David Ginola secured a last-gasp victory that Tottenham hardly deserved as they ended a run of five games without a win at the expense of Leicester City in the Premiership at Filbert Street.

The mercurial Frenchman turned home a cross from rookie substitute Matthew Etherington to give Spurs revenge for their 3-2 reversal at White Hart Lane in September.

But in truth the end of the season looked as if it had come a month early for both sides, who produced 90 minutes of Premiership football which was almost totally devoid of excitement until Ginola's late effort.

The statistics show that the only effort on target in the entire game before the goal was a low shot from Leicester substitute Theo Zagorakis - and that failed to fully extend Tottenham goalkeeper Ian Walker.

Leicester had the game's best player in wing-back Andrew Impey, whose forages and crosses down the right were the main source of danger to the Tottenham rearguard.

But for all their huffing and puffing their makeshift attack of Matt Elliott and veteran Tony Cottee seldom looked like posing a threat.

Tottenham were even more lacklustre, and the withdrawal of twin strikers Chris Armstrong and Steffen Iversen after 75 minutes summed up their contribution to proceedings.

Ironically, it was one of their replacements Etherington, who wasted their best chance of the game before the same player helped Ginola break the deadlock.

Earlier, in only the first minute Impey found the overlapping Rob Savage with a precise pass and his right-wing cross picked out Elliott.

But Tottenham defender Chris Perry did just enough to prevent the Scotland international from making clean contact, and the header floated wide of the far post.

It was Impey who helped carve out a good chance for veteran striker Tony Cottee after 12 minutes.

The former West Ham player slipped the ball into the path of fit again Muzzy Izzet - and Cottee was first to react to get on to the end of his low cross to the near post.

But the 34-year-old succeeded only in toe-poking the ball wide of the post after being challenged by Stephen Carr.

The home side suffered a setback in the 23rd minute when wing-back Steve Guppy had to be withdrawn with a recurrence of a back problem and was replaced by Zagorakis.

Tottenham had a fair amount of possession, but it was 26 minutes before they created a semblance of a chance when Darren Anderton made a quickfire break and played the ball through to Iversen.

The Norwegian international made good ground into the penalty area but was guilty of a poor finish when he drilled his low shot into the side-netting.

Tottenham striker Chris Armstrong was relieved when he back-headed a free-kick from Stefan Oakes just past his own post.

The visitors were also forced into a change in the 36th minute when Luke Young came on for injured defender Mauricio Taricco. Referee Jeff Winter was in a lenient mood and allowed several dubious challenges to go but in the 40th minute he booked Perry after he had brought down Cottee.

Leicester continued to look the more purposeful, and the impressive Impey had a half-volley deflected wide after he had got on the end of a hanging cross from Oakes.

But the half-time whistle went with neither Leicester goalkeeper Tim Flowers nor his opposite number Walker having been seriously tested.

Walker was called upon to save a low drive from Zagorakis eight minutes into the second period after Oakes had created the opening with a fine crossfield ball.

Impey then latched on to another menacing ball from Cottee, but after racing to the edge of the area his shot was deflected wide by Perry.

The few moments of excitement continued to be carved out by Leicester, and Elliott was visibly annoyed not to do better with a header over the top from an Izzet centre.

Etherington screwed a shot across the face of goal after being put clear by Anderton.

But he made amends in the last minute when he squared the ball across the area, and Ginola side-stepped Phil Gilchrist before drilling the ball wide of Tim Flowers.

Teams:

Leicester: Flowers, Sinclair, Taggart, Gilchrist, Guppy (Zagorakis 23), Impey, Izzet, Savage, Oakes, Elliott, Cottee (Marshall 82).

Subs Not Used: Walsh, Arphexad, Dudfield.

Tottenham: Walker, Carr, Taricco (Young 37), Freund, Campbell, Perry, Anderton, Iversen (Etherington 75), Ginola, Armstrong (Korsten 75), Clemence.

Subs Not Used: Baardsen, Gardner.

Booked: Perry, Anderton.

Goals: Ginola 90.

Att: 19,764

Ref: J Winter (Stockton-on-Tees).