EMIRATES FA CUP THIRD ROUND
SUNDAY 12TH JANUARY, 2025
(12.30pm)
TAMWORTH 0(0) TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 3(0)
(a.e.t)

Spurs scorers:-
Tshikuna (o.g.), 101
Kulusevski, 107
Johnson, 118

Attendance:- 3,720

Referee:- Peter Bankes
Assistants:- Edward Smart, Nick Greenhalgh
Fourth official:- Sam Barrott

Teams:-
Tamworth (4-2-3-1):- 1. Singh; 28. Crompton, 18. Cullilane-Liburd, 26. Hollis, 3. Cockerill-Mollett (sub 28. Sundire, 68); 4. Tonks (sub 20. Tshikuna, 85), 8. Milnes (Capt.) (sub 6. Fletcher, 81); 19. McGlinchey, 15. Morrison, 22. Enoru (sub 14. Williams, 81); 9. Creaney (sub 12. Wreh, 85)
(Armband to Singh)

Subs not used:- 21. Phillips; 2. Curley, 5. Digie; 7. Finn

Booked:- Creaney (tussle with Dragusin at corner), Tonks (dissent), McGlinchey (foul on Maddison), Williams (foul on Pedro Porro)

Spurs (4-2-1-3):- 31. Kinsky; 23. Pedro Porro, 6. Dragusin (sub 24. Spence, 91), 14. Gray, 3. Reguilon; 29. Sarr (sub 15. Bergvall, 68), 8. Bissouma; 10. Maddison (Capt.) (sub 21. Kulusevski, 91); 22. Johnson, 16. Werner (sub 7. Son, 91), 47. Moore (sub 19. Solanke, 68)
(Son took armband)

Subs not used:- 40. Austin; 48. Dorrington; 64. Olusesi; 42. Lankshear

Booked:- Dragusin (tussle with Creaney at corner), Pedro Porro (foul on Enoru)

Plucky part-timers take Spurs to extra-time

Thanks to Cassim Patel for this picture

A team whose coach (until this week) was a part-timer and many of whose players have to go to their day jobs tomorrow were the true heroes of this game. They might have snatched victory in added time at the end of 90 minutes but fell to just about the strongest eleven Ange Postecoglou could muster in extra time.

I'll be honest, I feared the worse as the game edged towards full-time and had a different headline (Plucky part-timers pluck Spurs) prepared.

Naturally, there has been a great deal of hype about this game, and only Spurs fans would have been hoping for an away win. The fairy tale win nearly happened for all those dreamers.

Ange fielded a very strong back eight, but his front three proved too weak and failed to properly test the Tamworth keeper in the first half. Tamworth naturally gave their all to the game. There was fear about the long throws of Tom Tonks and on the left wing, 22-year-old Cameroon-born Beck-Ray Enoru gave Pedro Porro, and the Spurs defence a lot of problems. Whilst they didn't claim it as an excuse, there is no doubt Spurs were uncomfortable on the 3G pitch. Mikey Moore was given a start and played for the first time since October, but I felt that both he and Brennan Johnson shied away from rounding opponents. Timo Werner was selected to lead the line but again failed to deliver the goods.

Behind the front three Maddison (captain today) had most of Spurs chances but failed to score. I felt Bissouma was our strongest player in midfield.

The final score was one I hoped to see in the first half, but that was not to be the case.

Thanks to Andy Park for this picture

Kick-off was delayed for five minutes due to a loose net on the Tamworth goal, but Spurs started the game and played away from their pocket of fans in the north-east corner. After only 26 seconds, Enoru got into the Spurs area on the left side, and Kinsky saved his shot from a sharp angle. Kinsky was again confident and competent today. He was certainly tested more than the Tamworth keeper in the first half.

Sergio Reguilon started a Spurs game for the first time since April 2022 and won an early corner. Maddison hit that straight to the goalkeeper's arms.

The first Tonks long throw (it won Tamworth the game against Huddersfield) was cleared by Bissouma. At the other end, Bissouma combined with Maddison to feed Johnson, but he hit a poor cross. Maddison won another corner with a shot that was blocked after Mikey Moore had passed inside.

