There were predictable boos for former Southampton boss Glenn Hoddle and jeers aplenty for ex-Saints defender Dean Richards.

But in a pantomime atmosphere at St Mary's this afternoon there were only cheers for Southampton's leading man James Beattie.

The burly striker notched his 13th Premiership strike of a superlative season nine minutes from time to send Southampton surging clear of Tottenham in the league table and send Saints fans home dreaming of a European place come May.

The way they are amassing the results at their home fortress of St Mary's that has to be a realistic proposition.

"We have a nice glow about us," is how manager Gordon Strachan described his team's inexorable rise since they moved into their new stadium.

It is no wonder. They remain unbeaten at home this season and boast the impressive record of having lost just two matches at St Mary's in the whole of 2002. But this was a special result on the south coast - part one of a grudge match which sees the two sides clash again in the FA Cup third round on Saturday.

It was fitting that it was won by a special goal - Beattie slaloming his way through the Tottenham defence and leaving former team-mate Richards on his backside in his wake before smashing that lucky 13th goal past goalkeeper Kasey Keller.

It takes Southampton three points ahead of Spurs in the league and strikes a psychological blow for their cup meeting on the same ground at the weekend. It is also another nudge in England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson's direction to look at Beattie for his squad to face Australia next month.

Richards, the former Southampton defender who Glenn Hoddle took with him to White Hart Lane, returned from an Achilles injury - and Teddy Sheringham was also back after injury.

Sheringham it was who should have given Tottenham the lead within two minutes, full-back Stephen Carr swinging in a perfectly flighted free-kick from out on the right directly on to the head of the unmarked former England striker on the edge of the six-yard box.

It was the sort of chance Sheringham has been burying for the best part of 15 years in top-flight football, but this time he could only glance his header past Southampton goalkeeper Antti Niemi yet wide of the far post.

It set the tone for a lacklustre first half when much of the play was confined in the space between both penalty areas, with little goalmouth incident.

There was occasional work for Keller, notably when Paul Telfer unleashed a thunderous angled right-foot shot from 20 yards which the goalkeeper was happy to palm away at the foot of his near post.

Tottenham gradually found their rhythm, and their football was increasingly tidy and creative in typical Hoddle mode - without being overly penetrative.

The best chances were falling to Robbie Keane, and he should have done better after 32 minutes when he latched on to a weak backpass by Fabrice Fernandes but fluffed his attempt to lift the ball over Niemi.

Indeed Keane was pivotal to practically all of Spurs' good work.

He might well have given Tottenham the lead within a minute of the restart, pouncing on a through ball and hitting a crisp shot which Niemi blocked with his legs.

Southampton responded with a stinging long-range drive from Rory Delap which might have given Keller more problems if it had not been directed straight at his midriff.

At least the tempo had improved after the tepid first half, and it was Tottenham who were looking most dangerous. Good work again by Keane forced a corner in the 53rd minute, and when Carr swept over the cross it glanced off the head of big Tottenham defender Ledley King - and Niemi was happy to see it flash inches past his far post.

In the 59th minute Keane's enterprise yet again threatened to provide the opening goal.

This time he ran on to a long punt out of defence and seemed to have outstripped Michael Svensson before turning inside to send a left-foot shot past the far post.

A minute later Beattie also squandered a good chance, weaving across the penalty area before sending an 18-yard shot inches above the Tottenham bar. The chances were coming thick and fast as both teams scented victory and a surge up the table.

Only a desperate one-armed lunge from Niemi saved Southampton after an hour when Steffen Iversen headed down from close range.

Then it was Sheringham who should have provided the finish after brilliant work by Keane had put him one-on-one with Niemi. Sheringham, however, could only fire tamely at the goalkeeper's legs.

In an attempt at a final push for all three points in the 69th minute Hoddle threw on Gus Poyet and Darren Anderton for Goran Bunjevcevic and Mauricio Taricco.

But it was the surge of Beattie which was to have the final say - a solo run of spectacular proportions following a superb through ball from Fernandes.

Teams

Southampton: Niemi, Telfer, Lundekvam, Michael Svensson, Bridge, Fernandes (Davies 90), Delap, Oakley, Marsden, Beattie, Ormerod (Tessem 45).

Subs Not Used: Jones, Williams, Anders Svensson.

Goals: Beattie 82.

Tottenham: Keller, Perry, Richards, King, Carr, Bunjevcevic (Poyet 68), Freund, Taricco (Anderton 68), Sheringham, Keane, Iversen (Acimovic 87).

Subs Not Used: Sullivan, Thatcher.

Att: 31,890

Ref: M Halsey (Lancashire).