Despite their numerical disadvantage, Portsmouth rallied and continued to conjure opportunities - although City fashioned counter-attacks through Vassell and Benjani, the latter firing wide of James's right post from the edge of the box.
Spurs made light of their numerical disadvantage and added a second midway through the second half with a classic counter-attack, Van der Vaart starting and finishing a fine move involving Gareth Bale's storming run and Aaron Lennon's neat pass.