Another Tonks throw (they all had a big build-up) actually went out of play off the outside of the far post, but referee Peter Bankes had spotted a foul. Werner and Johnson did combine to feed the ball to Maddison, whose left-footed shot passed over the bar.

Archie Gray (starting and completing his ninth consecutive game) blocked a shot by McGlinchey, and Enoru was a danger again on the left. Kinsky held his low cross. Enoru needed treatment soon after but was able to continue.

Werner won a corner after a pass by Maddison, but the corner was cleared. Spurs' best chance of the half fell to Maddison, but goalkeeper Jasbir Singh saved low to his left. After the resulting corner, a Pape Sarr shot was blocked at the near post.

Tonks was dispossessed by Maddison, who exchanged passes with Werner before having a shot held by the keeper. Spurs were often guilty of too much tippy tappy play, which was backwards at times. On one occasion they gave Tonks another chance to fire in his muscular throw, but Kinsky held the ball again.

There were no changes at half-time. Maddison had another shot parried, then cleared. Singh needed treatment, having taken a bit of a body blow in making the save.

Werner did have a decent header back across the keeper after Mikey Moore's cross from the left, but ITV's man of the match Haydn Hollis, headed clear off the line. Hollis demonstrated great step-over skill just beforehand (against Sarr), and Chesterfield under-18s benefit from his coaching skills.

Pedro Porro was sub-par overall today and skied a shot after a Maddison pass. After another Tonks throw (he did throw one or two short), Enoru had a shot blocked and left back Cockerill-Mollett followed up, but also had his effort blocked, winning a corner. This was delayed due to argy-bargy between Dragusin and Creaney, both of whom were booked. Antonin Kinsky held the corner.

Spurs were at least increasing their tempo and Mikey Moore had a shot blocked by Hollis, who soon cleared another shot by Moore. A long forward ball by Johnson reached Werner, but the goalkeeper was out to save from the low shot. A chip would have hit the net. Werner had another effort blocked by Cockerill-Mollett after good work by Mikey Moore when reaching the bye-line on the left.

Cullilane-Liburd had a header from a corner held by Kinsky. Ange now brought on Bergvall for Sarr and Solanke for Moore, with Werner switching to the left wing.

Spurs were theoretically stronger, but no more effective. Reguilon crossed deep from the left, but Johnson's effort hit the side netting at the back post. Kinsky had to save under his bar when Tonks had a lucky rebound threaten the Spurs goal. Tonks was booked soon after when he felt Dragusin should have been shown a second yellow card for a foul on Creaney. The long-throw man was then soon substituted as the starting side began to lose energy.

In added time Bissouma blocked a shot by McGlinchey and after the corner Cullilane-Liburd's half-strength effort was held by Kinsky low to his left. Andy Peaks lifted his head to the skies as he saw the dream finish vanish before his eyes.

Postecoglou brought on the big guns of Kulusevski and Son, plus Djed Spence for Maddison, Werner and Dragusin respectively at the start of extra-time. Reguilon had an early shot saved by Singh after Son's pass. Spurs were now enjoying pressure, but still did not offer an end product.

Spurs finally took the lead with a scrappy goal. Pedro Porro took a clever free kick from 28 yards out and hit it low into the penalty area to the right. Johnson crossed and both Bergvall and Solanke tried to get a touch, but it was substitute Tshikuna who got the touch to put the ball into his own net.

We could all breathe early in the second half of extra-time when Son passed inside to Kulusevski who hit a delightful low left-footed shot into the keeper's bottom left corner. Those potentially sensational headlines could be erased.

Son was unable to do anything with a superb long ball by Yves Bissouma. Kinsky had one more save of note to make when he got down to hold Williams' shot from a sharp angle.

Spurs closed the game with a successful and skilful play-out down the right side. Djed Spence raced forward to take on Kulusevski's pass and when he passed inside, Kulusevski forced an error which gave Johnson the chance to fire into the net for a 3-0 win. It was Johnson's 12th goal of the season in all competitions.

Tamworth got the reception and plaudits they deserved, but for Spurs all's well that ends well. We have been drawn away to Aston Villa in the fourth round.

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