A late Glenn Whelan goal secured a smash-and-grab win for Stoke City against Tottenham at White Hart Lane.
Simonsen in inspired form for Tony Pulis's Stoke
A late Glenn Whelan goal secured a smash-and-grab win for Stoke City against Tottenham at White Hart Lane.
Spurs enjoyed much of the possession during the game and had the better of the chances, but stand-in goalkeeper Steve Simonsen produced a string of excellent saves to deny Harry Redknapp's side.
James Beattie miraculously cleared off the line in the first half for Stoke, and it was just not meant to be for Spurs who dominated for long spells, as they were undone by a great strike from Whelan in the 86th minute.
With Aaron Lennon going off with injury with 15 minutes to go and Tottenham having no substitutions remaining, Stoke capitalised to secure their first win at White Hart Lane since 1977.
The Potters broke down the right and Ricardo Fuller showed great strength before setting up Whelan who struck a curling shot from the right side of the area past Gomes and in off the post.
An illness to Thomas Sorensen meant he was replaced by Simonsen in goal and Leon Cort was promoted to the substitutes' bench but the disruption did not affect the visitors at all.
Salif Diao's ball over the top gave Matthew Etherington an early sight of goal -
Kranjcar blocked the volley but Jonathan Woodgate took a boot to the face when he was needed to clear the danger at the far post.
Injury
On his first appearance of the season, it was Woodgate's only meaningful contribution as the knock forced him off before the quarter of an hour mark.
With Fabio Capello watching in the stands, Tom Huddlestone was looking to show range of passing, while Crouch gave an early example of how dangerous he is in the air.
Kranjcar's ball into the penalty area was hopeful but Crouch leapt above the
Stoke defence and forced Simonsen into a finger-tip as the ball looped towards the far post.
Aaron Lennon forced Simonsen into another save when he checked inside Andy Wilkinson, Robert Huth's replacement due to the centre-back's suspension, and curled an effort that would have found the top corner.
The England winger then provided a chance that required an acrobatic clearance from Beattie. Crouch got on the end of the cross and beat Simonsen with his lobbed header but Beattie hooked clear when most of the crowd thought the opener had been scored.
Kranjcar then hit the base of the post after latching onto Crouch's flick as
Spurs increased the pressure.
Republic of Ireland boss Giovanni Trapattoni also attended the game, with his skipper Robbie Keane forcing a save from Simonsen early in the second half.
Wilson Palacios slid the ball through to the Spurs skipper and Simonsen parried the effort away, with Ryan Shawcross and Wilkinson clearing as Crouch closed in.
Counter
Stoke were looking to pounce on the counter-attack and Pulis was jumping across the dug-out when Beattie had sight of goal from Etherington's cross but he could not direct his header.
At the other end, Beattie cleared another Crouch effort off the line and Vedran
Corluka could not connect when the rebound fell to him.
The hour of goalless football led to Redknapp replacing Keane with Roman
Pavlyuchenko.
Lennon headed down the tunnel after injuring his ankle, although he had to explain more than once to the bench that he could not carry on. Spurs played the rest of the game with 10 men.
The winner came four minutes from full-time when Ricardo Fuller held the ball up in the corner before tricking Benoit Assou-Ekotto and pulling the ball back for Whelan, the 57th-minute replacement for Rory Delap, to lash into the top corner off the post.
