Tottenham secured their place in the fourth round of the FA Cup but needed extra time to beat National League side Tamworth on Sunday afternoon.
Spurs were the overwhelming favorites in this clash, but Andy Peaks’ underdogs proved to be extremely stubborn opponents. The hosts showed courage from set pieces and were encouraged by Tottenham’s frustration as the game progressed.
However, they were made to pay for a few missed chances late on as the Premier League side eventually pulled away in extra time.
How the game developed
There was time for a few modest theatrical performances before kick-off, which was delayed by a few minutes due to a problem with one of the nets. The tape was out and Zara salesman (and Tamworth winger) Beck-Ray Enoru was on hand to complete the DIY work that allowed the cup game to begin.
Enoru was the first protagonist on the pitch and his lively jumps gave Pedro Porro something to think about. He forced a very early save from Antonin Kinsky and within five minutes Spurs were enjoying their first long-range experience with Tommy Tonks.
The Premier League visitors initially struggled to cope with Tamworth’s sloping artificial turf, which never allowed the ball to settle. The surface showed the technical limitations within Spurs’ rotating eleven, although James Maddison and Yves Bissouma were two who acclimatized quickly and ensured the visitors settled in.
Maddison twice came close to breaking the deadlock and certainly looked superior to the others, but Jas Singh was there to parry the Tottenham captain. Tamworth, meanwhile, continued to maintain their threat through Enoru on the left, while Tonks’ circus-like throws were a feature of the first half – although Kinsky handled them well.
Tamworth’s hard work resulted in the visitors failing to take the lead in the early stages and the game began with Ange Postecoglou “bringing in her big guns”.
Tottenham’s frustration continued in the second half as Singh again saved from Maddison. However, Spurs got through the gears and began to create through the trickery of Mikey Moore on the left, but Tamworth just about held out as Hadyn Hollis parried Timo Werner’s header off the line before Singh denied the German one-on-one. Victory well saved -one.
The hosts had their moments in standard situations, but were unable to properly capitalize on the second and third balls in the penalty area after brief periods of chaos. What was crucial was that they stayed well in the game until the last 20 minutes. However, Andy Peak’s substitutions provided fresh impetus and it was the underdog hosts who twice came close to pulling off the historic upset in second-half stoppage time.
However, Tottenham still experienced extra time.
The extended period proved too far for the non-league side as Spurs pulled away. The start was just as poor as the visitors’ performance, but only came after Dejan Kulusevski, Son Heung-min and Djed Spence came into play. Kulusevski scored the decisive second goal shortly afterwards, before Brennan Johnson added some sparkle to the game.
Check out the player ratings for Tamworth vs Tottenham here.
Tottenham started Sunday’s game with a 1-0 win over the country’s best team. 96 league places separated these two teams in a true David versus Goliath FA Cup clash that did its best to showcase the competition’s supposedly fading magic.
We all know “Spursy” and its connotations, and Ange Postecoglou’s latest iteration has barely done enough to dispel that notion. They were heavy favorites here, but the Jekyll and Hyde nature of Ange’s team meant their problems against National League opponents were predictable.
The surface was not easy to play on and they managed enough to win the game in 90 minutes. However, their performance would have been a cause for concern rather than a positive, as they needed the “big guns” to break away from their National League opponents.
There was an outstanding performance from Yves Bissouma and the substitutes eventually made the difference, but most of Spurs’ players struggled to adapt to the unfamiliar surroundings, leaving them vulnerable to a major upset.
Tottenham underperformed in Tamworth but they probably should have got the job done before extra time.
Maddison’s efforts, of which there were a few, failed to break the ‘half chance’ threshold, but Werner was guilty of wasting a golden opportunity when he was played through by Brennan Johnson. The German, who fought his way up the field before drifting down the left side, shot low for Jas Singh to parry.
The confidence with which he currently operates meant that very few would have supported him as he went for the Tamworth goal. Werner had previously cleared a good header attempt from Haydn Hollis off the line.
Werner’s sufferings were not limited to his wastefulness. On a test field, the striker was unable to ensure technical safety on the front line. Ange’s decision to withdraw the exciting Mikey Moore after an hour resulted in Spurs having two straight breakaways in the final third of the first 90 minutes and the hosts therefore struggled to test and create the ball.
When they’re not crossing each other at the back post, Brennan Johnson and Werner’s contributions are almost always under scrutiny.
Huddersfield and Burton Albion have already felt the wrath of Andy Peaks’ super team and now it was Tottenham’s turn to suffer.
This was perhaps the biggest occasion in Tamworth’s history, with great excitement but low expectations. Anyone associated with the club would have bitten your hand off for extra time before kick-off and they came very close to an all-time upset. Only two National League teams have ever beaten Premier League opponents in the competition and they came just shy of finishing third.
While a foreign surface and Werner’s problems benefited the hosts, Tamworth deserve a lot of credit for their bid. Haydn Hollis was brilliant at the back, while EFL scouts will no doubt be doing their due diligence on Beck-Ray Enoru in the aftermath. Jas Singh may have been tested less than he would have expected, but he still made several big stops to ensure the cup tie lasted longer.
The extension was a bridge too far, but the city of Tamworth will remember this event fondly for a long time. They took one of the biggest clubs in the country right to the end.