Wilson Palacios' sending off proved costly for Tottenham as they conceded the late goals that keep alive Blackburn's hopes of Premier League survival.
The visitors were forced to play the final dozen minutes without midfielder Palacios, who collected two bookings inside 60 seconds, both for fouls on David Dunn. And that lack of discipline was the game changer, as Benni McCarthy and André Ooijer were both on target in the closing stages for what could prove to be a vital victory for Rovers.
Three minutes after Palacios' departure, Spurs failed to properly clear a Blackburn corner and Keith Andrews' long ball was helped on by the emergency striker Chris Samba for McCarthy to convert emphatically.
Three minutes remained when Blackburn completed the comeback after the Tottenham goalkeeper, Heurelho Gomes, had tipped over Stephen Warnock's strike and conceded a corner, and El-Hadji Diouf's delivery was forced over the line by Ooijer after Samba and Ledley King's near-post tussle seemed to put off Gomes.
Tottenham's first half opener had been shrouded in controversy, coming after 28 minutes following a flowing Spurs counter-attack, which saw Keane's pass free Aaron Lennon down the right. The England winger's centre struck the arm of Gaël Givet and, with his linesman motionless, referee Peter Walton immediately pointed to the spot.
The harsh decision by the official was compounded when Keane placed the ball off the penalty spot, at least a foot closer to the Blackburn goal and, despite Rovers' protests about the positioning, the Irishman calmly beat Paul Robinson low to the keeper's right.
Contentious as that opening goal may have been, it was no more than the visitors deserved on the balance of first half play. Robinson had saved brilliantly from Darren Bent and there were also threatening set-piece headers from Ledley King and Jonathan Woodgate.
In response, Diouf headed Morten Gamst Pedersen's hanging cross just wide, while Diouf's 21st minute effort was cleared off the line by Benoît Assou-Ekotto.
After the interval, and with Samba pressed into service up front because of injuries, McCarthy headed wide from six yards but there was no hint of the drama to come until the dismissal.
