LONDON - Tottenham Hotspur continued their slow climb away from the Premier League danger zone when Roman Pavlychenko's early goal gave them a scrappy 1-0 home win over Blackburn Rovers yesterday.

Spurs struck after nine minutes when Martin Olsson was caught in possession, allowing a lively Aaron Lennon to escape down the right.

The winger pulled back a low cross for Pavlychenko to sweep home smartly from 12 metres.

Things got worse for Olsson after 39 minutes when he brought down Lennon and was sent off for a second booking.

Tottenham made nearly all the running in the second half but their former keeper Paul Robinson dealt comfortably with their efforts.

Substitute striker Fraizer Campbell should have scored the second goal five minutes from time but glanced his close-range header just wide.

Spurs, whose winning run had suffered a blip when they lost at Fulham last week, climb to a provisional 14th place on 15 points, only a month after they were rooted to the bottom with two.

Blackburn, who barely tested nervy Spurs keeper Heurelho Gomes, slip to second-last on 13 points.

RESULTS

Aston Villa 0, Manchester United 0; Chelsea 0, Newcastle United 0; Liverpool 0, Fulham 0; Manchester City 3, Arsenal 0; Middlesbrough 1, Bolton Wanderers 3; Portsmouth 2, Hull City 2; Stoke City 1, West Bromwich Albion 0; West Ham 1, Sunderland 0. - Reuters