Tottenham made defeating National League Tamworth a gargantuan job, and they came dangerously close to disgrace before reaching the FA Cup fourth round via extra time.
Ange Postecoglou’s team struggled in normal time at the Lamb Ground, and it took a scrambling own goal from Tamworth’s Nathan Tshikuna to break the deadlock after 101 minutes.
Substitute Dejan Kulusevski added a wonderful goal, and Brennan Johnson curled in a third when Postecoglou was forced to utilize his most potent attacking weapons to break down Tamworth.
The home team, who are 96 places below Spurs in the fifth tier of football, performed admirably and could not have been denied one of the FA Cup’s biggest shocks had they won in normal time.
Goalkeeper Jas Singh, hero of the second-round penalty shootout victory against Burton Albion, made important saves from James Maddison and Timo Werner, who also had a header cleared off the line by Haydn Hollis in normal time.
Spurs, on the other hand, lived on the edge, with Tamworth appearing more likely to score in the last moments before extra time, particularly after Antonin Kinsky saved a critical shot from Jordan Cullinane Liburd with seconds left.
Postecoglou had brought on Dominic Solanke from the bench after the hour, but he needed to call on Son Heung-min and Kulusevski at the start of extra time to try to breathe new life into a desperate performance, and it still took a huge slice of luck to break Tamworth’s superb resistance and organisation.
Kulusevski’s wonderful low strike, which ultimately gave Spurs and Postecoglou some relief, was not a stroke of luck. Johnson’s third earned them a lopsided victory over their hosts.
Tottenham and manager Postecoglou left Tamworth feeling relieved rather than celebratory, having threatened to become victims of a massive FA Cup giant-killing act before escaping in extra time.
Tamworth’s big day provided the enticing potential of making FA Cup history, as they pushed Premier League Spurs all the way before running out of steam in extra time.