Crouch hits treble for five-star Spurs

IRELAND captain Robbie Keane was on the scoresheet while Peter Crouch made the most of only his third start of the season by claiming a clinical hat-trick as Tottenham hammered Preston 5-1 at Deepdale last night.

Crouch made the most of his recall in the 14th minute when he dispatched Gareth Bale’s deep cross with a fine volley and Jermain Defoe effectively finished Preston off with a predatory header seven minutes before half-time but there were plenty more goals to come.

With 13 minutes remaining, Crouch tapped home Aaron Lennon’s low cross to add further gloss to a fine night for Spurs, who were given several scares by Alan Irvine’s high-flying Coca-Cola Championship outfit.

Preston lacked nothing in spirit, and pulled a goal back in the 83rd minute through substitute Chris Brown.

However, Spurs Keane added a fourth for Spurs with three minutes remaining and Crouch completed his treble with a cheeky back-heel in injury-time.

Meanwhile Everton were barely extended as they cruised into the fourth round of the Carling Cup with an emphatic defeat of an under-strength Hull side.

The tie was effectively settled in the opening 24 minutes as the Toffees powered ahead at the KC Stadium with goals from Ayegbeni Yakubu, Jo and Dan Gosling.

David Moyes’ men, finding their form after a poor start to the season, then eased off but took their goal tally to 11 in three games as Leon Osman added a fourth after 57 minutes.

Hull offered little although Kamel Ghilas, one of their better performers on a lacklustre night, hit the post in the search for a late consolation.

Elsewhere Gabriel Agbonlahor ensured Aston Villa avoided more Carling Cup humiliation with his third-minute goal sufficient to overcome Cardiff at Villa Park.

Villa had crashed out of the competition to lower-league opposition in three of the previous four seasons.

But Agbonlahor continued his hot scoring streak after linking up with fellow striker John Carew to seal a spot in the fourth round.

The England striker was on target for the fourth successive match to kill off the challenge of the gallant Bluebirds and seal a sixth straight win for Villa in all competitions.

But the future looks bleak for Villa midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker after he was not even named among the substitutes following his much-publicised training ground spat with Villa boss Martin O’Neill last week.

Villa Park was barely half-full despite the presence of 3,000-plus Cardiff fans but after three minutes the home side went ahead through Agbonlahor.

Carew was the creator with a run down the right flank before sending over a low cross.

Agbonlahor was first to react at the near post and his deft flick flew past his former Villa team-mate Peter Enckelman into the far corner of the net for what proved to be the winner.