Tottenham Hotspur FC beat holders Chelsea FC 2-1 after extra time in Sunday's English League Cup final at Wembley to claim their first silverware since 1999 and a UEFA Cup spot for next season.

Jonathan Woodgate, signed in January to shore up Tottenham's leaky defence, proved the unlikely hero at the other end, heading the winner four minutes into extra time. There was an element of luck about the goal as the ball rebounded into the net off Woodgate's forehead after Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Èech attempted to punch clear a Jermaine Jenas free-kick. Nonetheless, it was reward for Spurs who played the more enterprising football.

A strangely subdued Chelsea, winners of both domestic cups last season under former boss José Mourinho, led until 20 minutes from full time when Dimitar Berbatov equalised from the penalty spot, cancelling out Didier Drogba's superb 39th-minute free-kick. But Tottenham's Ledley King, out since the 5-1 semi-final defeat of Arsenal FC last month, lifted the trophy in front of the north London club's ecstatic fans who are now guaranteed UEFA Cup football next term.

Ramos, who had a 100 per cent winning record in cup finals with Sevilla FC before replacing Martin Jol at White Hart Lane earlier in the campaign, said that winning a trophy so early in his Tottenham reign was extra special: "This is a beautiful experience. It's been a unique experience and one I hope I will be repeating again. It's tremendously satisfying to get the trophy for the fans and the club. It's a long time since we achieved success and for such a big club like Spurs, it seems even longer."