Tottenham 4 Stoke 0: Harry Kane hat-trick and Dele Alli smasher help Spurs soar past sorry visitors at White Hart Lane

HARRY KANE was the toast of White Hart Lane this afternoon as the Tottenham superstar smashed in another superb hat-trick to help crush Stoke 4-0.

Potters fans arrived in north London hoping to pile on the misery after Spurs were dumped out of the Europa League during the week.

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But a masterclass from Kane ensured Mauricio Pochettino left the pitch with a beaming smile as he opened the scoring with a fine effort in the 14th minute.

It marked his 100th career goal, but Kane was far from done as he doubled his side’s tally just after the half-hour mark.

The 23-year-old then ensured it was a day to remember when he scored his third via a deflected free-kick, making it three hat-tricks in his last nine outings.

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Kane still had enough in the tank to nab an assist in the dying moments of the first-half, teeing up Dele Alli for a confidence-boosting finish.

Spurs will now be hoping to put together a winning run starting with the visit of Everton next weekend before Millwall come knocking in the FA Cup quarter-finals.

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FACTS, STATS, GOALS AND LOLS

• Kane joined football’s century goals club. Ryan Shawcross was guilty of messing around with the ball inside the area, it fell to Kane and he shot through the Stoke defender’s legs and into the net. It was the 100^th goal of Kane’s club career – his 84^th for Spurs. More goals were to follow. .
• This also saw Kane become the first player since Jimmy Greaves to score over 20 goals in a season for Spurs. Not bad when you consider Kane also missed 10 matches through injury.
• Glenn Whelan was lucky to stay on the pitch after a two-footed tackle on Jan Vertonghen. Referee Jon Moss was in a charitable mood.
• Hugo Lloris delivered a brilliant save with his feet to deny Crouch. There would have been controversy had the ball gone into the net as Crouch was offside.
• Tottenham were in top form and it could have been 2-0 but Vertonghen’s shot rattled against the bar – while Kane went close again soon after. Kyle Walker then had a decent effort tipped over the bar.

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• Goal number two arrived and it was superb. Christian Eriksen delivered a corner and the ball took one bounce before Kane showed great technique to volley into the net on the edge of the box. Victor Wanyama also displayed great awareness by jumping and allowing the shot to pass through his legs.
• And again. Another hat-trick. In the space of 23 minutes. Eriksen touched a free-kick to Kane and his effort took a deflection off Peter Crouch and wrong-footed keeper Lee Grant. It was Kane’s third hat-trick in nine games. That also made it 17 Premier League goals of the season and brought him level at the top with Alexis Sanchez and Romelu Lukaku.
• Stoke would have been desperate for the half-time whistle to blow yet the humiliation continued in injury time. Kane flicked the ball around Bruno Martins Indi and then moved down the right before crossing for Dele Alli to score at the far post. More excellent football.
• Alderweireld went off early in the second half with an injury and Spurs fan took a deep breath when Kane headed wide in the 56^th minute but caught the post as he fell to the floor, needing treatment. Kane returned to the pitch to the delight of the fans. Pochettino shuold have taken him off.
• Crouch got an excellent reception by his former fans when being subbed although the supporters were not quite so kind to Saido Berahino, the replacement.
• Stoke fans started singing ‘Champions League and you f****d it up.’ Otherwise, they did not have a lot of sing about.

THE BIG PICTURE

Premier League

Tottenham next five fixtures

Everton (H): 5 Mar – PL

Millwall (H): 12 Mar – FA

Southampton (H): 19 Mar – Prem

Burnley (A): 1 Apr – PL

Swansea (A): 4 Apr – PL

Stoke next five fixtures

Middlesbrough (H): 4 Mar – PL

Man City (A): 11 Mar – PL

Chelsea (H): 18 Mar – PL

Leicester (A): 1 Apr – PL

Burnley (A): 3 Apr –PL

PA:Press Association

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DREAM TEAM RATINGS

Tottenham: Lloris 7, Dier 7, Alderweireld 6 (Wimmer 6), Vertonghen 7 (Winks 6), Walker 7, Wanyama 7, Dembele 7, Davies 7, Eriksen 8, Alli 8, Kane 10 (Son 6)

Subs not used: Janssen, Vorm, Trippier, Sissoko

Goals: Kane 14’ 32’ 37’, Alli 45’

Booked: Wimmer, Wanyama

Stoke: Grant, Bardsley 6, Shawcross 5, Martins Indi 6, Pieters 6, Whelan 5 (Cameron 6), Adam 5 (Afellay 6), Sobhi 6, Allen 6, Arnautovic 5, Crouch 5 (Berahino 6)

Subs not used: Muniesa, Diouf, Imbula, Given

Booked: Whelan, Adam, Arnautovic

STAR MAN: Harry Kane

SOCIAL SAYS

WHAT THEY SAID

Tottenham striker Harry Kane: "We wanted to get back to winning ways. What a first half that was. It was exactly what we needed.

"I tried to get my shots off -  I had luck with third one. I was going to shoot for the fourth but passed to Dele.

"I got told before the game on Thursday I was on 99 club goals - it's nice to get those kind of records. Hopefully another 100 in the next few years."