Peter Crouch went from midweek villain to weekend hero with two goals as Tottenham beat a spirited Stoke to boost their pursuit of the top four.

Crouch was sent off in Tuesday's 4-0 loss at Real Madrid, but he headed Spurs into a 10th minute lead here.

Luka Modric's angled drive doubled the lead, but Matthew Etherington's superb solo goal narrowed the deficit.

Crouch headed his second before Kenwyne Jones' strike kept Stoke in the game, but further goals eluded both sides.

The victory is the perfect riposte for Spurs following their quarter-final first-leg loss to Real Madrid, which has - barring the most unlikely of second-leg turnarounds - ended their involvement in this season's Champions League.

This first Premier League win in five games for the north London club narrows the gap between them and fourth-placed Manchester City to three points and improved their chances of a second successive campaign in Europe's premier club competition.

The victory was fitting reward for a largely dominant home performance, but this was not without its flaws, which twice allowed the visitors to gain a foot-hold back into the game.

With 20 minutes gone it all seemed to be going according to plan as Harry Redknapp's side were rewarded for their fluency with a two-goal lead.

Crouch, who Redknapp publicly backed after his sending off in the Bernabeu, was perfectly placed to head in strike-partner Roman Pavlyuchenko's cross following a short corner.

Shortly after, the home side doubled their lead and again Russian Pavlyuchenko was involved, holding up the ball before laying off to the onrushing Modric, who skipped past Huth and fired in low between Stoke keeper Asmir Begovic's legs.

However, Spurs comfort would not last long as Stoke hit back in style.

Former Tottenham left-winger Etherington collected on the halfway line, clipped the ball past Michael Dawson and drove on towards the box. After holding off the attention of Tom Huddlestone, he slotted home superbly past Heurelho Gomes from an angle.

It was a goal Spurs' Players' Player of the Year nominee Gareth Bale would have been proud of.

Credit to the home side, who did not alter their attacking approach and they were rewarded for this just after the half hour when Crouch climbed at the back post to head home Huddlestone's cross.

The first half still had one further moment of magic though and it was the visitors who provided it, with a little help from the home side.

Bale dwelt on the ball, allowing Wilkinson to prod through to Jones. The striker turned and fired an unstoppable shot into the top corner of the net from 25 yards.

The away side should have been level early in the second half, but somehow Jon Walters conspired to hit a post from two yards with the goal at his mercy.

Granted the cross from Jones was delivered with pace and Gomes got the slightest of touches, but the striker should still have scored.

Jones continued to be a threat for Stoke, heading one effort wide of goal and forcing Gomes to tip over with a 25-yard drive.

The home side created chances of their own though to kill the game and thought they had done so when Begovic dropped the ball under pressure from Younes Kaboul and Pavlyuchenko hooked in.

However, referee Kevin Friend ruled that the Stoke keeper had been fouled.

Despite late Stoke pressure, Tottenham held on for what was a vital victory.