Roman Pavlyuchenko's first goal in English football helped to pile further pressure on managerless Newcastle as the Carling Cup failed to provide any relief on Tyneside with Spurs claiming a 2-1 win.

The Russian, a £13.8million summer arrival at White Hart Lane, thumped home a 62nd-minute free header to put holders Spurs on the road to their first domestic victory of the season.

But it was midfielder Jamie O'Hara who sealed the win four minutes later when he capitalised on a dreadful error by Steven Taylor to fire past the stranded Shay Given.

Michael Owen's 90th-minute strike could not prevent the Magpies' slipping to a fourth successive defeat and left a bemused crowd of just 20,577 facing a winter of discontent with owner Mike Ashley's masterplan having been torn to pieces.

The billionaire is desperately trying to offload the club having seen manager Kevin Keegan walk out and a long hard fight for Barclays Premier League survival looks likely unless action is taken swiftly.

Newcastle had beaten Spurs in each of the last five meetings between the two sides home and away, but extending that record never looked likely as they struggled to create chances and looked vulnerable at the back.

The game was almost incidental, on Tyneside at least, as those fans who turned up did so with the club's ownership and the search for a new manager continuing to dominate the conversation.

There is a growing belief an interim boss could be installed within days, with Terry Venables featuring strongly among a list of candidates.

But what is certain is some form of stability is required if the Magpies are to right a season which has slipped from promising start into farce within the space of a couple of dramatic weeks.

These two teams occupy the bottom two places in the Barclays Premier League and by the time referee Chris Foy signalled an end to the first half some of the reasons for their respective difficulties had been explained.

Neither Given nor Heurelho Gomes had a save of any note to make, although the Brazilian had to keep out a well-struck 21st-minute effort from Charles N'Zogbia.

But with Owen and the fit-again Obafemi Martins seeing little of the ball and Pavlyuchenko operating as a lone striker at the other end, defences were largely on top.

The Russian might have done better with a free header from an O'Hara corner 13 minutes before the break, and former Magpie Jonathan Woodgate guided another effort wide from a Gareth Bale free-kick five minutes later.

But Claudio Cacapa, playing in a holding midfield role, flicked an N'Zogbia free-kick just wide in injury time after earlier glancing the ball across goal.

Newcastle's problems might have eased significantly within three minutes of the restart had it not been for the watchfulness of former Magpie Woodgate.

Martins' clever flick put Damien Duff in on goal and he slid the ball past Gomes only for the England defender to get in a vital touch to clear.

Ramos introduced Giovani dos Santos as a 53rd-minute replacement for Bale and his arrival seemed to spark the game into life.

Full-back Benoit Assou-Ekotto had already tested Given with a rising drive but Pavyluchenko somehow failed to convert Giovani's 58th-minute cross from point-blank range.

However, he did not have to wait long to redeem himself when, after Owen had forced a save from Gomes at the other end, he powered a header past the helpless Given from Aaron Lennon's 62nd-minute cross.

The game was effectively over when Taylor's horrendous error gifted O'Hara a second four minutes later.

Newcastle's response saw them pile forward in the search for a lifeline and Owen struck in the 90th minute to spark hopes of a late comeback.

But it was all too late and the crowd's response on the final whistle was predictable.