Tottenham averted turning into the primary top-flight aspect to lose away to non-league opponents within the Premier League period as Nathan Tshikuna’s scrappy own-goal and strikes by Dejan Kulusevski and Brennan Johnson throughout additional time settled their FA Cup third spherical tie at Tamworth.
Tshikuna utilized the ultimate contact when the part-time hosts didn’t clear from a Brennan Johnson shot, breaking the impasse after 101 minutes earlier than Kulusevski struck clinically from fellow substitute Son Heung-min’s move six minutes later.
Johnson curled the third into the roof of the online with two minutes remaining of a sport through which the 96-place hole between the groups was regularly not evident.
The Nationwide League aspect have been hardly ever genuinely troubled throughout common time, threatening a late winner when Thomas McGlinchey had a close-range shot blocked behind and Jordan Cullinane-Liburd despatched an effort straight at Antonin Kinsky when the ball fell to him in area contained in the field from the following nook.
Tottenham FINALLY bundle one into the Tamworth internet ⚽️
Pedro Porro with a second of ingenuity to set Tottenham on their method#ITVFootball | #FACup pic.twitter.com/KrbeH1S4kr
— ITV Soccer (@itvfootball) January 12, 2025
Tamworth scare Tottenham
With the abolishment of FA Cup replays this season, Tamworth may really feel aggrieved to not have a deserved and profitable journey to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to look ahead to – they usually might have gone via.
The full of life Beck-Ray Enoru had an angled shot tipped over the crossbar by FA Cup debutant Kinsky as The Lambs confirmed their fearlessness virtually instantly.
Djed Spence’s ball 🔥
Kulusevski’s end 😮💨Tottenham lastly produce a second of top of the range to place the sport to mattress #ITVFootball | #FACup pic.twitter.com/1aNMGR7noj
— ITV Soccer (@itvfootball) January 12, 2025
In a powerful Spurs beginning aspect, James Maddison was the one participant to pose issues for Tamworth throughout the first half, curling a shot over the goal for and testing goalkeeper Jas Singh.
The 34-year-old made one other good cease early within the second half to maintain a Timo Werner shot out, and defender Haydn Hollis, who was pivotal in his defensive rigour all through, then did nicely to clear Werner’s header off the road.
Lambs virtually win it late
Anybody anticipating Spurs’ superior health ranges to inform late on would have been incredulous to see them hanging on seconds from the tip of regular time, when McGlinchey virtually fired in and Cullinane-Liburd despatched a low shot straight at Kinsky when the ball fell to him in area contained in the field from the following nook.
These probabilities left Andy Peaks enacting a prayer gesture three days after the Tamworth boss, who has guided them from the seventh tier throughout three seasons in cost, had signed a contract to work on a full-time foundation.
Brennan Johnson will get in on the act
Tottenham have nicely and actually damaged Tamworth hearts in additional time 💔#ITVFootball | #FACup pic.twitter.com/VlwwShIJzG
— ITV Soccer (@itvfootball) January 12, 2025
Within the adjoining technical space, Ange Postecoglou took chants about his job safety in good grace and was capable of ship on Dejan Kulusevski, Djed Spence and Son Heung-min on for Radu Dragusin, Maddison and Werner at first of additional time, resulting in extra strain from the eight-time FA Cup winners.
Singh and Peaks have been amongst these to voice their frustrations afterwards on the preventable nature of the purpose that broke the impasse, with Kulusevski and Johnson then exhibiting their ruthlessness to make sure the scoreline flattered a relieved Tottenham.
