National League Tamworth forced Tottenham to work very hard in their third round FA Cup tie, with an extra-time own goal all that separated the two sides at the Lamb Ground.
Despite keeping all the ball, Spurs’ creativity was thoroughly lacking throughout the game. Thanks to an inspired performance from goalkeeper Jasbir Singh, what shots they did get away were invariably saved, with the visitors never looking comfortable.
It was only in the 101st minute that disaster struck, as substitute Nathan Tshikuna inadvertently bundled the ball into the back of his own net after a Spurs free kick. Just after the start of the second half of extra time, Dejan Kulusevski made it two with a drilled finish into the bottom corner, and Brennan Johnson put the game to bed shortly after with a lovely finish of his own.
The scoreline told one story; the match another.
As it happened
If you didn’t know any better, this would look like any old game. Artificial pitch aside, 4,000-seater stadium aside, 96 places separating the two sides aside; if you didn’t know what you were watching, you wouldn’t know this was National League Tamworth against Premier League Tottenham Hotspur.
There are so many reasons for that. Spurs’ attacking impotence, Tamworth’s defensive rigidity, an unbelievable performance from goalkeeper Jasbir Singh. Tottenham, despite keeping virtually all of the ball, never looked comfortable at all.
To put Tamworth’s achievement into perspective, their manager Andy Peak only became fulltime this week. Before the game, the netting was broken, with winger Beck Enoru sat on the shoulders of centre half Jordan Cullinane-Liburd to fix it. Kick off was delayed by five minutes as a result. The beauty of the FA Cup.
Embed from Getty ImagesThey could’ve taken the lead 20 seconds in, too, Enoru sprinting down the line and firing a shot towards the near post tipped over the bar by Antonín Kínsky. They were up for it more than Spurs could’ve predicted.
Of course, the visitors had more than their fair share of possession – 80% of it to be precise. But they were never steady. Every touch was greeted by the press of two or three players in black and red, Spurs’ virtually always unable to progress the ball up the pitch as a result.
When they did, they were met by a staunch backline and an inspired Singh. James Maddison was the only man consistently threatening, denied first in the 32nd minute after skipping past Ben Milnes and attempting to curl an effort into the corner only to be met by a flying save.
Even that was an incredible accomplishment. Spurs were entirely stifled for half an hour against a side whose left winger works as a shop assistant at Zara.
Embed from Getty ImagesNot long after he was denied by Singh for the first time, history repeated itself; Maddison cut past Cullinane-Liburd in the box and hit an effort just too centrally to trouble the keeper.
But that was it for the first half. Every Spurs cross was cleared or hit straight out of play. It was thoroughly bizarre to watch; these sides, against all odds, looked on an even keel.
Of course, Tamworth struggled to fashion big chances. Their creator-in-chief was Tom Tonks, the man with the giant throw-in, something which consistently bamboozled the Spurs defence. It was like something from a bygone era, but something which didn’t create huge opportunities.
Five minutes into the second half, Singh denied Maddison again, diving to deny a shot destined for the bottom corner. He looked unbeatable. Tamworth, for their part, had perhaps their most notable minute of the game, with centre half Haydn Hollis pulling off a Maradona turn to escape the pressure of Pape Matar-Sarr not 30 seconds before clearing a Timo Werner header off the line.
Just after the hour mark came Spurs’ best chance of the game, as Maddison released Werner through on goal with acres to run into and only Singh between him and the lead – and you can guess who spread himself brilliantly to come out on top.
Embed from Getty ImagesNo one could possibly have imagined this. At 90 minutes, Tamworth had held Tottenham Hotspur to a 0-0 draw. This is the same Tottenahm who, in 20 Premier League games, have seen 72 goals go for and against them. It was, quite frankly, beyond belief.
They might’ve even won it right at the end, too. On 96 minutes, Cullinane-Liburd had a rare chance, guiding an effort towards the bottom corner and watching in dismay as Kínsky dived down and made the crucial save.
In years gone by, this would’ve signalled a replay and a trip to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Instead, 30 more minutes were to be played at the Lamb Ground.
Eleven minutes of extra time came and went. Cullinane-Liburd impeded substitute Heung Min Son outside the area, and Spurs were given a set piece to change the tie. Pedro Porro played a pass through to Brennan Johnson in the area, who squared it into the six-yard box. All it needed was a touch, and it got one; just not from a Spurs player.
It was agonising to watch. Nathan Tshikuna, brought on just five minutes before the 90 timed out, was in the wrong place at the wrong time. It bounced off his knee, deceived Singh, and trickled over the line.
Embed from Getty ImagesFinally, after 101 minutes of football, Spurs were in front, and in the cruellest twist, it was a Tamworth player to inflict the blow.
By this point, they’d exhausted all their effort. A minute into the second period of extra time, Dejan Kulusevski put the final nail into the coffin, with Son playing him in behind to drill a finish into the bottom corner.
By the time Johnson made it three, curling the ball beautifully into the far corner from inside the area, it was a foregone conclusion. Tamworth had fought valiantly, but ultimately in vain.
It’s a performance which they will never forget. For 100 minutes, the side 16th in the National League kept quiet one of the Premier League’s most prolific sides, with only horrible luck and the substituted superstars the difference. There would be no fairytale come full time, but every single player will be all but deified.
Spurs march on, but three goals flattered them. The fourth round awaits them, as everyone expected. They didn’t have it easy, though, but for Ange Postecoglu, the job was done – and that was all they needed.
The lineups
TAM: Singh; Cockerill-Mollett, Hollis, Cullinane-Liburd, Crompton; Milnes, Tonks; Enoru, Morrison, McGlinchey; Creaney
TOT: Kinský; Reguilón, Gray, Drăgușin, Porro; Sarr, Bissouma; Moore, Maddison, Johnson; Werner