Chris Armstrong took his goal tally for the season into double figures with a second half hat-trick as Spurs maintained their impreesive home record against Everton.

BBC Radio 5 Live's David Oates reports from White Hart Lane

The former Crystal Palace striker bade a temporary farewell to the White Hart Lane fans by marking his final game before serving a one-match ban with some precision finishing.

His goals came in a 18-minute spell after Les Ferdinand and Everton's Ibrahima Bakayoko had found the target in the first half.

Barmby on familiar territory

Everton have not won at Tottenham 14 years but manager Walter Smith took a positive approach by giving Nick Barmby his first start for three months against his former club.

Bakayoko rounds Darren Anderton

He operated 'in the hole' between the strikers and midfield and showed few signs of rustiness following a hernia operation.

The start offered only moderate fare but Ferdinand brought the Spurs supporters to life in the 24th minute by hooking the ball into the roof of the net after David Unsworth's defensive header rebounded off teammate Slaven Bilic.

A free header by Bakayoko brought Everton's equaliser but the Ivory Coast striker had to go off injured three minutes later and the visitors also lost Craig Short before the break.

Danny Cadamarteri and Alex Cleland came on as substitutes and Everton almost snatched the lead just before the break when Richard Dunne flashed a shot across the face of goal.

Ferdinand escapes

Tottenham could have found themselves down to ten men early in the second period when Ferdinand caught 'keeper Thomas Myhre with his elbow.

Referee Graham Poll decided the offence merited only a yellow card and the relieved home side went back in front after 63 minutes.

Darren Anderton won a tackle 30 yards from goal and chipped the ball forwards to Armstrong, who lifted the ball over Myhre and rolled it over the line.

His second was a simple finish after Ferdinand unselfishlessly laid it on a plate after both had broken away following a clearnace by sub Stephen Clemence.

Armstrong rounded off Tottenham's best home win since a 4-1 success against Manchester United almost two years ago when he crashed another Anderton pass into the Everton net with nine minutes to go.

Tottenham: Walker, Carr, Nielsen, Fox, Anderton, Ferdinand, Armstrong, Ginola, Sinton, Campbell, Young. Subs: Baardsen, Calderwood, Edinburgh, Iversen, Clemence.

Everton: Myhre, Ball, Dacourt, Unsworth, Collins, Barmby, Hutchison, Short, Bakayoko, Dunne, Bilic. Subs: Simonsen, Cleland, Grant, Oster, Cadamarteri.