West Ham's Mark Noble (right) is challenged by Tottenham Hotspur's Jermaine Jenas during their English Premier League match at Upton Park in London, yesterday. Tottenham won 4-3. - Reuters photos

LONDON (Reuters):

Bottom club West Ham United's season took a bitter new twist yesterday when they twice squandered the lead and lost 4-3at home to London rivals Tottenham Hotspur in a dramatic Premier League game.

Substitute Paul Stalteri scored the Tottenham winner deep in stoppage time after Tottenham had battled back from trailing 2-0 at half-time and then 3-2 with five minutes remaining.

West Ham's fifth league defeat in a row left them 10 points short of safety with just nine games remaining and manager Alan Curbishley admitting time is running out.

"What is happening is everything that can go wrong is going wrong," Curbishley, who has not enjoyed a league victory since a 1-0 defeat of leaders Manchester United on December 17, told Sky Sports. "We need some three-pointers to give everyone a lift.

"We've got nine games left and if we put in that work rate we may get the wins we need, but it's looking tough now."

Dipping free kick

West Ham had looked on course for a morale-boosting victory after a tough week when Mark Noble smashed in a 16th minute opener and then Argentine Carlos Tevez beat England goalkeeper Paul Robinson with a dipping free kick after 41 minutes.

Tevez, whose move to West Ham in August along with fellow Argentine Javier Mascherano has led to the club being charged this week with a breach of transfer rules by the Premier League, was booked after wildly celebrating his first goal for the club.

Tottenham, who moved eighth with their third consecutive league win, dominated the second period and pulled a goal back after 51 minutes when winger Aaron Lennon was clumsily brought down by Lee Bowyer and Jermain Defoe fired in the spot kick against his old club.

Lennon teed up Finnish midfielder Teemu Tainio for a volleyed equaliser after 63 minutes, only for West Ham's former Spurs striker Bobby Zamora to come off the bench to head his side back in front after 83 minutes.

Pulsating finale

In a pulsating finale, Bulgarian Dimitar Berbatov equalised again with an exquisite 89th minute free kick, Tevez went agonisingly close to snatching the win for West Ham before Stalteri rammed in Tottenham's winner after Defoe's shot had been palmed out by Robert Green.

West Ham have 20 points from 29 matches, the same as Watford, while Charlton Athletic are on 24. Manchester City are six points above the relegation zone with two games in hand.

Earlier, Blackburn Rovers beat north west rivals Bolton Wanderers 2-1, thanks to two second-half penalties from South African Benni McCarthy. Nicolas Anelka grabbed a late consolation for Bolton who are in fifth with Blackburn in 10th.

Manchester United, 1-0 winners at Liverpool on Saturday, top the table, nine points ahead of Chelsea who won 2-0 at Portsmouth. Chelsea have a game in hand.