JURGEN KLINSMANN and Gary Mabbutt may have been saying their goodbyes to White Hart Lane the latter after 16 years but not even that could spark Spurs to victory. In typical fashion, and after a tormented and tempestuous season, Christian Gross' men were underachievers to the last, failing in their bid to end the campaign with three consecutive wins.
Klinsmann, whose second spell with the club was undoubtedly disappointing yet must be counted as a success given the preservation of their Premiership status, answered a 21st-minute free-kick special by Southampton's World Cup hopeful Matthew Le Tissier with a wonderful volley six minutes later. But Germany's captain huffed and puffed with as little effect as his Tottenham colleagues as they searched for a second-half winner.
Tottenham's early pressure was turned back by Le Tissier's 13th goal of the season after Colin Calderwood brought down Matthew Oakley just outside the area. The Channel Islander and John Beresford both dummied over the set-piece before Le Tissier eventually curled the ball around a defensive wall now broken up by confusion and it flashed low beyond Ian Walker's grasp.
Six minutes later, however, Walker's long clearance was superbly chested down by Les Ferdinand right into the path of Klinsmann, who hit an instant right foot shot that left goalkeeper Paul Jones helpless as it arrowed into the top corner. But that was as good as it got for Spurs and, especially, Klinsmann. The man who notched four against Wimbledon a week ago was twice off target with flying headers and six minutes before the end his deflected shot left Ferdinand facing an open goal and totally unmarked, but the big man missed his kick completely.
Southampton were rarely a threat and Gross could comfortably afford the sentimental gesture which brought 36-year-old Mabbutt off the bench for the last nine minutes. The Spurs veteran then received an even bigger reception from the home supporters than Klinsmann on a lap of honour after the final whistle.

TOTTENHAM: Walker, Calderwood (Mabbutt 81), Fox, Nielsen, Anderton, Ferdinand, Carr, Ginola, Campbell, Klinsmann, Berti (Saib 57)
Subs Not Used: Grodas, Armstrong, Scales
Booked: Campbell

SOUTHAMPTON: Jones, Dodd (Warner 39), Palmer, Lundekvam, Le Tissier, Oakley, Ostenstad, Dryden, Beresford (Richardson 79), Benali, Hirst (Basham 82)
Subs Not Used: Moss, Gibbens
Booked: Palmer

Att: 35,995
Ref: P Jones (Loughborough)

GOOFS LIVEN UP SNORE DRAW Leeds 1 Wimbledon 1 TWO bizarre goals in the last ten minutes made the tedium of the previous 80 minutes a little easier to bear in exactly the sort of end-of-season encounter that gives football's long season a bad name. Leeds have been dubbed 'The Entertainers' this season, but they showed little justification for such a moniker in a game which was only enlivened by Alfie Haaland's freak opening goal in the 81st minute. As Dons midfielder Brian McAllister attempted to clear from his own six-yard box, he crashed the ball against the Norwegian and the rebound deflected past Neil Sullivan. Haaland looked as surprised as anyone that the deadlock had been broken. Then, with two minutes left on the clock, Wimbledon substitute Efan Ekoku rescued a point with a large slice of luck and the help of Leeds defender Gunnar Halle, who forced home the Nigerian's header from Mark Kennedy's cross. The first half had been particularly turgid. Neither side had anything but pride to play for, and there seemed to be little of that about in 45 minutes of football that didn't see either goalkeeper seriously tested. Not until the 28th minute did the home side enjoy their first real threat on goal, when a long punt from Harry Kewell was chested down by Rod Wallace 30 yards out. The striker needed to look up only once before letting fly with a vicious dipping volley but goalkeeper Neil Sullivan scrambled low to keep the game goalless. The second half was even more bleak and only a 47th minute save by Nigel Martyn produced any degree of excitement among the players or fans. Alan Kimble's long throw was cleared by David Wetherall, but only as far as Andy Roberts, who struck the ball powerfully on the volley from 12 yards. Fortunately for the home side, Martyn was quick to react and parried away the danger. But just when the crowd had given up all hopes of seeing a goal, McAllister livened up proceedings with his fluffed clearance to add some cheer to an instantly forgettable afternoon. LEEDS: Martyn, Kelly, Wetherall, Radebe (Jackson 82), Harte, Halle, Bowyer, Haaland, Kewell (Hopkin 73), Hasselbaink, Wallace (Lilley 73) Subs Not Used: Robertson, Beeney WIMBLEDON: Sullivan, Kimble, Perry, McAllister, Thatcher, Ardley, Roberts, Fear, Kennedy, Euell (Ekoku 73), Leaburn Subs Not Used: Hughes, Heald, Jupp, Francis Att: 38,172 Ref: SW Dunn (Bristol)

PALACE LEAVE WITH A WIN C Palace 1 Sheff Wed 0 THEY left it a little too late to start feeling at home at Selhurst Park, but Crystal Palace settled in long enough to award Sheffield Wednesday the dubious honour of becoming the only side to be beaten both home and away by the Eagles this season. Their farewell to the Premiership ended in victory, but it was not a multi-million pound foreigner who scored the winner but an 18-year-old debutant from Tooting called Clinton Morrison, who scored in injury time to give Palace only their second league win at home this season. Fittingly it was Attilio Lombardo, one of the few shining lights for the Eagles this season, and the man who tried in vain to save them from the drop as player-boss, who produced a short pass from out on the left for Morrison to race onto and score from close range. Wednesday were desperately unlucky not to have taken the lead after 15 minutes, when Paulo Di Canio raced onto a through ball and lobbed Kevin Miller for what seemed a perfectly acceptable strike. But, unfortunately for the Italian, he had already been flagged offside in a dubious decision from the linesman. Di Canio clearly felt hard done by, and his arguments with the referee earned him the inevitable yellow card. Then it was the home team's turn to be unfortunate as Marcus Bent, receiving a perfect pass from Lombardo in the 32nd minute, was left with only Kevin Pressman to beat - but his shot struck the keeper on the legs and rebounded to safety. Di Canio, whose nimble footwork frequently baffled the easily-confused home defence, had a similar chance early in the second half but he was also foiled by the goalkeeper's legs. Neil Shipperley then headed marginally wide, before Morrison finally broke the deadlock in the dying seconds to earn Palace three points and a little pride. CRYSTAL PALACE: Miller, Edworthy, Gordon, Curcic (Folan 75), Linighan, Lombardo, Warhurst, Shipperley (Morrison 82), Rodger, Bent, Hreidarsson Subs Not Used: Nash, Boxall, Quinn Booked: Hreidarsson, Lombardo SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY: Pressman, Atherton, Walker, Carbone (Rudi 73), Di Canio, Hyde, Stefanovic, Hinchcliffe, Thome, Barrett, Sanetti Subs Not Used: Whittingham, Clarke, Briscoe, Magilton Booked: Di Canio, Thome Att: 16,876 Ref: MD Reed (Birmingham)

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