Spurs 4-3 Wycombe

An incredible seven-goal thriller at White Hart Lane on Saturday afternoon saw us book our place in the FA Cup fifth round, but not before we were pushed every inch of the way by League Two Wycombe Wanderers.

In the end, we edged through thanks to a 97th-minute own goal, but we trailed 2-0 at half-time and then 3-2 with only a few minutes to play as the visitors produced a heroic performance which probably deserved more than a last-gasp defeat.

Paul Hayes struck twice in the first half to put the Chairboys in control at the interval, but we hit back with two goals in four second half minutes through Heung-Min Son and a Vincent Janssen penalty.

Garry Thompson restored their advantage in the 84th-minute, but Dele Alli levelled it up at 3-3 five minutes later. That looked like the end of the drama but we won it in stoppage time, Son’s drilled low effort coming off Joe Jacobson and flying into the net.

Team news

Mauricio Pochettino made nine changes to the team that started at Manchester City last time out. The two survivors were Kevin Wimmer and Eric Dier with the latter captaining the team. Georges-Kevin Nkoudou made his second start in our colours while Josh Onomah came in for his third start of the season. Son started up front in a 4-2-3-1 system while Harry Winks was a real driving force throughout in central midfield.

Key action

Woodwork: Hayes goes close – 1min
It didn’t take long for the League Two visitors to create a chance in front of their noisy supporters. Less than 60 seconds were on the clock when Sido Jombati broke away down the right and delivered a deep cross which Adebayo Akinfenwa nodded back across goal but Hayes, unmarked, could only head against the crossbar and over.

Chance: just wide from Son – 19mins
It was an entertaining game with both sides showing plenty of attacking intent and we almost went ahead on 19 minutes. Aaron Pierre’s header back to goalkeeper Jamal Blackman – on loan from Chelsea – was a touch short, the keeper failed to connect with a punch and Son pounced on the loose ball, but with Anthony Stewart blocking his path to the unguarded net, he aimed for the far corner and his effort drifted just wide.

Goal: Spurs 0-1 Wycombe – Paul Hayes – 23mins
Back came the Chairboys though, and they took the lead with a fine goal from Hayes. He initially fizzed a long-range effort just wide of Michel Vorm’s post and although there didn’t appear to be a touch from any of our players, a corner was given. From the set-piece, Onomah headed away only as far as Hayes, 15 yards out, and he smashed a volley into the back of the net.

Chances: Sissoko and Son almost level – 27mins
The goal sparked more urgency in our play and we went close twice within a minute. A goalmouth scramble ended with Moussa Sissoko prodding goalwards only for Hayes to clear off the line and shortly after, Son weaved a yard of space in the area and left fly but Blackman saved well.

 
Above: Eric Dier tussles with Luke O'Nien.

Goal: Spurs 0-2 Wycombe – Paul Hayes (pen) – 36mins
Just when it looked like we were getting the upper hand again, we fell further behind. We lost possession, Sam Wood latched onto the loose ball and burst into the left channel of our area, only to be brought down by Carter-Vickers. Referee Roger East pointed to the spot and Hayes drilled past Vorm, who got a hand to the penalty but couldn’t keep it out.

Goal: Spurs 1-2 Wycombe - Heung-Min Son – 60mins
We made a change at the break with Janssen replacing Nkoudou and we were much more dominant in the early stages of the half. That was rewarded with our first goal on the hour mark when Son’s corner was headed away, Kieran Trippier flicked the ball back out to him and the South Korean took a touch and drilled past Blackman from a tight angle.

Goal: Spurs 2-2 Wycombe – Vincent Janssen (pen) – 64mins
Immediately after that goal, we made a double substitution with Dele and Mousa Dembele coming on for Onomah and Wimmer – and four minutes later we were level. Winks slid a pass down the right channel for Janssen, who cut inside Pierre but the Wycombe defender manhandled the Dutch striker in the area and the referee again awarded the penalty. Janssen kept his nerve and beat Blackman from 12 yards.

Goal: Spurs 2-3 Wycombe – Garry Thompson – 84mins
The game was very open by this stage, with both sides looking for the winner. Our hopes took a blow when Trippier hobbled off injured and we had to finish the game with 10 men. The visitors almost grabbed the lead when Wood put his effort wide after latching onto a loose ball in the box, but they did go ahead six minutes from time when two substitutes combined, Thompson heading home Myles Weston’s fine cross from the left.

Goal: Spurs 3-3 Wycombe – Dele Alli – 89mins
That looked like it might have clinched a famous FA Cup win for Wycombe, but we refused to give up and managed to force an equaliser. Blackman’s weak goal-kick was headed goalwards by Dembele, Dele picked up the ball, cut inside the defender and coolly slid past the goalkeeper and into the net.

Goal: Spurs 4-3 Wycombe – Heung-Min Son – 90+7mins
We almost won the tie in the 95th minute when Sissoko’s cross was met by Janssen’s head but Blackman produced an excellent save to tip the ball over the bar. But incredibly, there was still time… and a winner! Son picked up the ball wide on the left, played a one-two with Janssen and fired across the six-yard box, the ball ricocheting off Jacobson and flying into the roof of the net to send the majority of the Lane into raptures. A dramatic end to one of the FA Cup’s classic ties!

Mauricio Pochettino said

“It was an unbelievable, crazy game. To be honest, they were much better than us in the first half – full credit to them. In the second half we increased our level and improved our performance and we deserved to win at the end, with a little luck, but the second half was better.”

Harry Winks said

“The FA Cup is massive, no matter who you play against. Someone said before, it’s a level game in the FA Cup, anything can happen. Wycombe showed that, they made it difficult for us but thankfully with the quality we have we managed to see the game out. Credit to Wycombe, they came at us and followed us all around the pitch man-marking. They also went 2-0 up so full credit to the team – it shows no matter what team we play against we’re always in it to win it and we never give up.”

Match data

Spurs (4-2-3-1): Vorm, Trippier, Carter-Vickers, Wimmer (Dembele 60), Davies, Dier (c), Winks, Sissoko, Onomah (Dele 60), Nkoudou (Janssen 46), Son. Substitutes (not used): Pau Lopez, Walker, Walker-Peters, Wanyama.

Wycombe (4-5-1): Blackman, Jombati, Stewart, Pierre, Jacobsen, Kashket (Saunders 77), O’Nien, Gape, Wood, Hayes (c, Thompson 77), Akinfenwa (Weston 68). Substitutes (not used): Richardson, Bean, Harriman, De Havilland.

Goals: Spurs – Son 60, 90+7, Janssen 64 (pen), Dele 89; Wycombe – Hayes 23, 36 (pen), Thompson 84.

Yellow cards: Spurs – Winks, Janssen; Wycombe – Jombati, O’Nien, Gape, Jacobsen, Stewart.

Referee: Roger East.

Attendance: 31,440.

Up next

We’re back in Premier League action in just four days’ time when we make the trip north-east to play Sunderland on Tuesday. David Moyes’ side are bottom of the table with just four wins from 22 games so far this season and we go there with an excellent record against the Black Cats, having won eight of our last nine and remained unbeaten in the last 13 meetings. Kick-off is at 7.45pm at the Stadium of Light.