LONDON, Feb 1 — Tottenham Hotspur climbed to fourth place in the Premier League as a second-half broadside fired them to an enthralling 3-2 home victory over struggling Brentford on Wednesday.

Neal Maupay prodded a lively Brentford into an early lead and Tottenham were ragged before halftime but they responded after the break as Destiny Udogie, Brennan Johnson and Richarlison scored in a devastating eight-minute spell.

Sensational going forward, Tottenham left back Udogie’s defending was less impressive and his mistake allowed Ivan Toney to halve the deficit with plenty of time remaining.

Chances were created at both ends in the closing stages and Tottenham were indebted to a superb stoppage-time save by Guglielmo Vicario to secure a fourth successive home league win.

“The lads showed character to come back, for 25 minutes of the second half we were outstanding, the type of team we can be,” Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou said.

“We are naive at times, focusing on the wrong things, but that’s all part of our growth.”

Postecoglou’s side, knocked out of the FA Cup by Manchester City in their previous home game, moved above Aston Villa on goals scored with both clubs on 43 points from 22 games, three behind third-placed Arsenal and eight adrift of leaders Liverpool

Brentford’s sixth defeat in seven league games left them in 15th place, four points above the relegation zone although their display augured well for their survival hopes.

“Except for the 10-minute black-out, we played a very good game. We frustrated them with the high press, we were good with the low block, on the break and transition we were very dangerous,” Brentford manager Thomas Frank said.

Tottenham’s performance typified their approach under Postecoglou — swashbuckling in attack but capable of self-destruction at the other end.

Wide open

They dominated the early exchanges yet were wide-open at the back and Brentford had had a goal by Mads Roerslev ruled out for offside before taking the lead in the 15th minute as a counter-attack ended with Toney’s shot beaten out by Vicario for Maupay to convert the rebound.

Brentford fed off Tottenham’s mistakes and perhaps should have scored again before halftime.

But they were rocked on their heels when Udogie sparked Tottenham’s revival in the 48th minute.

His searing run down the left was rewarded as Timo Werner played the ball back to him and he slotted in at the second attempt. A minute later Werner, enjoying his best game since joining on loan from RB Leipzig, played the perfect pass for substitute Johnson to tap home.

Another sumptuous Tottenham move from deep inside their own half made it 3-1 as James Maddison, starting for the first time since November, had a shot blocked but the ball fell kindly tothe lurking Richarlison who converted.

Tottenham were running riot but they always have the ability to hand out gifts and Udogie wafted a pass back towards Vicario without noticing Toney and the striker duly punished the error to set up a grandstand finish.

As home fans whistled for full time Brentford almost snatched a point when Shandon Baptiste’s volley was brilliantly tipped over the crossbar by Vicario. — Reuters