Tottenham Hotspur scored three second-half goals to comfortably overcome Fulham at Craven Cottage this afternoon.

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Fulham could have taken the lead on the counter-attack when Ashkan Dejagah squared for Kerim Frei, but the Turkish midfielder blazed over the top.

The home side again came close midway through the first half when John-Arne Riise was freed down the left and cut back for Mladen Petric, who forced a smart save out of Hugo Lloris.

The visitors took the lead 10 minutes after the break when defensive midfielder Sandro was given plenty of space 30 yards out and decided to let fly. The Brazilian's shot dipped just in front of Mark Schwarzer and somehow squeezed under the Australian's near-post dive.

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Spurs' star winger Gareth Bale was removed from the action after picking up a hamstring injury and his replacement Gylfi Sigurdsson set up the second.

The Icelandic playmaker twisted and turned down the left to open up some space and pick out Jermain Defoe to lash home from close range.

The England forward made it three 13 minutes from time when former Cottager Clint Dempsey slipped in Defoe, who calmly passed into the corner of the net.

West Brom's failure to win at Stoke means that Spurs climb into the top four while Fulham drop a place to 12th.

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