George Graham has the scent of Wembley in his nostrils again after a spectacular goal by Norwegian striker Steffen Iversen emerged from another dour scrap with Wimbledon and put Tottenham into the Worthington Cup final.

It means another glory day for Graham six months after his controversial return to North London from Leeds and a return to the pot-hunting days he enjoyed at Arsenal with six major trophies in eight years including two League Cups.

Once more, he has led a team to Wembley in his first season in charge. But as the 54-year-old Scot celebrated with his team, who have not won anything since the 1991 FA Cup Final against Nottingham Forest, sad Wimbledon had to accept the heartbreak of another narrow failure.

Two years ago, they thought they had done the hard work by securing a goalless draw in the away leg of the Coca-Cola Cup semi final at Leicester only to go out on the away goals with a 1-1 deadlock at Selhurst Park.

This time, Spurs needed no such technicality - only the hard graft and unbending resistance which Graham has introduced to an under-achieving side, plus Iversen's flash of genius.

That came six minutes before the interval when the tall blond striker made the most of a lucky bounce off Wimbledon defender Kenny Cunningham who thought he had done enough to foil a Les Ferdinand raid.

The ball bounced off the Irishman's leg to Iversen who was standing in an offside position but did not stop to argue the point. Instead, he measured an inch-perfect lob from the corner of the area which sailed over goalkeeper Neil Sullivan and just inside the far post.

And as the ball had reached Iversen via a Wimbledon player, referee Gary Willard had no hesitation in awarding the goal.

In truth, despite their second-half pressure, Wimbledon rarely threatened to retrieve the situation.

But their marathon series of matches against Spurs in three separate competitions could have had an extension in the last minute when skipper Robbie Earle's rocket shot from the edge of area beat Ian walker and clipped the crossbar on its way over.

Twenty two minutes earlier Michael Hughes had seen his shot from similar range deflected over the top, and then Marcus Gayle put a shot from similar distance just wide.

But it was Iversen who was carried off shoulder high by the Tottenham fans at the end as Wimbledon managing director Sam Hammam consoled disappointed manager Joe Kinnear with a cuddle.

Both had to recognize that their battling side were again not quite good enough to master a reviving Tottenham team in which centre-backs Sol Campbell and Ramon Vega were pillars of strength.

Both goalkeepers made an excellent save apiece in a fast-paced first half, but it was Spurs who showed the extra touch of quality in the heat of battle.

Iversen's goal ensured there would not have to be a penalty shoot-out to decide who meets Leicester or Sunderland in the final next month.

Dons' injury problems had eased considerably during a weekend break at England's Bisham Abbey training camp and their major double bonus was the return of big striker Efan Ekoku and nimble Irishman Michael Hughes to midfield where his craft was badly missed in the FA Cup replay defeat at White Hart Lane three weeks ago.

Dons began and finished with a familiar aerial bombardment, but the barn door of Spurs' defence stayed firmly shut as Graham's side extended their unbeaten run to a dozen matches - eight of them draws.

Earle's mis-kick eight yards out in the opening six minutes showed what might have been, but his goal in the drawn FA Cup game last month at Selhurst remains the only one Wimbledon have scored against Tottenham in the five-match series.

Neil Sullivan was the first goalkeeper to be brought into serious action, flinging himself to turn away Ferdinand's shot on the turn after Iversen helped on Darren Anderton's 13th-minute chip into the box.

Then, within a minute Justin Edinburgh's arrowing cross from the left sent Ferdinand in search of goal again, but he was unable to direct his header on target.

Wimbledon employed some sharp, one-touch passing to open up a channel on the left, and Jason Euell's power-drive from the edge of the box was tipped over by Ian Walker's athletic stretch.

Those efforts, and Iversen's winner, apart it was largely another indifferent spectacle between two teams who must now know each other inside out.

Even the charismatic Frenchman David Ginola was a peripheral figure, but Spurs had other qualities to put Wimbledon in the shade - and in just about sufficient supply to earn the Wembley date with either Leicester or Sunderland on march 31.

Teams

Wimbledon: Sullivan, Cunningham, Perry, Blackwell, Thatcher, Earle, Ekoku (Leaburn 80), Roberts, Gayle, Hughes,Euell (Kennedy 79).

Subs Not Used: Kimble, Ardley, Heald.

Booked: Roberts, Thatcher.

Tottenham: Walker, Carr, Freund, Nielsen, Anderton, Ferdinand, Edinburgh (Sinton 65), Ginola (Young 85), Vega, Iversen,Campbell.

Subs Not Used: Fox, Armstrong, Baardsen.

Booked: Ferdinand.

Goals: Iversen 39.

Agg (0-1)

Att: 25,204

Ref: G Willard (Worthing).