THE EMIRATES FA CUP FOURTH ROUND
SATURDAY 30TH JANUARY, 2016
(12.45pm)
COLCHESTER UNITED 1(0) TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 4(1)

Colchester scorer:-
Davies (o.g), 80

Spurs scorers:-
Chadli, 27, 78
Dier, 64
Carroll, 82

Attendance:- 9,920

Referee:- Michael Oliver
Assistants:- John Brooks & Lee Betts
Fourth official:- Oliver Langford

Teams:-
Colchester (4-2-3-1):- Kean; Brindley, Wynter (sub Kent, 6), Eastman (sub Briggs, 21), Vincent-Young; Garvan, Gilbey; Massey, Moncur, Ambrose (sub Sordell, 61); Porter (Capt.)

Subs not used:- Lee, Edwards, Bonne, Parish

No bookings

Spurs (4-2-3-1):- Vorm; Trippier, Dier, Wimmer, Davies; Bentaleb, Carroll; Lamela (sub Dembele, 56), Eriksen (sub Onomah, 76), Chadli; Kane (Capt.) (sub Son, 67) (Armband was passed to Dembele by Eriksen)

Subs not used:- Lloris; Walker, Alderweireld; Alli

No bookings

Job done, with another 4-1!

Spurs progressed to the Fifth Round of the FA Cup with their fourth 4-1 win of the season. This was their first such result away from home though. Lowly League One side Colchester can be proud of their performance really, as Spurs rarely looked as convincing as the scoreline suggests.

The Weston Homes Community Stadium is a bit of an outpost really, on the very edge of Colchester, and if you ever have cause to go there, I advise you to allow plenty of time for the shuttle buses from the town centre. It was a quite cold but sunny day, with hail stones spotted as we walked to the stadium, but in the sunshine (where the Spurs fans were situated) it felt quite warm.

Mauricio Pochettino fielded a strong side, with Harry Kane wearing the Captain's armband. Michel Vorm had to face the bright sunshine in the first half, and didn't look too comfortable at times, although he rarely had to make a direct save from a shot. Spurs dominated possession (69%) and had twice the number of shots compared to the home side.

There was an early clash of heads between Colchester centre backs Alex Wynter and Tom Eastman, as they challenged Harry Kane for a ball inside their half. This led to a delay of some five minutes, and Wynter had to be replaced by Frankie Kent who gave a good account of himself. Eastman was absent for about 10 minutes; returned with his head bandaged, but he too had to be replaced after 21 minutes

The Colchester side included midfielder George Moncur, more determined than most perhaps to excel against a team with which both he and his father (John) had roots. Both also played at some level for West Ham too, as has Colchester manager Kevin Keen. Former Premier League player Darren Ambrose also got a start.

Soon after the re-start, Nacer Chadli had a shot well saved by goalkeeper Jake Kean, after Kieran Trippier had crossed Harry Kane's ball. Both Chadli and Trippier were to have very impactive afternoons.

Christian Eriksen hit a left footed shot from the right of the box, which was also saved by Kean. Nabil Bentaleb sent a good ball down the left side for Chadli, whose shot was held. Spurs were already well on top, but had nothing to show for it.

Another Bentaleb ball - this time to Lamela - led to another shot, but Erik could only hit the outside of the post. Harry Kane and Chadli took the ball down the left hand side, before Kane hit a good ball to Trippier, and received the right back's cross at the near post, firing wide. Eric Dier hit a good ball to Trippier, who passed inside to Eriksen, whose shot was blocked, and whose subsequent shot won a corner.

Eriksen had another chance after 25 minutes, after Kane's pass. Another Spurs shot passed over the goal.

Colchester had not been absent from the Spurs half, but had not managed a shot up to his point, although occasionally, when the ball did come his way, Michel Vorm was less than convincing. The understanding between an irregular goalkeeper and similarly irregular centre-backs was lacking at times. Vorm is not a "sweeper keeper" like Hugo Lloris!

Spurs at last took the lead in the 27th minute, when Chadli received a lovely ball from Lamela and hit a good right footed shot across the keeper into the net. Lamela might have done better with another Trippier cross, but the Colchester substitute defenders prevented him from shooting and cleared for a Spurs throw.

Tom Carroll hit a good angled pass to Harry Kane, who fired just wide from the right of goal. I suspect Carroll's passing success figures will be pretty good. Another Harry Kane effort, this one a header from Davies' cross, was saved. Carroll himself got a chance from a cross from the right, but his right footed shot was over the target.

There were six minutes of added time, during which Eriksen declined a shooting opportunity, pushing the ball out to Trippier, whose shot rebounded off the far post, by which time an offside flag had been raised against Spurs. Kent defended well, inside his area, when Harry Kane was in a good position. Bentaleb fired well over from a Davies cross.

After the break, good passes by Carroll, then Kane, gave Lamela a chance, but he hit his shot wide across the goalmouth. Lamela had another shot go wide soon after.

After a Colchester corner, which passed all the way across the Spurs area, shots by both Moncur and Ambrose were blocked. The home fans were getting excited. Their defence did well to prevent Chadli gaining from a Ben Davies cross after 58 minutes. Kane chased a ball down the left, crossing to Chadli, whose shot hit the top of the bar. However, once again, the offside flag had been raised against Spurs.

Darren Ambrose was replaced by Marvin Sordell, who was to have some impact upon the game, replacing Ambrose on the left of midfield.

Harry Kane tried a right footed shot from 25 yards which he pushed wide. Soon after that Dier made it 2-0 for Spurs with a good shot from outside the box which took a sizeable deflection, thus beating Kean in goal.

It was time for Harry Kane to be rested, in preparation for Tuesday night at Norwich, and Son Heung-min took his place. Son had a shot parried, then cleared by the goalkeeper soon after his entrance.

Massey had a couple of shots blocked, before a mistake by Dier gave Brindley a chance beyond Vorm's left post. The shot was mercifully put wide. Spurs had been taking it too easy, but made it 3-0 when Nacer Chadli met a Trippier cross and headed in at the near post. This too might have taken a touch off the defender, but Kean was beaten inside his left post.

My 3-0 prediction was looking good, but Colchester got on the scoresheet, although we did score the goal for them. Massey's shot from the left hit the post and went in off Ben Davies.

The three goal difference was restored when Chadli became provider crossing from the left for Tom Carroll to score from close range lifting his shot under the bar. Son had a powerful cross/shot blocked in front of goal by Richard Brindley, but by now, "The U's" had given up the ghost.

Whilst the stats look good for Spurs with regard to possession and shots on goal, I think they did play well within themselves and will need to go up a gear or two on Tuesday night. In the meantime, we can look forward to the fifth round draw tomorrow (Sunday)

Did you know? - Colchester's left back Kane Vincent-Young is a former Spurs Academy player.

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