Tottenham Hotspur showed their Premier League quality to beat Brighton 2-0 in the Capital One Cup fourth round.

Argentinean Erik Lamela opened the scoring after neat play with Roberto Soldado at the start of the second half.

Harry Kane netted with 15 minutes to play to send Spurs into the last eight.

Despite a flat first half, Mauricio Pochettino’s men found an extra gear in the second half and that was no small part to the introduction of Lamela at halftime.

Confusion in the Brighton penalty area from a Townsend corner almost gave Spurs an early lead. Harry Kane felt he should have had a penalty when he got the slightest touch from Inigo Calderon but ref Mark Clattenburg was having none of it.

The home side, who had lost their last two, continued to show their Premier League dominance but penetrating the Brighton backline was proving a tough task in the open exchanges.

The away team managed by Sami Hyypia, who was incensed his side were not given a spot kick after 28 minutes when an outswinging free-kick struck the arm of Kyle Naughton.

Pochettino made ten changes to the side that lost to Newcastle 2-1 and it was his side that edged closer to the first goal with Soldado forcing a save from goalkeeper Christian Walton from a tight angle.

Spurs continued to look for the breakthrough and Soldado was inches away from connecting with another good cross from Naughton that flicked the head of Kane.

Once the home side found the right link up play they had their lead.

Fantastic given-and-go between Soldado and substitute Lamela who was able to caress a right footed shot into the bottom corner after 53 minutes.

The home side were really finding their rhythm after the first goal as a chance for Kane and a tantalising cross along the six-yard box both went amiss in the following moments.

A lung bursting run from Jan Vertonghen started a fine counter attack and ended with Soldado thundering his shot onto the crossbar.

The visiting side pushing for an equaliser, left gaps for the Spurs attacking players to create chances and the goal was coming.

With 15 minutes remaining the game was over with Kane starting and finishing the move.

The tireless striker played a reversed ball into Townsend whose cross found Soldado at the front post but his shot was palmed away by Walton into the path of Kane who slid the ball home to get a deserved goal.

Pochettino will be impressed with his strikers’ work rate and urgency, something they desperately lacked against Newcastle.

Tottenham Hotspur: Vorm, Davies, Naughton, Vertonghen, Fazio, Townsend (Chadli 81’), Lennon (Lamela 45), Dembele, Stambouli, Kane (Paulinho 84’), Soldado

Scoreres: Lamela 53’ Kane 75’

Brighton & Hove Albion: Walton, Hughes, Dunk, Calderon, McCourt (Teixeira 66’), Chicksen, Colunga, Forster-Caskey (Gardner 66’), Holla, Ince, LuaLua (Mackail-Smith 88’)