A stoppage-time winner by defender Carlos Bocanegra gave Fulham all three points and dented Spurs' bid for Champions League football.

The decision to play Poland international Grzegorz Rasiak in the absence of Mido and leave England striker Jermain Defoe on the bench during such a critical phase of the season has cost Spurs the momentum they enjoyed prior to the turn of the year.

Bocanegra fended off Stephen Kelly to head home Simon Elliott's free-kick as Tottenham failed to recover from the dismissal of defender Michael Dawson for a second bookable offence in the second half.

Defoe, a striker Jol is convinced will be part of England's World Cup campaign in Germany this summer, was only introduced into the action in the last 20 minutes - far too late to make any real impact.

The Spurs fans raised ironic cheers every time the poor Rasiak managed to successfully control the ball.

Jol insists that he prefers either Keane or Defoe to play off a big target man but Rasiak was so lacking in confidence that Defoe would surely have made a much more telling contribution from the start of the game.

Once again Spurs will claim they are in a transitional stage with Michael Brown becoming the latest player to the leave the club.

He was paraded by new club Fulham before the start of their clash against his old teammates.

It was Brown's former colleagues who almost took the lead in the fifth minute when Robbie Keane fed his Republic of Ireland colleague Andy Reid on the edge of the penalty area only for the Irishman to see his first-time effort miss the target by inches.

In the 11th minute, Rasiak was booked for a lunging tackle on Sylvain Legwinski and Fulham almost punished the visitors from the resultant free kick when England goalkeeper Paul Robinson had to be at his best to stop Brian McBride's effort from creeping into the corner of the net.

Robinson pulled off another stunning save in the 33rd minute to deny McBride after the United States international unleashed a right-foot volley towards the top corner.

The game took up a familiar pattern at the start of the second half with neither side capable of finding a way to break the deadlock.

Spurs defender Dawson was harshly booked for clashing with McBride as the pair went for the ball in the middle of the pitch and six minutes later Heidar Helguson found his way into Howard Webb's notebook for a late challenge on the Spurs man.

In the 64th minute, Fulham survived a clear-cut penalty appeal when Luis Boa Morte hauled down Jermaine Jenas inside the area but referee Webb ignored the protests from the Spurs players and awarded a corner instead.

Lennon was beginning to cause the Fulham defence all kinds of problems on the left flank but, despite numerous crosses into the danger area, Spurs could not find a way through.

In the 69th minute, Rasiak was finally replaced by Defoe. But, before he had a chance to make an impact, Spurs were reduced to 10 men when defender Dawson was sent off for a second bookable offence after pulling back Helguson.

Fulham almost punished Spurs from the free kick when Robinson produced another superb save to deny McBride once more.

Defoe almost produced a matchwinner out of nothing when Elliott's loose ball was seized upon by the England striker and his 20-yard drive was grabbed at the second attempt by Antti Niemi.

But it all fell apart when Bocanegra rose to plant a firm header beyond Robinson to the delight of the home faithful and give Jol more thinking to do.

Fulham Niemi, Rosenior, Knight, Bocanegra, Bridge, Boa Morte,Elliott, Legwinski (Radzinski 23), Malbranque, Helguson,McBride (John 73).

Subs Not Used: Warner, Goma, Niclas Jensen.

Booked: Helguson.

Goals: Bocanegra 90.

Tottenham Robinson, Kelly, King, Dawson, Stalteri,Reid (Huddlestone 26), Carrick, Jenas, Lennon (Gardner 74),Rasiak (Defoe 70), Keane.

Subs Not Used: Cerny, Jackson.

Sent Off: Dawson (72).

Booked: Rasiak, Dawson, Jenas.

Att: 21,081

Ref: H Webb (S Yorkshire).