Newcastle were stunned last night as they crashed to another defeat in the capital after both Nolberto Solano and Kieron Dyer were sent off.

The Magpies slumped to a 4-2 defeat at Tottenham in a match that exploded into action after Peruvian Solano gave the visitors the lead with a superbly taken goal - but from then on it was a miserable night for Bobby Robson's side.

And the result extended Newcastle's winless run in the capital to 22 games - they last tasted a London victory in 1997 at Crystal Palace.

In an amazing ten minute spell Tottenham hit-back with goals from defender Gary Doherty and Darren Anderton before Solano was shown the red card on 31 in an incident that took the game out of Newcastle's grasp.

With Spurs leading 2-1 Solano blocked a powerful Doherty header on the goal-line with an instinctive reaction but the ball rebounded off his arm and referee Steve Orpington had no choice but to award a penalty and reduce Newcastle to ten men.

For the second time on the night Darren Anderton stepped up to take the spot-kick but goalkeeper Steve Harper made a fantastic save, diving low to his right to deny Anderton.

Robson's side had started the game so well and it seemed they would end Tottenham's undefeated run at home this season when Solano opened the scoring.

Shola Ameobi, who kept his place after a fine performance in the 1-1 draw with Manchester United, robbed Tim Sherwood and then leap-frogged the midfielder before unleashing Solano on the left who scored with a deft chip over the keeper.

But Spurs equalised with a fine header from 20-year-old Doherty who met Stephen Clemence's cross 12 yards out and placed the ball past Harper into the top-corner.

Then the home side took the lead after Gary Speed felled Anderton for the first penalty of the night.

Anderton picked himself up and fired the ball past Harper to give George Graham's side the lead.

And three minutes later it was 3-1 as Spurs made the most of their one-man advantage. Doherty, who joined Tottenham from Luton for £1m last season was having an inspired game. He found striker Sergi Rebrov in acres of room inside the Newcastle area with a short pass and the Ukrainian, Tottenham's record £11m signing, despatched the ball into the net off the far post with the outside of his right boot.

It was a sweet moment for the 26-year-old who was left out of the Spurs team that crashed to a 3-0 defeat at Ipswich and went some way to restoring the faith of the supporters in his ability.

But Newcastle thought they had got themselves back into the game two minutes after the re-start when Dyer won his side a penalty and Spurs had a man of their own sent off.

The 22-year-old raced clear and rounded Spurs goalkeeper Neil Sullivan but the Scotland international caught Dyer to concede the third penalty of the evening before he was shown a straight red card.

Dyer made no mistake from 12 yards to make it 3-2 but moments later he was leaving the field as another re-card victim after showing dissent towards a linesman.

Robson reorganised his side after 69 minutes by replacing Ameobi and Andrew Griffin with Lomana Lualua and Stephen Glass but with only eight outfield players Newcastle still looked a threat when they went forward.

But Tottenham who had found gaps in Newcastle's defence all evening were by now in control and Newcastle old boy Les Ferdinand was the next player to get on the scoresheet.

Anderton delivered an inch perfect cross from a free-kick on the left and Ferdinand, who left Tyneside in 1997 for a fee of £6m, rose unmarked at the far post to head his seventh goal of the season and make it 4-2.

Speed almost pulled a goal back for the visitors with a wonderful shot after Warren Barton had swung in a hanging cross.

Barton cut inside and picked out Speed with a delightful ball but the midfeilder's volley was superbly kept out by stand-in goalkeeper Ian Walker who had replaced Oyvind Leonhardsen following Sullivan's sending off.