It had to be a City fan who ended the dream.

Peter Crouch, born in Macclesfield into a family of Blues, popped up eight minutes from the end of an a thrilling game to deliver the coup de grace to hopes that Eastlands will stage Champions League football next season.

It was a sure sign that, for all the money and ambitious intent which new owners have brought to the Blues, they can still be dogged by the cruellest of ironies.

But the truth is that Spurs deserved the win, giving as good as they got in a first half of punch and counter-punch, and then proving the more dangerous attacking force in the second half.

Spurs have been ropey travellers all season, and the wall of noise and sky blue colour which greeted them as they came down the tunnel must have caused a knee or two to tremble.

Several of their players were glancing nervously towards the South Stand where their fans were housed, as if to seek reassurance that they weren’t about to be swallowed up by this monster reception.

Timely

City fans had been pumped up by the sight of Paul Dickov and Nicky Weaver on the pitch beforehand, a timely reminder that this result is not the end of the world.

Ahead of a game which could have catapulted the Blues to untold heights, they were saying thank you to two men who, 11 years ago this month, rescued them from previously unplumbed depths.

Those two honest journeymen gazed down on the scene as the 21st century City took the field, all superstars and pound signs on the teamsheet.

On that sheet, Mancini plumped for the more dynamic Gareth Barry above Patrick Vieira in his team selection – a shame for the Frenchman, who had his best game for the Blues in the win over Villa.

Other than that, the Italian stuck by the side that sank Martin O’Neill’s side on Saturday, when Barry was missing with a hamstring problem.

It was Barry who had the first attempt on goal, after Craig Bellamy had sped past Younes Kaboul on the left flank.

The Blues were responding to the electric atmosphere early on, and Tevez hustled and bustled his way into the Spurs area from a deft aerial backheel by Emmanuel Adebayor.

It was a bright start from the Blues but the defensive wobbles which have troubled them all season paid a visit on 18 minutes.

Crash

Wayne Bridge gave away an unnecessary free kick on the City left and Gareth Bale’s vicious free kick found Peter Crouch stooping at the far post to crash a header against the post.

The visiting fans were celebrating two minutes later when Ledley King rose high to head home from a corner, but he had used Barry’s shoulder for leverage and referee Steve Bennett was spot on in ruling it out.

The game was a stunner, and Adam Johnson almost produced a fitting opening goal when a corner was half-cleared to him. He struck his shot beautifully but Heurelho Gomes leapt to his left to beat it away.

Johnson then almost forced Gareth Bale into an own goal, Gomes again coming to Spurs’ rescue, while Kolo Toure fired a free header over the bar from the resulting corner, possibly the best City chance up to that point.

But Spurs were intent on winning it as well, and when Bale’s volley from a Crouch knock-down bounced off the hoardings and into the back side of the net, the Spurs fans at the far end thought they had taken the lead – it was another close thing for the Blues.

Tevez almost rounded off a breathless, non-stop first half in perfect style, firing into the side netting after Barry had led a cavalry charge from his own half and teed up the little Argentine.

We might have expected the two managers to demand a more measured, more cagey start to the second half, as the tension mounted, but this game had a momentum of its own.

And again it was City forcing the pace. Johnson teased a cross to the far post for Barry, with the goal gaping, but the angle was just too tight and his volleyed cross was scrambled away by a stretched Spurs defence.

It was his last attacking action – moments later he limped off after tripping over teammate Nigel de Jong as both tried to cover an Aaron Lennon raid. Vieira replaced him and was straight into the thick of the action.

He was involved in a midfield melee in which Tom Huddlestone was lucky to escape with a yellow card after trying to stamp on de Jong’s leg.

For all Spurs’ attacking intent, Blues keeper Marton Fulop was tested for the first time on 55 minutes, when Jermaine Defoe raced clear. He shot across the big Hungarian keeper, who flung out a hand and turned the ball round the post for a fine save.

Shot

That was the beginning of Spurs’ best spell – no-one could accuse Harry Redknapp of playing for a draw.

Defoe and Crouch both slid in but failed to connect with Assou-Ekotto’s cross by inches, as Blues fans’ hearts shot into their mouths once more.

Tottenham were gaining control in the second half, with City unable to find any killer passes, and again Fulop came to the rescue, pulling off a tremendous save with his legs when Crouch seemed certain to score.

With eight minutes left, Crouch did score. Substitute David Bentley hammered in a cross-shot which Fulop could only claw into the air, and the England man bent his gangling frame to force a header home.

Fulop still had time to pull off a great save from Roman Pavlyuchenko, one of several for the emergency keeper.

Four years ago, Spurs blamed a dodgy lasagne for missing Champions League qualification, when several players fell ill before a vital game.

This time it was City who were sick to the stomach.