Tottenham Hotspur 3-1 Stoke City

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Failure to turn up for the first half hour was Stokes downfall at White Hart Lane last night, as Harry Redknapps Spurs side eased past the Potters, who are now ten games without a win. A 25 minuted blitz from the North Londoners meant Stoke went into half time an embarra sing 3-0 down, the goals coming from Aaron Lennon, Jermain Defoe and Michael Dawson. The Stoke performance was marginally improved in the second period, James Beattie adding a hint of respectibilityto the scoreline for Stoke withhis first goal for the club, but it truth it was a mere consolation, only papering over the large cracks apparent after a very poor showing. Great credit has to be given to Tottenham though, who looked a vastly improved side to the one which lost 2-1 at Stoke in October, and one that will no doubt begin to climb away from the relegation zone, boosted by January additions. Stoke bo s Tony Pulis, whorecently won the dubious honour ofWorst Dre sed Premier League Managerkept faith with the same side which had come so close to gaining a fantastic result at Chelsea ten days before, but ultimately left with nothing, naming an unchanged team, which is something of a rarity for Stoke this season. Redknapp  Denis Savard Jersey named goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini, signed from Chelsea on Monday in his starting line-up for the first time, while big money signing Defoe partnered Dylan Strome Kids Jersey  Roman Pavlyuchenko in attack, forming a potent strike duo. Stoke were on the back foot from the start, with diminutive Croatian midfielder Luka Modric, who had arguably his best ever game in a Spurs shirt,curling an effort just wide inside three minutes. It seems that this was a precursor for things to come, as five minutes later the hosts were ahead, Lennon picking up Defoes pa s on the left wing and running at usually ferocious Stoke full-back Andy Wilkinson, who showed out of character hesitation in making a challenge, which allowed Lennon to spurt past him, evade the last ditch slide of Abdoulaye Faye, who again captained Stoke, before striking the ball acro s Thomas Sorensen and into the net.Lennon gives Spurs the lead With the score still 1-0, Stokes best chance of the half came just before the twenty minute mark, with winger Matthew Etherington whipping in a dangerous ball from a free-kick wide in the right channel. Centre-back Ryan Shawcro s met the ball, but after scoring eight goals in the Championship last season, his search for a first top-flight strike continues, as he headed narrowly over the frame of Cudicinis goal. From this point on it was all Tottenham, and their advantage was soon doubled. Following some good football in midfield by the hosts, who were looking cla sy and confident, Pavlyuchenko set Defoe clear on goal with a clever reverse past through the static Stoke defence, the England striker making no mistake with the finish, firing past Sorensen at Patrick Kane Jersey  the near post for his second goal against Stoke this season, having also scored for former club Portsmouth against the Potters three months ago.Defoe powers home the second A desperate situation became even worse on 25 minutes, Michael Dawson, who had been sent off late on in the return fixture for a late lunge on Mamady Sidibe, rising highest to head home from an excellent Modric cro s, much to the delight of the home fans who had had only one goal to cheer in their previous four league matches. As half time neared, Wilkinson and Sorensen were to thank for keeping the scoreline at just three, first Wilkinson clearing a goalbound low effort off the line, then Sorensen saving well from a long-range David Bentley free-kick. In rare forays forward, both Glenn Whelan and Richard Cre swell were denied for Stoke by Cudicini, who had an impre sive debut for Spurs, and seemed on line for a clean sheet as referee Mike Riley, AKA Mr. Finicky, blew the whistle for half time. Pulis made two half time substitutions, though it is unclear if they were made on tactical grounds or whether the players coming off had suffered knocks, Abdoulaye Faye being replaced by Senegalese compatriot Ibrahima Sonko, who has been linked with a move to Birmingham this week, and Wilkinson making way for club captain Andy Griffin. just three minutes into the half, Stoke opted for another change, bringing on top scorer Ricardo Fuller who has finished has three match suspension after lashing out at Griffin a month ago, in place of Amdy Faye, another Stoke player who has suitors, with Portsmouth allegedly sniffing around. Though Tottenham were the better side for the opening stages of the half, James Beattie struck in the 57th minute to give the Potters a chink of hope. The former England man was brilliantly picked out by Etherington and Slater Koekkoek Kids Jersey  controlled well before striking the ball past Cudicini from a tight angle.Beatties first goal for the club was one of only two bright points for Stoke on the night, the other being West Broms 5-0 defeat to Manchester United. In Beattie, I truly believe we have made an excellent signing, he will without doubt score many more goals for us. Po sibly his goals will keep us up, po sibly we will go down and he will again be prolific in the Championship, either way I see him as a great buy, and with the huge prices being payed for players at the moment, (14 million for Bellamy being an obvious example) a bargain for 3.5 million as well.Beattie scores, then celebrates, albeit tamely,his first Stoke goal As the half wore on, each side had half chances, with Lennon shooting wide from a good position for Spurs, while Bentley and Modric also went close. Richard Cre swell then had a chance to score his first Premier League goal for seven years for Stoke, but he headed wide of Cudicinis right hand post after being well picked out by Etherington. On the whole, it was another very disappointing evening in the capital, where the Potters have lost every game for over a year. Stoke remain nineteenth in the table, and seem destined for a long relegation fight, though things remain very tight in the lower reaches of the league. In his post-match interview, Tony Pulis admitted much more was needed from his side, and the home game against Manchester City on the Saturday is the perfect time to make amends for recent disappointments. Hopefully a new face or two will have arrived at the club in time for that one.Stoke Side: (4:4:2)SorensenWilkinson Shawcro s Abdoulaye Marcus Kruger Men Jersey  Faye Higginbotham Delap Amdy Faye Whelan Etherington Beattie Cre swellSubstitutions: Sonko for Abdoulaye Faye & Griffin for Wilkinson (46), Fuller for Amdy Faye (48)Subs Not Used: Simonsen, Kitson, Pugh, LawrenceAttendance: 36,072