Nigerian midfielder Jay-Jay Okocha kept his nerve - and may have kept Bolton in the Barclaycard Premiership.

Okocha secured a dramatic victory over Tottenham by scoring the winner in stoppage time from the penalty spot.

He stepped up after Gary Doherty had brought down Youri Djorkaeff and he coolly placed his shot beyond goalkeeper Kasey Keller and into the corner.

It was cruel luck on Keller, who had made a string of superb saves - but it enabled Bolton to move out of the relegation zone.

Bolton had made a bright start, and Tottenham defender Ledley King had to be alert in the fourth minute.

He headed away a corner from Djorkaeff with Bruno N'Gotty on hand for any mistake.

Spurs hit back, and Ricardo Gardner got a timely touch on the ball to clear a dangerous cross from Simon Davies.

Then King got in a header after Ivan Campo stood off him - but Bolton were able to scramble it away.

Robbie Keane was seeing plenty of the ball in the early stages with Spurs anxious to regain that winning habit.

Certainly he looked fresh after his lay-off through injury and was willing to take players on down the left.

Bolton broke forward in the 18th minute, and Per Frandsen found himself in a good position on the edge of the area.

But he opted to release Henrik Pedersen instead of trying his luck on goal - and the latter had strayed just offside.

Keane saw a shot beaten away by goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen, which spurred Bolton into a swift counter-attack.

Djorkaeff swept a nice ball out to Okocha, who sent a volley high into the crowd.

Then Bernard Mendy found space on the edge of the area only to smash his effort wide of the target to the frustration of the home supporters.

Bolton stepped up the tempo, and Pedersen ran from deep. But his shot from the edge of the area did not carry enough power to trouble Keller.

However, a poor header from Gardner put Bolton in trouble - and he was relieved to see Keane fire over the top.

Spurs almost took the lead in the 36th minute when Goran Bunjevcevic rattled in a shot which was cleared off the line by Frandsen.

A mazy run by Okocha four minutes before half-time gave Bolton hope, but he saw his shot blocked.

Bolton boss Sam Allardyce made a tactical switch at half-time, bringing on Anthony Barness for Gardner who had looked uncomfortable at full-back.

Allardyce was looking for his side to push on in the second half after a good run of form which had seen them pick up eight points from a possible 15.

But Spurs had looked threatening on the counter-attack, with Keane continuing to cause the home side problems.

The Republic of Ireland international broke away and fed Davies, only for the move to break down because he was marginally offside.

The home supporters decided to raise the decibel levels in a bid to spur their side on, and it appeared to be working with Bolton stepping up the pace.

Keller showed great presence of mind in the 57th minute to race off his line and block Mendy's path as he raced on to a fine through ball from Djorkaeff.

Doherty then picked up a yellow card for a challenge on the on-rushing Mendy.

The Frenchman was proving a handful for the visitors with his direct and powerful running.

Bolton were playing with a degree of flair. Okocha strode forward, but his 20-yard shot failed to test Keller.

Djorkaeff found himself in a good position in the 68th minute after a flick-on from Pedersen, only for Keller to again gather safely.

Pedersen clipped a shot the wrong side of the post in the 71st minute, and Okocha headed over the top after Keller had superbly beaten away a shot from Barness.

Then Gudni Bergsson hit the woodwork before Keller tipped over a stinging drive from Djorkaeff.

The Spurs goalkeeper was having an inspired night and somehow managed to turn away a shot from sub Pierre-Yves Andre in the 79th minute.

But Spurs were undone in stoppage time when Okocha scored from the spot to deny them a point.

Teams

Bolton: Jaaskelainen, N'Gotty, Bergsson, Laville, Mendy (Andre 73), Frandsen, Campo, Gardner (Barness 45), Okocha, Djorkaeff, Pedersen.

Subs Not Used: Poole, Nolan, Salva.

Goals: Okocha 90 pen.

Tottenham: Keller, Carr, Taricco, Bunjevcevic, King, Anderton (Etherington 87), Thatcher (Doherty 21), Poyet, Davies, Sheringham, Keane.

Subs Not Used: Sullivan, Slabber, Toda.

Booked: Doherty.

Att: 23,084

Ref: G Poll (Hertfordshire).