Spurs claim long-awaited victory

The win for Harry Redknapp's side was built on strikes by Aaron Lennon, Jermain Defoe and a header from Michael Dawson, before James Beattie pulled one back for the visitors after the interval.

The hosts were helped by Luka Modric pulling the strings in central midfield, allowing Spurs to pick up their first three points since winning at West Ham at the start of December.

Stoke had not won an away game in the top flight since 1984 and their hopes of ending that dismal run were effectively over in the space of 17 first-half minutes.

Spurs had lost their three previous games against promoted teams this season but Lennon settled the nerves with his strike in the eighth minute.

Defoe carried the ball forward, dragging Stoke's defence with him to the right before hooking the ball to Lennon on the right flank. Lennon raced into the area and buried his finish through the legs of Thomas Sorensen.

Spurs' second goal came in the 21st minute following a slick move that sliced through the visitors. Vedran Corluka cut in from the right then the ball fizzed between Didier Zokora, Modric and Roman Pavlyuchenko, who played Defoe through to smash in at the near post.

Spurs pulled clear in the 25th minute when Dawson headed in the third. Sorensen had tipped over David Bentley's free-kick but he could do nothing from the resulting corner when the ball was worked to Modric and his cross was thumped home.

Stoke grabbed a goal back in the 57th minute through Beattie - the seventh time in his career he has scored against Spurs and his first for the club since arriving from Sheffield United.

Etherington floated a ball over Spurs' defence and Beattie crashed his finish into the bottom corner.