The Alex McLeish era at Birmingham City began in fantastic fashion with a stunning last gasp victory over Tottenham at White Hart Lane courtesy of Sebastian Larsson's long range winner.

It was a game that had everything including five goals, a sending off and an injury time clincher that will surely secure the Swede the goal of the season award.

Gary McSheffrey gave Blues a half time lead against the run of play from the penalty spot but the hosts hit back to take the lead just eight minutes after the break through a Robbie Keane brace.

Cameron Jerome levelled the scores again and then Keane went from hero to villain by being sent off midway through the second half.

It was only in the last few minutes that Blues took the game to the ten men and Larsson stole maximum points with an unbelievable strike.

New boss McLeish made three changes from the side chosen by Eric Black for last week's game against Portsmouth.

Maik Taylor was recalled between the sticks in place of Richard Kingson, Sebastian Larsson came in for Olivier Kapo while fit-again Cameron Jerome replaced Mikael Forssell in attack.

Kapo's omission was particularly notable with the Frenchman having played every minute of Premier League football for Blues before today.

Spurs boss Juande Ramos made two changes to his team that beat Aalborg in the UEFA Cup on Thursday evening with Younes Kaboul and Darren Bent replacing Young-Pyo Lee and Jermaine Jenas.

Blues made an encouraging start with winger Daniel de Ridder cutting in from the right and trying his luck with a curling effort that was always veering away from goal.

The visitors threatened again moments later as Fabrice Muamba was inches away from connecting to Jerome's clever chip into the six yard box.

Robbie Keane had Spurs' first chance but his ambitious volley flew high into the stands behind Taylor's goal.

The Blues keeper had to be alert to make a save low down from Dimitar Berbatov and then Ramos's lively outfit fashioned a golden chance to open the scoring.

Keane played a neat one-two with Bent but he wasted all that good approach play by blasting over the bar with only Taylor to beat.

The home onslaught on the Blues goal continued as a mistake by Rafael Schmitz gave Keane the chance to put the ball into the box but fortunately it was just too high for Berbatov whose header drifted over the bar.

Taylor then made a great save from Bent, who had latched onto Berbatov's clever diagonal pass.

The Blues keeper stopped the Spurs striker's shot with his legs and then Liam Ridgewell was relieved to see the ball roll just wide of the post after it had deflected off his leg.

After surviving the intense period of home pressure, McLeish's charges broke away and took a surprise lead on 24 minutes.

McSheffrey took on Younes Kaboul inside the hosts' area and went down under a challenge from the Spurs full back.

Referee Phil Dowd had no hesitation in pointing to the spot, and having won the penalty, the Blues winger dusted himself down and fired low and hard into the middle of the goal past Robinson.

After taking the lead, the play again reverted to the other end of pitch as Spurs launched wave after wave of attack.

Only some fantastic last ditch defending kept Blues' advantage in tact.

Michael Dawson headed over from a Gareth Bale corner and the latter then came close to getting the equaliser from a free kick.

Muamba pulled back Malbranque and the former Southampton youngster curled the resultant free kick over the wall towards the top corner but Taylor hurled himself to his left and brilliantly tipped the ball around the post.

Half-time: Spurs 0 Blues 1

Ramos made two substitutions at the interval with Tom Huddlestone and Jermain Defoe replacing Kaboul and Bent.

Blues' half-time lead was wiped out within five minutes of the restart and it came courtesy of another penalty.

This time it was Johan Djourou who was guilty of jumping into a challenge with Berbatov inside the area and, after making no connection with the ball, referee Dowd had no option than to point to the spot.

But Blues were furious that a shirt-pull by Huddlestone on Muamba on the halfway line in the build up to the penalty had been missed by the referee.

Keane confidentally dispatched the penalty to level the scores and worst was to follow for Blues just three minutes later as the Republic of Ireland international doubled his personal tally.

Huddlestone chipped a delightful ball over the top of the Blues defence and Keane raced through and fired the ball past Taylor.

It was a massive blow for Blues to not only lose their lead but find themselves behind within the space of three minutes.

But it could have been an even bigger obstable to climb if Berbatov's shot, following another mistake by Schmitz, had gone in rather than hitting the post moments later.

Schmitz then became the first name into the referee's notebook for a foul on Aaron Lennon.

But McLeish's side recovered and remarkably restored parity just after the hour mark through Jerome.

The Blues striker picked up McSheffrey's clever flick and set off on a charging run towards goal before unleashing a clinical finish into the bottom corner from 20 yards.

McLeish made a change straight after the goal ending Schmitz's miserable afternoon, replacing him with Stuart Parnaby in a straight swap.

A topsy-turvy game took another dramatic switch when two-goal Keane was harshly sent off after a late challenge on Muamba.

Despite the numerical disadvantage, Spurs took the game to Blues and Ridgewell did well to dispossess Defoe when the substitute looked certain to score.

McLeish made his second substitition by introducing Mikael Forssell for Daniel de Ridder and Ramos was forced into his final change as Bale hobbled off to replaced by Lee Young-Pyo.

The last personnel change saw Olivier Kapo take the place of spot kick hero McSheffrey and the substitute went close to producing the match-winning cross with two minutes remaining.

Kapo drove the ball across the Spurs goal for Forssell who stretched out his leg and agonisingly saw his shot graze the crossbar.

And another great flowing move ended with a Kapo volley that was parried away by Robinson.

But just as it looked as though it was going to be another hard luck story for Blues, Larsson produced an unbelievable shot from 35 yards that flew past Robinson into the top corner.

What a goal, what a finish to an incredible match!

Full time: Spurs 2 Blues 3

Spurs: Paul Robinson, Younes Kaboul (Tom Huddlestone 46), Gareth Bale (Young-Pyo Lee 75), Pascal Chimbonda, Michael Dawson, Didier Zokora, Aaron Lennon, Steed Malbranque, Darren Bent (Jermain Defoe 46), Robbie Keane, Dimitar Berbatov.
Subs not used: Radek Cerny, Kevin Boateng.
Goals: Keane (50 pen, 53)
Sending off: Keane (68)

Blues: Maik Taylor, Johan Djourou, Rafael Schmitz (Stuart Parnaby 62), Stephen Kelly, Liam Ridgewell, Fabrice Muamba, Sebastian Larsson, Mehdi Nafti, Daniel de Ridder (Mikael Forssell 66), Gary McSheffrey (Olivier Kapo 77), Cameron Jerome.
Subs not used: Colin Doyle, Garry O'Connor.
Goals: McSheffrey pen (24), Jerome (61), Larsson (90)
Booking: Schmitz (60)

Referee: Phil Dowd (Staffordshire)