New Derby manager John Gregory's prayers were answered when the team he inherited chalked up their first win in five league games.

Gregory, who wore the club's colours as a player, raced across the field at the end to applaud the supporters.

The relief around the ground was obvious and Derby now have a chink of light in their battle to beat the drop.

The winner came from Lee Morris, a minute before the break, his first senior goal for the club.

Former Aston Villa boss Gregory, who was appointed on Wednesday, said: "Just before kick-off, I put my hands together, looked up to the sky and said 'It's up to you, top man'.

"I am absolutely delighted for everyone here at the club for it has been a traumatic month or so.

"To get a positive result today and a clean sheet against a side as good as Spurs is very pleasing.

"Whenever there was a Spurs player in possession, there was always a Derby player breathing down his neck. I am exceptionally proud of the way we performed.

"We needed to get that winning mentality. Losing becomes a habit and you start looking for excuses and really there are no excuses.

"We are in the position we are in because we have not been playing well enough.

"We can change, we can improve and we will get better. Today it was like a Cup tie and we have 13 more to follow."

It was a fairytale comeback for Morris, who was making only his second start of the season. His time at the club following a £3million move from Sheffield United in the summer of 1999 has been blighted by a foot injury.

He was loaned to Huddersfield last season and played only one full match for Derby and that was when they defeated Manchester United to stay up.

He got the vital goal after Fabrizio Ravanelli squared the ball across the face of the area.

Darryl Powell missed it but Morris remained alert. He got in a shot that keeper Neil Sullivan got a hand to but couldn't prevent trickling over the line.

Gregory decided to take a chance on Morris, who has been scoring regularly in the reserves, and it was a gamble that paid off.

"Morris is very quick, is a goalscorer but he has not really had too much opportunity," said the Derby boss. "He's had a lot of injuries and I thought I might get an hour out of him. He has got talent and I am here to work on his assets."

Gregory explained why he decided to don a tracksuit and bark instructions from the technical area.

"I wanted to get on the side of the pitch and get involved. Until I can totally trust the lads as I did at Villa, I felt the need to try and encourage them."

Tottenham poured men forward near the end in a bid to get the equaliser and Gus Poyet went close with a header.

But they have now won only one of their last eight league games and that is a concern for manager Glenn Hoddle.

"I just felt there was a lack of determination from us," he said. "Perhaps we were a bit tired as we have been playing week in, week out.

"It was an awkward time to play them with John Gregory coming in as manager and that made it difficult for us.

"We are struggling to find consistency and that's been this club's problem for years but we can turn the corner."

Teams:

Derby: Oakes, Barton, Riggott, Higginbotham, Zavagno, Valakari (O'Neil 83), Ducrocq, Powell, Morris (Boertien 74), Christie, Ravanelli.

Subs Not Used: Burton, Kinkladze, Grant.

Booked: Christie, Ravanelli, Powell.

Goals: Morris 43.

Tottenham: Sullivan, Davies (Anderton 64), Perry, Richards, King, Taricco (Etherington 46), Sherwood (Rebrov 80), Poyet, Leonhardsen, Sheringham, Iversen.

Subs Not Used: Thelwell, Kelly.

Booked: Sherwood, Taricco.

Att: 27,721

Ref: U Rennie (Sheffield).