BOLTON Wanderers have one foot back in the relegation grave after their Burnden Park jinx saw them gift Tottenham a three goal lead last night, from which they never recovered despite a brave rally.

Wanderers have obtained only one Premiership home success in three months and goals from David Howells, Ruel Fox and Chris Armstrong brought more misery as Spurs revived their own UEFA Cup hopes.

For an hour it added up to a nightmare return for Wanderers' stand in goalkeeper Aidan Davison, who was horribly exposed by shabby defending on his first Premiership appearance of the season.

Injury hit Spurs could hardly believe how easy it all was as Howells (17), Fox (54) and Armstrong (60) raced forward unchallenged to score three clinically taken goals.

Bolton looked down and out, but skipper Alan Stubbs gave them a lifeline on 74 minutes finishing off a three man move with a low left foot shot beyond Ian Walker.

Ten minutes later Scott Sellars ghosted in to head home a Sasa Curcic left wing cross and set up a grandstand finish.

Bolton poured men forward international defender Gudni Bergsson came within a whisker of an equaliser right at the death his close range header being scrambled off the line by Clive Wilson.

Bolton went into this crucial fixture buoyant after successive away wins, but their plight looks even more precarious now as they stand stranded at the foot of the Premiership.

They look to be heading back to division one after just one season in the top flight.

A goal 20 minutes from time by St James's Gate captain Paul Byrne beat second in the table Finn Harps, at the Iveagh Grounds last night, to prevent them from opening up a three points cushion over third placed Cobb Ramblers.