Spurs Avoid FA Cup Shock Against Non-League Tamworth

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With the FA Cup coming up in the third round on Sunday, Tottenham could have avoided it by getting embarrassed against non-league Tamworth.

Ange Postecoglou’s side, currently 12th in the Premier League, are 96 places above Tamworth, who sit 16th in the fifth tier National League.

Tottenham’s disastrous display threatened to end a historic humiliation, but the supposed quality gap was rarely apparent.

In normal time, Tamworth should have been able to unleash one of the FA Cup’s biggest upsets, but their misplaced chances ended up being crucial.

Tottenham advanced to the fourth round thanks to Nathan Tshikuna’s late own goal and Dejan Kulusevski’s own goals in extra time.

The under-fire Postecoglou claims he always wins silverware in his second season at the club, but Spurs last won a significant trophy in 2008.

Having beaten Liverpool 1-0 in the League Cup semi-final first leg on Wednesday, Tottenham remain in contention for a domestic cup double.

However, they will need to significantly improve from their most recent subpar campaign.

Tamworth are a part-time team with only two practices per week: day jobs and working on their football careers.

Yet for extended periods of a classic FA Cup tie at the Lamb Ground, they matched their highly paid and supposedly superior opponents.

Tottenham’s decision to switch Premier League’s luxurious stadium to Tamworth’s modest 4, 000-capacity stadium with a sloping artificial pitch was a bit of a culture shock.

Locals who didn’t purchase a ticket could peer over the garden walls of the homes that backed onto the stadium while fans waved tinfoil replicas of the FA Cup.

When a hole in one of the goal nets caused the delayed kick-off, Tamworth’s Beck-Ray Enoru helped to fix the issue by climbing on his team-mate’s shoulders.

Tamworth’s Snowdome — a notable local attraction featuring ski slopes — loomed in the distance behind the stadium, but on a freezing, frosty afternoon, it was Tottenham who had trouble keeping their feet.

READ ALSO: Liverpool, Chelsea Cruise Into FA Cup 4th Round, Brentford Stung By Plymouth

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Tottenham scored their first goal in extra time at the Tamworth vs. Tottenham Hotspur third-round football game at The Lamb Ground in Tamworth, central England on January 12, 2025, thanks to English midfielder #20 Nathan Tshikuna (C). (Photo by HENRY NICHOLLS / AFP)

Enoru broke through the static Tottenham defense in the opening second and unleashed a powerful effort that made Antonin Kinsky’s save a worthy save.

Tamworth came close three times in the final minutes thanks to Tom Tonks’ massive long throws, which troubled Tottenham’s defense.

Jordan Cullinane-Liburd headed just wide before Tom McGlinchey’s shot was blocked and Cullinane-Liburd was denied by Kinsky.

Tottenham won their only other Premier League game of the year against a non-league team since 1992-93.

Tottenham’s breakthrough in the 101st minute was in keeping with their sluggish performance, with Tshikuna getting the ball in his deflected cross in the opposite direction.

Kulusevski killed off plucky Tamworth six minutes later, taking Son Heung-min’s pass and firing past Singh.

With a clinical finish in the 118th minute, Johnson had plenty of time to give a flattering gloss to Tottenham’s score.

After drawing 1-1, League Two side Doncaster defeated Championship rivals Hull 5-4 on penalties.

Arsenal and Manchester United square off against one of the FA Cup’s two most successful teams later on Sunday.

Newcastle face fourth-tier Bromley, while Crystal Palace meet third tier Stockport, Ipswich welcome third tier Bristol Rovers and Southampton take on Championship side Swansea.