the fact and didn't berate them for not breaking the land speed record.  Leo had his best game in ages and it was a shame he had to go off as he did.  Losing him with a hamstring injury could be a big blow  and just as he was starting to come into some form too.  Anderton also had a good game.  Although his legs seemed to go at the end and his head wound made him look like a turbaned starlet from Hollywood, he did provide some good  passes and show his usefulness to the side.  Clemence was all over the place, but in the best sense of the words.  He covered large amounts of ground and got tackles in and passed well and challenged.  It is what he can do very well, but until now, he has seemed overawed or lacking sufficient strength.  Now he looks like he has filled out a bit and is all the better for it.

The only worry was up front.  Rebrov patently was not 100% fit.  His misses were uncharacteristic and his all round play seemed to lack a little commitment.  He could still have had two goals with a little luck, but although Les was on for the whole 90 minutes, he never looked like scoring.  Perhaps the guilt of the Blue Peter Garden scandal was hanging over him !!  One opportunity in the first half saw him sprint away from the Derby side, but get caught and wanting to unload to someone else.  Without another out and out striker fit for some time, Graham will have to consider playing someone else alongside Sergei as Les just doesn't do it any more.

Jose Dominguez came on to replace Leonhardsen and the cheers went up from the crowd.  How ironic that they see this diminutive winger who is on his way out of the club, struggles to get a game and when he does appears to want to beat the same man as many times as possible as worthy of their support, while others get stick.  Would Jose be part of any Tottenham side that they wanted back ??  If you want a dominant Spurs, then he would not really fit into any shape of team that would be seriously challenging for honours.

So, not a win we should get too excited about, but something that might have been a surprise in previous years.  As for Derby, Wyart predicted that if they got off to a poor start, they could be certs for the drop.  It looks like that might happen.  While not wanting to appear like a vulture, Spurs could do worse than line up for Malcolm Christie if they go down.  He had a quiet time today, but he will be a big star.

LANGDON AUGUR