Leeds gave it a good go and were deservedly level at half-time after an injury time Luciano Becchio goal, but ran out of gas after the break and it is back to the serious business of League One now at Hartlepool on Saturday.

A cracking fourth round cup replay went off at a blistering pace and was a real thriller in the first half with both sides capable of opening up each other's defences.

Spurs could have been ahead early on when Defoe had a weak shot cleared and another effort fizzed just wide. Defender Sebastien Bassong also volleyed over when well placed from a corner.

Home midfielders Jonny Howson and Michael Doyle both got in shots from distance as play switched to the other end and Jermaine Beckford hit the crossbar with a header only to be adjudged to have fouled keeper Heurelho Gomes.

Defoe raced clear on 24 minutes, but could not beat Casper Ankergren and two minutes later the in-form United keeper pulled off a stunning save to keep out a Gareth Bale cross that took a wicked deflection off Leigh Bromby.

Beckford got clear of his marker soon after only to try an ambitious chip that sent the ball into the crowd.

A goal had to come and it was the visitors that got it as David Bentley skinned Andrew Hughes down the right and his low pull back found Defoe in space. The striker miss-controlled the ball but had enough time to get a shot off and luckily miscued straight into the top corner of the net.

The response from Leeds was superb, however, as they then enjoyed their best attacking spell of the game and after a few half chances came to nothing they grabbed an equaliser right on half-time as Becchio followed up to score after Beckford's instinctive volley had been well saved by Gomes.

Tottenham came out for the second half in more determined mood and they gradually took control in midfield with Bentley always a big threat on the right wing.

Peter Crouch somehow shot wide from no more than five yards, Defoe fired over from the edge of the box and Michael Dawson's near post header was acrobatically tipped over by Ankergren.

United briefly threatened with Beckford's shot from the edge of the box deflecting wide and Lubo Michalik's header from a corner saved by Gomes.
But they were unable to get their danger man of the first half, Robert Snodgrass, into the game and Spurs deservedly regained the lead 17 minutes from time when Defoe converted an excellent low cross from Bentley.

Crouch hit the crossbar with a header, after getting away with a blatant foul on Michalik, but United kept battling and were still in with a shout going into the last minute.

Bromby sent a header just over and everybody went up for one last chance from a free-kick on half way taken by Ankergren. Tottenham managed to scramble the ball clear and it fell nicely for Defoe, who raced from his own half then rounded the keeper to complete his hat-trick and send Spurs into the fifth round where they will meet Bolton.

Match facts
Leeds United 1
(Becchio 45)
Tottenham Hotspur 3
(Defoe 3, 73, 90)
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
FA Cup round four replay
Att: 37,704
Leeds: Ankergren, Bromby, Naylor, Michalik, Hughes (White 76), Snodgrass, Howson, Doyle, Johnson (Crowe 86), Becchio (Grella 86), Beckford.
Tottenham: Gomes, Corluka, Bassong, Dawson, Bale, Bentley, Huddlestone, Jenas, Kranjcar, Crouch, Defoe.
Referee: Andre Marriner