Spurs had won all eight of their UEFA Cup matches during this season's competition, but that record came to an end at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan stadium as reigning champions Sevilla edged an exciting contest 2-1.

Robbie Keane gave his side the perfect start with an opening goal after less than 90 seconds but Sevilla hit back through a controversially-awarded penalty from former White Hart Lane favourite Frederic Kanoute and a header from Alexander Kerzhakov.

However, the game threatened to be overshadowed by another incident involving riot police and travelling English fans.

Riot police had already made their presence known an hour before the match, using batons to disperse a group of Spurs fans who had congregated near the hotel where the Sevilla team were located.

The confrontation between the Spurs fans and the police continued for around five minutes until Sevilla netted their second goal in the 36th minute.

Trouble flared again during the half-time interval, with seats again being thrown as the riot police moved in - but things calmed down after their departure at the start of the second half.

Daniel Wynne of Tottenham Hotspur Supporters' Trust revealed: "After the equaliser, we saw there was a bit of animosity down in the lower tier.

"Police started throwing their weight around, for want of a better term.

"The supporters were trying to calm things down but it looked like the Spanish police, from where we were, started jabbing at them with batons."

Tottenham coach Clive Allen said of the trouble in the stands: "To be honest I think they are totally unaware of it. They have carried on in the right way and are totally focused on the game.

"Obviously, it's very disappointing to see that going on in the stands."

Wynne added that police had been indiscriminate in their attitude towards fans.

"We saw a guy in a wheelchair get hit by a couple of batons, the police piling into him," he said.

"A perfect day was spoilt by some over-zealous police officers.

"After the police officers moved away from the incident at half-time everything calmed down."

On the pitch, Spurs were unable to capitalise on a perfect start after Keane put them ahead with the first chance of the match.

The Irishman latched onto a Dimitar Berbatov pass inside the Sevilla penalty area and slotted home at the second attempt after home goalkeeper Andres Palop had blocked his first effort.

The hosts were gifted a chance to get back in the game in the 18th minute when they were awarded a controversial penalty.

England goalkeeper Paul Robinson looked to have made a brilliant sprawling block to deny Adriano, but referee Alain Hamer deemed the challenge to be illegal and pointed to the spot.

The Spurs players protested against the decision and Robinson was shown a yellow card, but the penalty stood and their former striker Kanoute stepped up to level the scores.

Robinson could do little to prevent Kerzhakov putting Sevilla in front in the 36th minute, the striker heading home after Julien Escude had nodded back across goal.

That was a major setback for Spurs but they had a great chance to equalise just three minutes later.

Jermaine Jenas curled in a free-kick to the far post where the unmarked Michael Dawson headed wide when he should at least have hit the target as Spurs went in at half-time 2-1 down.

Sevilla came within inches of netting a third goal in the 73rd minute when Kanoute got his head to an Adriano cross, but the Mali international's effort flew just wide of the far post with Robinson beaten.

Substitute Steed Malbranque was quickly in the action with a shot that went wide, but Spurs were unable to make the breakthrough as Sevilla held on to earn a narrow advantage ahead of next week's second leg at White Hart Lane.

Spurs striker Robbie Keane blasted the penalty deicision. "It's nice to score an early goal, and we started very well," he said.

"The penalty - I have to choose my words carefully - I thought it was a disgrace. To go one up and get a decision like that against you, the lads are obviously devastated."

"Everybody could see it was not a penalty. He got two hands on the ball so we are very disappointed," said Spurs coach Martin Jol.

"We probably could have done better with their second goal," Jol said.

"I felt we took control (with Keane's goal), and then after their goal they took over, but they never created a lot.

"At 2-1 we came out and I think we did well after that and we created three or four other chances in the second half.

"Paul Robinson barely had a save to make so we are bit disappointed, well not a bit, a lot, with the decision, but those things happen."

Sevilla coach Juande Ramos insists he did not have a clear enough view of the penalty incident to judge whether it was a correct decision.

"From the position where I was at the side of the pitch at eye-level it is very difficult to say," he said.

"There were a lot of legs and arms in the way. I couldn't say for sure if it was a penalty."

With regards to the overall result, Ramos is taking nothing for granted ahead of the return meeting against Spurs.

"Going to White Hart Lane with a goal advantage is obviously something in Sevilla's favour," he said.

"But Spurs will be playing at home, the crowd will be pushing and it is going to very very tough.

"Obviously the goal advantage is important, but in such a tight match it is a very slender lead."