These two sides faced each other six times last season and it has to be hoped that their reaquaintance in this campaign is now limited to the White Hart Lane return fixture. A contest remarkable for its plainness was only partially redeemed by its second-half goals.
John Hartson headed Wimbledon in front only for his day to collapse when a linesman saw him catch Luke Young with his elbow, an act of some stupidity given that he had been booked earlier on for a wild lunge on Mauricio Taricco.
Afterwards the Welshman, according to statistics the most fouling Premiership player, pleaded innocence and said he had merely lifted his arm attempting to head the ball. His manager backed him: "I think John is soft in the way he plays," Egil Olsen said. "I want him to be more aggressive."
Tottenham, who had squared matters just before, could not make the extra man tell in the final 12 minutes, Tim Sherwood twice failing with decent chances, so a drab affair finished, correctly, with neither side holding the advantage.
Stephen Carr's thunderous finish to the flighted ball with which Allan Nielsen had invited him to outstrip Wimbledon's left-sided cover ensured that George Graham would remain unbeaten against these opponents since taking over at White Hart Lane a year ago this Friday.
In both FA Cup ties and the two-leg League Cup semi-final Spurs had the winning cards but yesterday they appeared to have forgotten just how to dismantle an obdurate defence which owed a great deal to the energy of a midfielder, Andy Roberts, who frequently made an extra obstacle for them to overcome.
When David Ginola failed to appear on the teamsheet because of a damaged calf, it was clear that we would have to search hard for the flair factor.
A Marcus Gayle free-kick that had Ian Walker desperately reaching to turn to safety via the woodwork was a rare sparkler amid so much gloom. Carr gave a hint of what was to come later when he was first to a loose ball and drew Neil Sullivan into a save that was really more of a fumble, the ball skidding away from his grasp for a corner.
Then not long after Chris Perry had nearly surprised his former team-mates by beating Sullivan to a free-kick, Hartson put Wimbledon in sight of their first home win in the league since early January, a firm header following Jason Euell's left-wing corner.
When Walid Badir could not follow up Hartson's prompt, Spurs remained in contention and Carr finished with a flourish to register his first Premiership goal. At least he will remember the afternoon if so many others will choose not to.
Graham was pleased with the way his line-up of small defenders stood up to the aerial bombardment.
He said: "We defended the high balls well except for the set-piece when they scored, which was pleasing because we lacked height. We can play better but I am pleased because they are a difficult team to play against and we knew they would be direct.
"We had them watched at Old Trafford last week and they played really well and got a good result. We came back from a goal down and took command in the last 20 minutes and I was pleased with the attitude of my players. We had the better chances to win."
Wimbledon manager Egil Olsen is hoping video evidence will prove John Hartson is innocent of elbowing Luke Young.
Olsen will ask referee Graham Poll to look at the tape and maybe change his mind.
"I have watched it again on TV and it is a wrong decision," said Olsen. "Everybody in the team thinks it was a wrong decision."
WIMBLEDON: Sullivan, Cunningham, Roberts, Blackwell, Thatcher, Cort, Hartson, Euell, Gayle, Badir, Andersen (Kimble 85). Subs Not Used: Earle, Leaburn, Jupp, Davis. Sent Off: Hartson (79). Booked: Hartson. Goals: Hartson 57.
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR: Walker, Carr, Taricco, Freund, Perry, Sherwood, Iversen, Armstrong (Dominguez 79), Leonhardsen, Young, Nielsen. Subs Not Used: Edinburgh, Baardsen, Fox, King. Booked: Taricco, Sherwood. Goals: Carr 76.
Referee: G Poll (Tring).
