Nacer Chadli halved the deficit with 14 minutes remaining, but a straight red card for Kyle Naughton shortly after hindered the Lilywhites on the comeback trail.

Bojan Krkic (L) of Stoke City celebrates with teammate Steve Sidwell of Stoke City after scoring the opening goal during the Barclays Premier League match against Spurs on November 9, 2014 © Getty Images

Questions over Spurs' defensive capabilities had dominated the build-up after the North London side laboured to a flattering 2-1 Europa League win at Asteras Tripolis on Thursday.

Tottenham did little to answer those questions when Bojan fired Stoke ahead after six minutes, running unchallenged from the halfway line before stroking past Hugo Lloris.

Harry Kane tried to respond for Tottenham but his header was easy held by Asmir Begovic before Ryan Mason fizzed in a low effort wide of the goal.

Ryan Shawcross then went close to doubling Stoke's lead on 28 minutes, heading narrowly wide from a corner on 29 minutes, before Mark Hughes's side did strike gold again four minutes later.

Mame Biram Diouf beat left-back Danny Rose before passing across goal for the unmarked Walters to tap home from close range.

Kane could, and perhaps should, have marked his first Premier League start with a goal after the hour mark, heading an Erik Lamela cross wide of the post from a good position.

Mauricio Pochettino's side continued to seek a route back into the corner, and would have found one if not for Begovic, who pulled off a fine save to thump away Lamela's free kick.

However, the hosts saw their perseverance rewarded moments later when Chadli volleyed home a Rose cross at the back post for his sixth Premier League goal of the season.

Nevertheless, their quest for an equaliser suffered a blow late on when Naughton was red carded for hauling down Victor Moses in front of goal to kill off Spurs's comeback bid.