ROVERS' dreams of a second successive final appearance in the AXA FA Youth Cup ended in disappointment last night after Chris Sutton's younger brother, John, led Spurs into the semi-finals.

Sutton junior, who was Tottenham's top-scorer last season with 27 goals, grabbed the all-important second goal with a powerful header to dump Rovers out at the quarter final stage.

And Academy director Bobby Downes couldn't hide his disappointment at the manor of the visitors' exit as he later reflected on what might have been.

"They scored from two set-pieces which was very disappointing because, apart from that, they hadn't really caused any other problems on the night," said Downes.

"Having beaten Arsenal in the last round, we felt we could come here and get a result but it wasn't to be.

"And when something like that happens it does knock the stuffing out of you so the lads were very deflated afterwards."

Both sides showed signs of nerves in a tense opening 45 minutes as they struggled to carve out genuine clear-cut chances on a lively playing surface.

If anything, though, it was Rovers who shaded the first half as they twice threatened an opener.

Jemal Johnson -- drafted into the starting line-up at the 11th hour in place of leading scorer Jon Walters who was suspended for an internal incident -- had a good chance to fire the visitors ahead but tried to round the keeper rather than shoot first time and the opportunity went begging.

Then England midfielder Ciaran Donnelly prized open the Spurs defence with a killer pass to release Jerome Watt but the speedy wide-man's shot was deflected into the side-netting.

After the break, the second half continued to follow a similar pattern as the game became increasingly scrappy.

But Spurs suddenly made the all-important breakthrough courtesy of a set-piece in the 62nd minute.

The Rovers defence failed to deal with a free-kick from the right and, as the ball dropped to Lee Barnard 10 yards out, he buried a shot past Kieron Renton.

Worse was then to come for the visitors as they gifted Spurs a second in similar circumstances three minutes later.

Again a right-wing free kick proved their undoing and there was that man Sutton to plant a powerful header past Renton to virtually book Spurs' place in the last four.

Rovers did create a couple of half chances late on but failed to convert them on what was a disappointing night all round.

ROVERS: Renton, Cole, Martin, Mc Eveley, Davey, Watt, Donnelly, Nelson, Morgan, Bell, Johnson. Subs: Gallagher (for Johnson, 63), Black (for Cole, 76), Bruce (for Davey, 76). Not used: Harkin, Drench

TOTTENHAM YOUTH...2 ROVERS YOUTH...0