Tottenham booked their place in the FA Cup fourth round but needed extra time to beat National League side Tamworth on Sunday afternoon.
Tottenham were the favorites for this encounter, but Andy Becks' underdogs proved to be a very stubborn opponent. The hosts were brave on set-pieces and encouraged TottenhamFrustration as the competition continues.
However, they were forced to pay the price for a few missed chances late on with the Premier League side eventually pulling away in extra time.
How the game unfolded
There was time for some modest theatrics before kick-off, which was delayed by a few minutes due to a problem with one of the nets. The sale tape was brought in and Zara sales associate (and Tamworth stand) Beck-Ray Enoru was on hand to complete the DIY task that allowed the trophy tie to get started.
Enoro was the early protagonist on the pitch with his lively bursts giving Pedro Porro something to think about. He forced Antonin Kinski into a save too early, as Spurs enjoyed Tommy Tonks' first experience of a long throw inside five minutes.
the Premier League The visitors initially struggled to cope with Tamworth's astronomically sloping turf which never allowed the ball to settle. The pitch exposed the technical limitations within Spurs' rotating formation, although James Maddison and Yves Bissouma were two of the players who adapted quickly and ensured the visitors' stability.
Maddison twice went close to opening the scoring and certainly looked better than most, but Jas Singh was on hand to deny the Tottenham captain. Meanwhile, Tamworth continued to maintain the threat through Enoro down the left flank, while Tonks' circus-like throws were a feature of the first half – even if Kinski dealt with them well.
Tamworth's hard work meant no opening goals came from the visitors in the opening period, and the game really started in 'bring your big guns' territory for Angie Postecoglou.
Tottenham's frustration seeped through in the second half as Singh again blocked Maddison's shot. However, Spurs moved through the gears, and began to create chances through Mickey Moore's trick from the left, but Tamworth were close to holding on as Hadden Hollis denied Timo Werner's header on the goal line before Singh made a good one-on-one save from the German. -one.
The hosts had their moments from set-pieces, but were unable to pounce on the second and third balls in the box after a series of brief chaos. More importantly, they remained well in the game as they entered the final 20 minutes. But Andy Beck's substitutions provided a second boost, and it was the underdog hosts who twice came close to pulling off a historic upset in second-half stoppage time.
But Spurs lived to see extra time.
The extended period proved to be a bridge too far for the non-league side as Spurs pulled away. The opener was as poor as the visitors' display, but it came after Dejan Kulusevski, Son Heung-min and Djid Spence joined the game. Kulusevski sent in a clinical second soon after before Brennan Johnson added some polish to the scoreline.
Check out the player ratings for Tamworth vs Tottenham here.
The Spurs headed into Sunday's game from behind Winning 1-0 On the best team in the country. 96 league places separate these two teams in a proper David vs. Goliath match in the FA Cup that did its best to showcase the magic of a rivalry that is supposed to be fading away.
We're all aware of the word “Spursy” and its connotations, and the latest iteration from Ange Postecoglou's team hasn't done enough to dispel that notion. They were heavy favorites here, but the Jekyll and Hyde nature of the team meant they were expected to struggle against National League opponents.
It was not easy to play on the surface and they did enough to win the match in 90 minutes. However, their performance would have raised more concerns than positives with the 'big guns' needed to pull away from National League contenders.
There was an outstanding performance from Yves Bissouma and the substitutes made the difference in the end, but the majority of Tottenham's players struggled to adapt to the unfamiliar environment, leaving them vulnerable to a major upset.
Spurs were below par in Tamworth, but perhaps they should have gotten the job done before extra time.
Madison's efforts, which were few, did not cross the threshold of “half-chances,” however Werner He was guilty of wasting a golden opportunity when he was put through by Brennan Johnson. The German, who struggled up front before drifting left, fired a low shot that allowed Jas Singh to make the save.
The confidence with which he currently operates means that very few people would have supported him as he pursued his Tamworth goal. Earlier, Werner had a good header that Hayden Hollis cleared off the goal line.
Werner's problems were not limited to his extravagance. On the field, the striker failed to provide technical security on the front line. Ange's sensational decision to withdraw Mickey Moore just after the hour mark left Spurs with two straight-line runners wide of the target in the final third of the first 90, and the home side struggled to investigate and create as a result.
When they're not intersecting with each other at the back, the contributions of Brennan Johnson and Werner are always under scrutiny.
Huddersfield and Burton Albion had already felt the wrath of Andy Becks' super-team, and this was Tottenham's turn to suffer.
This was perhaps the biggest occasion in Tamworth's history, with excitement rife but expectations low. Anyone associated with the club would have chopped off your hand for extra time before kick-off, and they came very close to completing an unexpected upset. Only two National League teams have beaten their Premier League opponents in this competition, and they were very close to becoming the third team.
While foreign pitches and Werner's problems have helped the home side, Tamworth deserve massive praise for their application. Hayden Hollis was impressive in defence, while Premier League scouts will no doubt conduct due diligence on Beck Ray Enoro in the aftermath. Jas Singh may have been tested less than expected, but he nonetheless made several big saves to ensure the cup tie was prolonged.
Extra time was a bridge too far, but Tamworth City will long remember the occasion with fondness. They took over one of the biggest clubs in the country along the way.
