This has not been a good Christmas so far for Glenn Hoddle. Defeat at home to Ipswich was followed by another setback here, all the more disappointing because it was inflicted by his old club, and deservedly so.

Hoddle and Dean Richards, the player he took in such acrimonious circumstances to Spurs in September, got a hostile reception from most of the 31,719 crowd, the biggest yet at Southampton's new stadium.

Southampton were committed and determined on their return after the interval and the key was the mastery of the striker James Beattie over Richards, particularly in the air.

In the 56th minute Beattie turned in a hopeful punt forward by Paul Williams for his eighth of the season. Beattie was almost sold by Hoddle cheaply to Crystal Palace a couple of years ago, so there was more than usual relish to his celebrations.

Tottenham's Les Ferdinand should have done better with chances on each side of half-time and Teddy Sheringham had a shot cleared off the line by Williams.

SOUTHAMPTON: Jones, Dodd, Williams, Lundekvam, Bridge, Telfer, Delap, Svensson, Marsden, Beattie, Pahars (Ormerod 82). Subs Not Used: Moss, El Khalej, Petrescu, Le Tissier. Goals: Beattie 56.

TOTTENHAM: Sullivan, Taricco, Richards, King, Ziege, Freund (Sherwood 71), Poyet (Rebrov 86), Anderton, Gardner (Davies 76), Ferdinand, Sheringham. Subs Not Used: Keller, Perry. Booked: Gardner, Richards, Taricco.

Referee: P Jones (Loughborough).