Crouch gives Spurs win over Blackburn

Peter Crouch hit a brace as Tottenham Hostpur earned a 2-0 win at Blackburn Rovers that put them in the top four of the Premier League.

The England striker netted in first-half injury time and with seven minutes left of an even match that highlighted Sam Allardyce's striking problems.

While Crouch was clinical, burying his three chances with one disallowed for offside, Rovers forward Benni McCarthy was unable to take two good opportunities and Franco Di Santo never looked like going close.

McCarthy was unfortunate not to equalise in the second half though, striking the post via the body of Heurelho Gomes after his brilliant chest-down played him clear, while skipper Ryan Nelsen somehow missed out on pulling back a late goal when his point-blank header managed to bounce over.

The heavy snow and blustery wind seemed to suit the hosts, who started brightly and initially pegged Spurs back.

Aside from a counter that saw Crouch play the ball just behind Jermain Defoe when the right pass would have put him through, Rovers attacked with intent and defended stoutly, with 19-year-old Canadian David Hoilett particularly bright.

Mostly playing on the left, the speedy striker drew cautionable challenges from Michael Dawson and Vedran Corluka as the visitors struggled to deal with Blackburn's direct approach.

The home side almost took a freak lead on 14 minutes when, after one such foul on Hoilett, McCarthy's left-wing free-kick landed on the top of the crossbar via a touch from Tom Huddlestone.

The once-maligned Gomes has become a key player in Tottenham's assault on the top four and he earned his coin again with a smart double save at the feet of Di Santo after the Argentine got clear of the visiting defence, although he seemed to lack confidence with his weak initial shot.

Spurs eventually got to grips with the conditions and settled into a deep-lying, counter-attacking rhythm that almost yielded an opener on 23 minutes, but Defoe fired wide of the far post after doing all the hard work to set up the shot.

Things got a bit scrappy, with hefty tackles flying in from both sides, while Michel Salgado accidentally copped Wilson Palacios's knee in the face and Gael Givet felt the force of a stray arm for which Defoe was lucky not to see a card.

Spurs got their break in the dying seconds of the half, and there was an air of luck to Crouch's opener.

The England striker started off the move with a superb knock-down that put Huddlestone in but, when his terrible finish threatened the corner flag, it seemed the chance was over.

But the ball stayed in play and Niko Kranjcar managed to dig out a hanging cross that Crouch used his towering height to rattle in off the crossbar.

That fairly even half was followed by a similar 45 minutes that Spurs had enough quality to edge again.

Five minutes in, Defoe almost fluked a second when Aaron Lennon's low cross struck his heel and flew just wide.

Then McCarthy had his chance when he rose in a crowded box to kill the ball with his chest and strike a low volley that seemed to be headed for the bottom left, but it stuck Gomes's hip and rattled off the post.

The loose ball was cleared from the lunging Di Santo by Sebastien Bassong, who denied McCarthy soon afterwards when Hoilett raced clear and played a low ball into the danger zone.

Gomes almost made a rare error when he fumbled Steven N'Zonzi's daisy-cutter but afterwards it was plain sailing for Spurs.

Crouch thought he had his second when he powerfully headed Lennon's cross into the bottom right but he was just offside, for once his long legs counting against him.

He sealed his double from a similar position though, just checking his run as he correctly gambled that substitute Robbie Keane - brought on despite allegedly organising a Christmas party behind boss Harry Redknapp's back - would slide in just ahead of Nelsen to nick a perfect centre to Crouch, who controlled the ball and fired into the left of Paul Robinson's goal.

Blackburn rallied late on as Spurs sat back.

Gomes made a smart stop from McCarthy and - from a Morten Gamst Pedersen corner - New Zealand defender Nelsen was mighty unfortunate to see his far-post header somehow bounce sharply enough to evade keeper and crossbar.

Spurs join Aston Villa in rising above Arsenal to fourth and third respectively, although the Gunners have two games in hand, while Rovers are 13th, just three points clear of the drop zone.

Eurosport