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A superb three-goal first-half display earned Tottenham a deserved win over fellow relegation strugglers Stoke.

Aaron Lennon opened the scoring in the eighth minute from 12 yards before Jermain Defoe doubled the lead on 21 minutes after a fine passing move.

Michael Dawson added the third three minutes later when he headed in Luka Modric’s left-footed cross.

Stoke clawed a goal back on 56 minutes when James Beattie beat Carlo Cudicini with a well-struck shot from 12 yards.

Highlights – Click Here

Stoke Goal – Click Here

The first-half performance was what the success-starved Spurs fans have been demanding all season, although their team took full advantage of an incompetent back four incapable of coping with the movement of Defoe, Roman Pavlyuchenko and the outstanding Luka Modric.

Croatia international Modric was at the heart of Tottenham’s industry, providing encouraging signs of recovery as Spurs moved clear of the bottom three.

The defeat, however, leaves Stoke languishing in the bottom three and still searching for their first away victory of the season.

THIS SEASON’S REVERSE FIXTURE

Stoke City 2-1 Tottenham Hotspur

19 October 2008 – Ref: Lee Mason
Stoke scorers: Higginbotham 19 pen, Delap 53
Spurs scorer: Bent 25
Sent Off: Bale (Spurs) 17, Dawson (Spurs) 90