Peter Crouch scored a hat-trick as Tottenham advanced with a 5-1 victory over Preston.
Striker scores hat-trick as Preston are crushed 5-1
Peter Crouch scored a hat-trick as Tottenham advanced to the fourth round of the Carling Cup with a 5-1 victory over Preston.
The Championship side posed problems for a much-changed Spurs side but in the end they were hammered after a stunning display of finishing from the visitors at Deepdale.
Crouch broke the deadlock on 14 minutes and Jermain Defoe made it 2-0 before half-time.
There were plenty more goals to come in the closing stages as Crouch grabbed his second after 77 minutes, only for Chris Brown to quickly respond for Preston.
Robbie Keane got in on the act with three minutes to go and Crouch completed his treble just before the final whistle
Spurs, who won the competition under Juande Ramos in 2008 and reached the final last term, could have fallen behind inside the opening minute when recalled goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes' poor clearance was knocked back into the danger zone.
Jon Parkin swivelled to strike a low right-foot shot that was deflected out for a corner, but that ultimately served as a wake-up call.
They soon began to stamp their class on proceedings and Giovani dos Santos was desperately unlucky not to score in the fifth minute.
Gareth Bale glided into space inside the left channel and found the unmarked Mexican lurking 12 yards from goal.
Giovani showed delightful footwork to turn and smash a fierce left-foot shot against the crossbar with Preston goalkeeper Andy Lonergan a grateful spectator.
In the eighth minute, Gomes showcased his shot-stopping ability with a fine save down to his left after Billy Jones greeted Michael Hart's cross with a firm header.
Clinical
In the 14th minute, Spurs led with a goal from Crouch that was simple yet so clinical in its execution.
Bale, revelling in the space afforded to him down the left flank, swung in another teasing delivery and Crouch arrived unmarked at the far post to power a right-footed volley into the net off a post.
Three minutes later, Giovani, still feeling the effects of an earlier challenge, decided he could no longer continue and was replaced by England winger Aaron Lennon.
Preston responded in the 25th minute when Parkin's 25-yard drive was tipped over the bar by Gomes.
The hosts continued to probe but Defoe put Spurs 2-0 ahead in the 37th minute when he showed nimble footwork on the edge of the 18-yard box and struck a fierce shot goalwards.
Lonergan made a fine parried save but Defoe followed up with a firm header into the empty net from around 10 yards out.
Preston almost struck on the stroke of half-time when Parkin's rising shot zipped narrowly over the bar.
Preston nearly found themselves 3-0 down in the 56th minute when Lennon wriggled clear down the right flank and cut the ball back for Tom Huddlestone 18 yards from goal.
His low strike flashed through a packed area but Lonergan was again equal to the task as he tipped the ball around his left-hand post.
Moments later Lonergan palmed away a shot from Defoe but Gomes was forced into a brilliant save to repel Ross Wallace's curling free-kick in the 69th minute.
Lennon unselfishly fired low across the face of goal for Crouch to tap home his second but Preston refused to surrender and were rewarded with six minutes remaining when substitute Brown swept the ball into the net from close range.
It was not nearly enough for the Lancashire outfit as Spurs added a fourth when Keane sauntered clear and fired past an exposed Lonergan.
The impressive Lennon then crossed low for Crouch to back-heel in the first minute of added time as Tottenham romped home in style.
| Preston North End |
Team Statistics |
Tottenham Hotspur |
| 1 |
Goals |
5 |
| 0 |
1st Half Goals |
2 |
| 6 |
Shots on Target |
9 |
| 7 |
Shots off Target |
6 |
| 2 |
Blocked Shots |
5 |
| 3 |
Corners |
6 |
| 9 |
Fouls |
7 |
| 0 |
Offsides |
3 |
| 1 |
Yellow Cards |
1 |
| 0 |
Red Cards |
0 |
| 47.9 |
Possession |
52.1 |
|
