Teddy Sheringham did his England hopes a power of good in front of coach Sven-Goran Eriksson when he pounced to score the opening goal for Spurs.

The Tottenham captain struck after 52 minutes, when fellow England hopeful David James failed to hold on to Steffen Iversen's low drive, and Sheringham followed up to slide home his 12th goal of the season.

But defender Ian Pearce rescued West Ham on his 100th League appearance for the club when he rifled home an equaliser from 20 yards with two minutes remaining.

Eriksson was at White Hart Lane to check on seven players before naming his squad for Wednesday's friendly against Paraguay. But he was denied the chance of watching Tottenham defender Ledley King and West Ham playmaker Joe Cole, as they were missing with calf and thigh injuries respectively.

With England skipper David Beckham out for several weeks, Tottenham's Darren Anderton and West Ham pair Trevor Sinclair and Michael Carrick were hoping to impress in the midfield area.

But it was striker Sheringham and goalkeeper James who were the key players in the incident which produced the deciding goal.

Spurs broke quickly following a West Ham free kick and the lively Simon Davies played in Iversen - a half time substitute for the disappointing Sergei Rebrov - on the edge of the box.

The Norwegian's first time low shot was well saved by James, but he failed to hold the ball. It spun loose in the six-yard box and and Sheringham instinctively followed up to slide it into the bottom far corner.

The goals were two of the few bright spots in a disappointing derby between two teams who have little to play for in the closing weeks of the season.

Jermain Defoe, enjoying a rare start in the absence of injured Hammers skipper Paolo di Canio, made a promising start and his quick feet made a shooting chance for himself after eight minutes, when his 20-yard drive was saved by Kasey Keller.

There was a nice link up between Rebrov and Sheringham after 12 minutes, but the big striker's usual grace deserted him as he volleyed over the bar from 20 yards.

Spurs created a chance after 17 minutes when Davies did well on the right and sent in a deep cross for Christian Ziege, but he powered a header over the bar.

Three minutes later Sheringham tried his luck with a low drive from 20 yards, but James saw it coming and gathered it easily.

At the other end, Defoe did well again after 22 minutes when he nipped to the byeline and pulled the ball back for Fredi Kanoute, whose shot flew narrowly wide as he rushed in.

James raised a few blood pressures after 33 minutes when he dropped Ziege's deep cross, but there were no Tottenham players closing in and he pounced on the loose ball.

Defoe was still West Ham's livewire and he forced Keller into a save with an angled drive after 36 minutes.

It was no surprise when Iversen replaced Rebrov for the second half. The Ukrainian hardly touched the ball in the first half and was bundled over at every opportunity.

He may well be heading out of White Hart Lane in the summer, with Sunderland's Kevin Phillips tipped to arrive in his place.

Kanoute livened up proceedings after 49 minutes with a good turn on the edge of the box and a fierce low drive which Keller turned away diving to his left.

Ziege tripped Defoe to concede a free kick just outside the Spurs box after 51 minutes and West Ham threw men into the box. But Carrick curled the ball into the arms of Keller, and he released his team on a quick break.

Davies played in Iversen on the edge of the box and his low shot was well saved by James, but the ball spun loose and Sheringham followed up to slide home the opening goal.

Davies again did well down the right after 56 minutes with a run and cross which narrowly eluded Iversen at the far post.

Then there was almost a carbon copy goal for Spurs after 57 minutes. This time James spilled a low drive from Davies, and when Sheringham again followed up the goalkeeper manage to block his shot.

James did well after 74 minutes when Tim Sherwood ran unchallenged into the box to meet a Davies cross and the big goalkeeper blocked his shot with his body.

In the final 10 minutes, Sinclair and Gus Poyet both sent looping shots over the bar from 25 yards.

There was a significant moment for Spurs when Gary Doherty came off the bench after 83 minutes in place of Ziege.

It was the versatile Republic of Ireland international's first appearance since breaking his leg in September, and he received a warm welcome as he slotted into the defence.

West Ham scored their dramatic equaliser two minutes before the end when Spurs failed to clear the danger and Pearce popped up on the edge of the box to rifle the ball into the roof of the net.

Teams

Tottenham: Keller, Perry, Ziege (Doherty 84), Thatcher, Gardner, Davies, Poyet, Sherwood, Anderton, Sheringham, Rebrov (Iversen 45).

Subs Not Used: Sullivan, Clemence, Etherington.

Goals: Sheringham 53.

West Ham: James, Pearce, Repka, Dailly, Labant (Winterburn 60), Schemmel, Lomas, Carrick, Sinclair, Kanoute, Defoe.

Subs Not Used: Hislop, Moncur, Potts, Garcia.

Goals: Pearce 89.

Att: 36,083

Ref: N Barry (Scunthorpe).