Tottenham needed three goals in extra time as they survived a huge scare against non-league Tamworth in the FA Cup third round.
The Premier League giants were pushed all the way to the front by a team four divisions below them in the English football pyramid, with Dejan Kulusevski and Brennan Johnson ultimately settling the tie at the Lamb Ground.
Tamworth goalkeeper Jas Singh kept out James Maddison's long-range effort, while Dan Creaney cleared Pape Sarr's line in the first half.
Singh also thwarted Timo Werner as the hosts continued to keep their opponents at bay.
Tamworth even had the chance to grab a dramatic win in the final seconds of normal time, with Thomas McGlinchey seeing a shot go wide and Jordan Cullinane-Liburd shooting straight at Antonin Kinsky.
Ange Postecoglou introduced the likes of Kulusevski and Son Heung-min ahead of extra time, and Tamworth's resolve was finally broken in the 101st minute after a cleverly executed free-kick, with Nathan Tshikuna deflecting Dominic Solanke's shot past Singh.
Tottenham took the tie further than Andy Peaks' feisty side when Kulusevski drifted home early in the second period, with Johnson hitting home a third sweep to add further sparkle to the score late on.
4 – Tottenham become only the fourth Premier League team (from 92-93) to go to extra time in an FA Cup match against a non-league club, after Leicester v Hereford in 99-00, Charlton v Dagenham and Redbridge in 00- 01, and West Ham vs Kidderminster in 21-22. Insecure. pic.twitter.com/joGyaAWfDX
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 12, 2025
Data debrief: Spurs survive fear
Tottenham have now made progress in each of their last 11 FA Cup third round matches, but it was far from easy for Postecoglou's men against the 16th-placed side in the National League.
Spurs became only the fourth Premier League team (since 1992–93) to be taken to extra-time by a non-league club in an FA Cup match, after Leicester City (vs Hereford in 1999–00), Charlton Athletic (vs Dagenham and Redbridge in 2000-2001) and West Ham (against Kidderminster Harriers in 2021-2022).
The breakthrough finally came in the 101st minute. The hapless Tshikuna became the first non-league player to score an own goal against a Premier League side in the FA Cup since Lincoln City's Luke Waterfall against Arsenal in the 2016/17 quarter-finals.
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