Tottenham's good form in the cups continued as they swept aside struggling Bolton and set up a fifth-round clash at home to Tranmere.

A Darren Anderton penalty set them on their way in the 21st minute, before Steffen Iversen grabbed his third goal in four games after 34 minutes and Matt Etherington scored his first for the club 10 minutes after the break.

Bolton defender Anthony Barness, who scored an own goal in Bolton's 6-0 Worthington Cup defeat here earlier in the season, put through his own net after 72 minutes - completing a miserable night as he also conceded the penalty.

Manager Glenn Hoddle left captain Teddy Sheringham and his strike partner Les Ferdinand on the bench and rested defender Chris Perry because all three were on four yellow cards for the season and in danger of picking up a caution which might rule them out of the Worthington Cup final later this month.

Defeat for Bolton is unlikely to be the end of the world for manager Sam Allardyce, because it means they can now concentrate on Barclaycard Premiership survival.

Spurs might easily have repeated the 6-0 scoreline, but goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen made a series of outstanding saves.

He could do nothing about the four goals which settled the tie - which had been postponed 10 days ago because of a waterlogged pitch.

Barness bundled over Anderton in the 21st minute, and - with regular penalty-taker Sheringham on the bench - the in-form midfielder scored from the spot for his fifth goal of the season.

Norwegian striker Iversen doubled the lead after 34 minutes when he met Anderton's cross from the right and slotted home his third goal in the last four games.

Etherington scored after 55 minutes when Jaaskelainen saved from Anderton and the 20-year-old marked his first start of the season by following up to steer the ball home.

It was also the youngster's good run and cross from the left which resulted in Barness clashing with Ricardo Gardner and turning the ball past Jaaskelainen.

The visitors had been tested after six minutes when Jaaskelainen pulled off a fine save to deny Gustavo Poyet.

Etherington crossed low from the left - and the Uruguayan hit a rising first-time shot with his left foot, which the goalkeeper pushed away with both hands.

Jaaskelainen produced an even better save after 11 minutes. Ben Thatcher's throw into the box from the left was flicked on by Dean Richards, and Iversen's header was destined to finish inside the near post until the Finnish international pushed it behind.

Spurs were nonetheless soon coasting, and Poyet almost scored one of the goals of the season after 42 minutes.

After a passing move involving half the Spurs team, the ball reached Poyet inside the box. He flicked it over the head of Gudni Bergsson but placed his shot against the far post with Jaaskelainen beaten.

Gardner had a chance to pull back a consolation after 79 minutes but ended a good run by sending his shot wide.

Teams:

Tottenham: Sullivan, Richards, King, Taricco (Leonhardsen 75), Thatcher, Anderton (Thelwell 75), Sherwood, Etherington, Poyet, Rebrov, Iversen.

Subs Not Used: Keller, Ferdinand, Sheringham.

Goals: Anderton 22 pen, Iversen 35, Etherington 56, Barness 73 og.

Bolton: Jaaskelainen, Barness, Whitlow (Buchanan 45), Bergsson, Nolan (Johnson 64), Gardner, Southall, Farrelly, Hansen, Pedersen (Holdsworth 62), Ricketts.

Subs Not Used: Poole, Norris.

Booked: Whitlow, Nolan.

Att: 27,093

Ref: S Dunn (Bristol).