West Ham United 2-3 Tottenham Hotspur: Brilliant Bale

West Ham United: Carroll (25, pen), J Cole (58); Tottenham Hotspur: Bale (13, 90), Sigurdsson (76)

Jussi Jaaskelainen rolled back the years to keep the Hammers in the game for most of the clash, but there was nothing the 37-year-old could do to stop Bale’s blistering 25-yard shot flying in to the top corner with just ten seconds remaining. Bale put Tottenham ahead in the first half, but Andy Carroll scored a penalty after being brought down in the box by former Hammers midfielder Scott Parker, who was booed throughout on his first return to the Boleyn Ground since swapping the East End for North London in 1991.

Joe Cole thought he had grabbed the Hammers a morale-boosting win with a goal against the club he almost joined last season, but substitute Gylfi Sigurdsson equalised and Bale provided the killer blow in the final minute. West Ham dominated for large parts of what was a pumped-up derby, but as has been the case in so many games of late, there was always the chance that Bale could pull off another bit of magic to settle the game. The victory proved extra sweet for Villas-Boas as his team have dislodged his former employers Chelsea from third place.

West Ham used the 20th anniversary of Bobby Moore’s death as an inspiration to start the game well. Led out by three of Moore’s grandchildren, the Hammers started in combative mode. Bale, like Parker, was subjected to jeers from the home fans, but he had stunned the West Ham faithful with the opener after 12 minutes. The Welshman gained a yard on James Collins and another two Hammers defenders before firing across Jaaskelainen into the back of the net. But the home side levelled when Parker put in an ill-advised two-footed challenge on Carroll in the box and Howard Webb pointed to the spot. The former Newcastle striker picked himself up, smashed the ball past Lloris.

West Ham took the lead just before the hour. Cole timed his run to perfection, gaining two yards on Steven Caulker before slotting past Lloris. But Spurs equalised with 14 minutes left as Sigurdsson poke past Jaaskelainen from close range. Then with ten seconds left the man of the moment let fly with an audacious 25-yard bullet that left Jaaskelainen helpless.

West Ham: Jaaskelainen, Demel (Pogatetz 72), Reid, Collins, O’Brien, O’Neil, Diame (Collison 84), Nolan (Taylor 35), Jarvis, Carroll, J Cole. Subs Not Used: Spiegel, C Cole, Vaz Te, Chamakh.

Tottenham: Lloris, Walker, Dawson, Caulker, Vertonghen, Parker (Livermore 88), Dembele (Carroll 75), Lennon, Bale, Holtby (Sigurdsson 56), Adebayor. Subs Not Used: Friedel, Gallas, Naughton, Assou-Ekotto.

Referee: H Webb.

Attendance: 35,005