Crouch double puts Tottenham in party mood

Peter Crouch put Tottenham’s stars back in boss Harry Redknapp’s good books as his double secured a 2-0 win at Blackburn on Saturday.

Just a day after it was revealed that the majority of Redknapp’s squad had defied his ban on Christmas parties by jetting off to Dublin for a secret bash, Crouch put the focus back on the players’ on-field activities.

Redknapp has admitted he will read the riot act to his players on Monday for such a public flouting of his rules, but he may soften his punishment after a victory which kept the north London club on course for a top four finish.

Blackburn were the better team for long periods at Ewood Park, but Crouch put Spurs ahead on the stroke of half time. And the England forward, who only had two Premier League goals before Saturday, buried a late chance to wrap up the victory.

Blackburn’s winless run in the league is now extended to six matches, a spell that has seen them score just one goal.

Recalled South African striker Benni McCarthy immediately went close with a thumping free kick that went just wide.

Slack defending from former Spurs star Pascal Chimbonda almost let Tottenham in, but Crouch pulled the ball back behind an un-marked Tom Huddlestone, who would only have had to roll the ball into an empty net.

Franco Di Santo wasted a great opportunity when Michael Dawson failed to make decent contact to clear McCarthy’s cross, only for the on-loan Chelsea forward to drill well wide.

Just before the quarter of an hour, McCarthy’s whipped free kick looped up off Aaron Lennon and bounced off the cross bar and over.

Midway through the opening period, Jermain Defoe passed up a good opening when he was picked out by Niko Kranjcar and burst into the Blackburn area only to fire wide of Paul Robinson’s goal.

After Huddlestone robbed Australian midfielder Vince Grella he tore into the Blackburn half but, frustrated at the lack of options ahead of him, hit well over from distance.

Gomes was worked once again when McCarthy lobbed in a cross from the right and Di Santo controlled the ball on his chest only to be denied by the Spurs goalkeeper.

As the interval approached, McCarthy just missed the target with a dipping shot from 25 yards.

But in first-half added time, Spurs took the lead when Huddlestone’s wild shot almost went out for a throw, but Kranjcar crossed in from the right and Crouch headed in off the bar at the near post.

Blackburn’s poor luck continued when Grella crossed into the area and McCarthy took the ball on his chest and beat Gomes with a low shot that hit the post and ran across the goal line before being hacked clear.

Di Santo also cut in from the right and had a drilled effort held by Gomes as the pressure continued from Blackburn.

Gomes then denied Steven Nzonzi, just managing to block the French midfielder’s stinging drive.

But after the frenzy of the early stages of the second period, the hosts were growing more and more frustrated and substitute Morten Gamst Pedersen illustrated that by slicing wide from 25 yards.

Tottenham made Rovers pay as they ruthlessly doubled their lead with eight minutes remaining.

Substitute Robbie Keane, the alleged ringleader of Tottenham’s Christmas party plot, clipped the ball down the line and Jermaine Jenas just managed to flick it into the path of Crouch, who fired into the corner of the net.