Redknapp Left Raging as Spurs' Run Ends at Stoke

Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp was unable to hide his frustration with referee Chris Foy after watching his team lose ground in the English Premier League title race.

Spurs old boy Matthew Etherington's first-half double was sufficient to earn Stoke a 2-1 victory at the Britannia Stadium on Sunday, ending a run of 10 wins and a draw from their previous 11 top flight matches for Redknapp's team.

Tottenham remain third but Chelsea now have the opportunity to climb above them with victory over leaders Manchester City on Monday -- something Redknapp felt could have been avoided but for Foy's controversial decisions.

Although the Merseyside official awarded Spurs a penalty, converted by Emmanuel Adebayor, for a foul on Luka Modric, he twice missed handballs on the line by Ryan Shawcross and Dean Whitehead.

Foy also ruled out a legitimate Adebayor goal despite the on-loan striker being clearly played onside by Marc Wilson.

"Unfortunately, a couple of decisions he got completely and utterly wrong," Redknapp said of Foy.

"Yes I told him (Foy) so. I never go and talk to referees after a game, I accept defeat, I never complain about referees’ decisions, I have not done it in 30 years of management, never, but, I’m afraid, he got some badly wrong.

"The referee hasn't made mistakes because he meant to -- he's an honest guy, but he had a bad day.

"So did the linesman who missed Adebayor being two yards onside -- he'll look at it on TV when his wife's making him a bacon sandwich and he'll think 'what have I done there?'."

Spurs will need to quickly dust themselves down for Thursday's Europa League meeting with Shamrock Rovers in Dublin where, as well as winning themselves, they will need Rubin Kazan to lose and a six-goal swing in goal difference if they are to pinch a spot in the knockout phase.

"I told the players we were poor first half," Redknapp added. "We couldn't handle their long throws into the box, it caused panic, and they deserved to be in front, first half, no doubt about that.

"But we switched it around half-time, went with three at the back, two wing-backs, and in the second half we battered them.

"You just need a couple of decisions to go your way. We've had a bit of luck in some of the games we've won. Fulham battered us and we hung on for grim life.

"In the first half at West Brom we didn't play great, but in the second half we murdered them a bit like here."

Stoke manager Tony Pulis would not be drawn on the incidents.

"If they were penalties, they were penalties, you have to decide that," he said.

The Welshman though was thrilled to take three points from a team he insists very much remain title contenders.

"With that pace and power, Harry is very close to having a team that could win the championship.

"What they've got, it's formidable to play against. They have so much quality. They are the form team in the Premier League."