Tottenham's 11-match unbeaten league run ended as Matthew Etherington scored twice against his old club to hand Stoke a third straight league win.<br /><br />One of four former Spurs players to feature for the hosts, Etherington tapped in to open the scoring.<br /><br />He doubled the lead with a scuffed strike from Ryan Shotton's long throw before Emmanuel Adebayor converted a penalty after a foul on Luka Modric.<br /><br />Tottenham pushed for an equaliser but faded once Younes Kaboul was sent off.<br /><br />It was a harsh dismissal for a second yellow card and Spurs were also aggrieved with several other decisions by referee Chris Foy.<br /><br />Peter Crouch appeared to handle in the build-up to Etherington's opener, Ryan Shawcross cleared a Kaboul shot off the line at 2-1 and, in the scramble that followed, Adebayor saw a strike incorrectly ruled out for offside.<br /><br />Jermain Defoe also felt one of his shots was blocked by a hand.<br /><br />The defeat stops Tottenham's winning streak in the league at six games and leaves them five points behind second-placed Manchester United with a game in hand.<br /><br />Stoke have been in impressive form in recent weeks and are now up to eighth in the table.<br /><br />Their previous two league meetings with Spurs at the Britannia ended in defeat but they made the more purposeful start on this occasion - with Crouch, Etherington, Jonathan Woodgate and eventual substitute Wilson Palacios up against their old team.<br /><br />There was no place in the side for Rory Delap but long-throw duties fell to Shotton and he proved a highly capable replacement.<br /><br />Only 37 seconds were on the clock when his looping delivery was cleared to Etherington and the 30-year-old's volley drew a diving save from Brad Friedel.<br /><br />Clearly aware of their opponents' strength in central midfield - where Scott Parker, Modric and Rafael van der Vaart have formed one of the division's more fearsome trios - Stoke looked to attack from wide areas at every opportunity.<br /><br />The tactic paid off when Shotton's cross was flicked by Jon Walters to Crouch and
