The central defender was pushed into the attack into the second half when Jason Roberts was forced to come off with a foot injury.

With Morten Gamst Pedersen also pulling up early with a calf injury, Samba responded by setting up the equaliser for Benni McCarthy in the 81st minute.

Then Andre Ooijer grabbed the winner three minutes from time when goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes failed to deal with a corner from El-Hadji Diouf.

It was just the boost Blackburn were looking in their battle to beat the drop.

They had to dig deep after Robbie Keane opened the scoring for Tottenham from the penalty spot in the 29th minute.

Gael Givet was punished for an apparent hand-ball after Aaron Lennon had delivered the cross.

However the game turned in the 79th minute when Wilson Palacios was sent off after collecting two yellow cards, both for challenges on David Dunn.

Allardyce said: "Injuries to Morten and Jason meant we had to put Chris Samba up front.

"It paid off, though, for us. He was excellent and upset two good centre-halves.

"But we cannot afford Morten and Jason to be injured for too long. We have not got a lot to work with at the moment. We will worry about that tomorrow and enjoy tonight.

"It was not our best performance, I know that. But our battling qualities, our determination to go right to the end got us the victory.

"We took full advantage of them going down to 10 men. Having missed a few chances, I was worried we might not score.

"When Tottenham scored it killed the lads a little bit. But our equaliser put them on the back foot and we sustained the pressure."

Blackburn have now taken 11 points from a possible 18 and Allardyce added: "It is not so much about the display but the result.

"It is all about getting the three points. We are the team in form down at the bottom end. We are on the rise."

Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp took issue with referee Peter Walton for dismissing Palacios.

He said: "It was a diabolical sending-off. He never made contact with him (Dunn) for the second card.

"He was our best player but even with the sending-off we should have shut the game out. But it gave them a lift."

It was Tottenham's first defeat in seven league games after their revival under Redknapp.

The former Portsmouth boss felt Spurs were well in control until Palacios was banished to the dressing room.

"I cannot believe what happened," said Redknapp. "I could not see them scoring. We were in complete control and I was looking for us to get a second."

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Redknapp said he was unaware of an incident at the end of the game when Gomes and Diouf were caught on camera squaring up.

But the Spurs boss quipped: "Diouf could start a row in an empty house."