NIKO KRANJCAR'S 77th-minute strike gave Tottenham a 2-1 victory at the Britannia Stadium this afternoon to deny ten-man Stoke, writes Mike Baggaley.

City came back from Eidur Gudjohnsen's 46th-minute opener and Dean Whitehead's 49th-minute red-card as Matthew Etherington levelled from the spot on 64 minutes.

Etherington swept the ball home in front of the Boothen End to spark a thrilling final half hour. Roared on by the Britannia in full voice, ten-man City pressed for the lead and almost claimed it through Ricardo Fuller.

But Kranjcar's strike edged Spurs towards the Champions League and left Stoke reflecting on what might had been had Whitehead not been given a second yellow card by referee Mike Dean for a challenge on Luka Modric.

Whitehehead's first-half booking, also for a foul on Modric, was a certain yellow card. But the second booking, for a mistimed challenge, was harsh as well as costly.

Stoke had made two changes, both to their strikeforce, as Dave Kitson and Ricardo Fuller came in to the starting line up for Mama Sidibe and Tuncay. There was no place for Ryan Shawcross who has completed a three-game ban but picked up an ankle injury in training.

Tottenham were the first to threaten when Sebastien Bassong rose to meet Gareth Bale's 11th-minute header, but the former Newcastle centre half was overstretching and sent his effort well wide.

But the home side came closer on 18 minutes when Niko Kranjcar's low, swerving strike from 20 yards was spilled by Thomas Sorensen. The ball rolled out towards Peter Crouch six yards from goal, but Sorensen recovered to dive forward and bravely claim the ball before Crouch could stab home the rebound.

Ricardo Fuller went into the book for a 19th-minute foul on Gareth Bale before Stoke began to threaten Heurelho Gomes's goal.

Rory Delap's 18-yard strike was blocked in the area, but the ball fell to Matthew Etherington on the left whose cross was glanced on by Dave Kitson. Abdoulaye Faye reacted first at the back post, but his eight-yard header flew narrowly wide.

Faye headed well over from Etherington's 25th-minute corner after rising highest at the back post as Stoke increased the pressure.

But Spurs remained a threat, even though Luka Modric sent a 20-yard curler well wide and Roman Pavlyuchenko's 30-yard effort was struck too close to Sorensen on 31 minutes.

Whitehead went into the book for a foul on Modric, before Pavlyuchenko picked up a knock and was replaced by Eidur Gudjohnsen on 36 minutes, just as Stoke began to hammer at the Tottenham defence once more.

Kitson's strong run and dangerous low cross was patted away by Gomes, in between Delap and Whitehead, either of whom would have put the loose ball into the gaping net.

But Bale appeared to have got past Faye and through on goal on 45 minutes, only to be denied by a perfectly-timed challenge from the Stoke defender just as he was about to shoot.

But Faye was beaten 20 seconds after the restart when Crouch hooked the ball over the Stoke defence. Faye and Gudjohnsen battled for the ball and the Icelander just held off the Stoke skipper to lash the ball left-footed into the roof of the net.

The afternoon went from bad to worse for Stoke on 49 minutes when Whitehead received his second yellow card, again for a foul on Modric.

Tony Pulis reorganised by moving Kitson back to right midfield in a 4-4-1 formation, in the hope that Kitson and Etherington could get forward from the wings to support Ricardo Fuller. But Modric's 20-yard side-footed effort was smothered by Sorensen as Spurs pressed for a killer second goal.

Danny Higginbotham flung himself at Niko Kranjcar's strike to block the shot 12 yards from goal before Benoit Assou-Ekotto had a 25-yard drive deflected just wide.

Spurs were in charge, but that didn't stop left back Assou-Ekotto having a row with his own right back Vedran Corluka. Assou-Ekotto shoved his team mate in the chest before the pair were lectured by the referee.

Crouch's shot was saved by Sorensen at the near post,as Spurs tried to finish Stoke off, but City hit back on 64 minutes.

Danny Collins curled in a cross from the left and Assou-Ekotto climbed over Kitson to try to get to the ball. Mike Dean pointed to spot for a shove and Etherington sent Gomes the wrong way, sweeping the ball into the keeper's bottom-left corner

Stoke almost took the lead on 70 minutes when Higginbotham's attempted shot sliced across goal to Fuller who was unmarked at the back post. The striker looked certain to score from six yards, but the ball bobbled, causing him to sky his shot into the Boothen End.

But Spurs re-took the lead on 77 minutes when Assou-Ekotto's cross from the left was dummied by Gudjohnsen. The ball ran to Kranjcar who hammered a right-footed strike past Sporensen from 16 yards.

Stoke made a double change on 84 minutes as Sidibe replaced Kitson and Tuncay came on for Glenn Whelan.

But Tottenham threatened a third on 86 minutes when Bale's angled drive from 18 yards flew just wide of the far post.

Stoke refused to concede defeat and piled forward. Sidibe had a 90th-minute chance to level as he raced onto Bassong's poor back header, but the striker slipped before he could try to prod the ball past Gomes.

STOKE 1 (Etherington, 64)

TOTTENHAM 2 (Gudjohnsen, 46, Kranjcar, 77)

STOKE CITY:

Sorensen, Huth, Faye, Higginbotham, Collins, Delap, Whelan (Tuncay, 84), Whitehead, Etherington, Fuller, Kitson (Sidibe, 84).

Subs: Begovic, Lawrence, Pugh, Wilkinson, Moult.

TOTTENHAM: Gomes, Corluka, Dawson, bassong, Assou-Ekotto, Kranjcar (Livermore, 90), Modric, Kaboul, Bale, Pavlyuchenko (Gudjohnsen, 36), Crouch.

Subs: Alnwick, Palacios, Dervite, Parrett, Townsend.

Yellow:

Stoke: Fuller, 19, Whitehead, 32, 49.

Spurs: Corluka, 87

Red:

Stoke: Whitehead, 49.

Referee: Mike Dean

Attendance: 27,575