Tottenham 2-0 Aston Villa: Emmanuel Adebayor double ends goal drought as Harry Redknapp's Spurs go third

The Togolese striker had chances throughout the game to complete his hat-trick but his two goals ended a run of seven games without scoring.

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The visitors started the match the stronger and could have gone ahead inside the first minute.

Emile Heskey got on the end of a deep cross from Stilian Petrov but Kyle Walker did enough to prevent the striker heading the ball back to Darren Bent.

Rafael van der Vaart's clever trickery on the edge of the box nearly put through Adebayor but he put too much on his pass and it went harmlessly through to goalkeeper Shay Given.

Benoit Assou-Ekotto’s cross-field pass found Aaron Lennon who nipped past Stephen Warnock with ease. His cross was headed down, into the ground and wide by Adebayor - who should have really scored.

But he amends for his error shortly afterwards showing great technique in the six-yard box.

Younes Kaboul’s volley was deflected wide and from the resulting corner Adebayor scored with an over-head kick after Villa's defence fell asleep on the second ball back into the box by Gareth Bale.

Van der Vaart was causing the visitors all sorts of problems and he cracked one in from the corner of the box which thundered into the side netting and moments later his early long cross-field ball was almost volleyed goalwards by Adebayor but he just couldn’t control it and the attack fizzled out.

A few minutes later and Adebayor returned Van ver Vaart's favour and his first-time chip showed vision and awareness but lacked the finish.

Villa's main chance of the first half fell to goal-shy Emile Heskey who was put through by Gabby Agbonlahor but he opted to try and set up Bent rather than go for glory himself and the ball trickled out of play for a goal-kick.

  Standing tall | Adebayor led Spurs to victory with two goals

And his poor decision proved costly as Adebayor made it two shortly afterwards, courtesy of a Bale cross that was deflected up and over Given by defender James Collins and the Togolese forward had probably the easiest finish of the season when he tapped home from a yard.

Villa's response in the second half was over as soon as it started. Chris Herd crossed for Bent whose header was well saved by goalkeeper Brad Friedel for his first real test of the game.

Adebayor went close for his hat-trick on numerous occasions. He was sandwiched out by centre-back pairing Richard Dunne and James Collins and shortly after that Modric put the Togolese man through for a one-on-one situation but he could only shoot wide.

Walker thundered wide after great work from a short corner as Spurs started to dominate the second half.

Adebayor again went close for the hat-trick, his curling effort after Bale’s brilliant run through the middle of the park going narrowly past the far post.

He did have the ball in the back of the net but play had already stopped as Lennon was flagged for offside.

Spurs had chances after that but couldn't add to their tally and held on for what was a comfortable victory at White Hart Lane.