The Premier League game between Blackburn Rovers and Tottenham Hotspur at Ewood Park on Saturday Dec 19 2009.
A typically tumultuous week for Tottenham ended with Peter Crouch scoring twice to secure a win at Blackburn that Harry Redknapp's side barely deserved to strengthen belief that they can force their way into the Champions League for next season.
Redknapp is still furious with his players for holding a secret Christmas party but they secured a second straight victory to keep them right in the hunt for a top four spot.
Crouch, who had only scored twice in the league before the game at Ewood Park, provided both goals, heading his team in front in first-half added time and then killing the game with a clinical finish with eight minutes left.
Blackburn, who had scored just once in their previous five matches, regularly showed why they have struggled so badly for goals in recent weeks and even though Franco Di Santo and Benni McCarthy combined well in attack, they never looked like translating their first-half dominance into a lead.
McCarthy missed with an early free kick and on-loan Chelsea forward Di Santo was wasteful from 10 yards after Michael Dawson failed to clear from a McCarthy cross.
A free kick from McCarthy deflected off Aaron Lennon and looped onto the bar and away and after Jermain Defoe failed to hit the target from a clever Niko Kranjcar pass and Blackburn youngster Junior Hoilett skipped away from Dawson's challenge before having a low shot saved by Heurelho Gomes.
The hosts' best opening of the first half came when McCarthy clipped into the area and Di Santo shot on the turn, only for Gomes to save with his body.
And as the interval approached, McCarthy just missed the target with a dipping shot from 25 yards but in added time before the break, Crouch gave the visitors the lead.
But in first-half added time, Spurs took the lead when Huddleston's wild shot from distance almost went out for a throw but Kranjcar crossed in from the right and Crouch headed in off the bar and post for his third league goal of the season.
Blackburn continued to pile forward after the restart and from Vince Grella's cross, McCarthy took the ball on his chest and beat Gomes with a low effort that rebounded off the post and was hacked away by Sebastien Bassong.
Di Santo and Steven Nzonzi were also denied by Gomes as Tottenham were forced deeper and deeper but in the closing stages they broke clear, with Robbie Keane picking out fellow substitute Jermaine Jenas to guide through for Crouch to fire into the corner of Paul Robinson's net.
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