FULL TIME: Colchester United 1-4 Tottenham Hotspur
And that’s that! Spurs ease their way into the fifth round for the first time in four seasons. Deservedly so: they were brilliant at times, the real deal all right. But Colchester did themselves proud too, adjusting to the early loss of their central defence, and staying competitive until late in the game. But Spurs got the breaks at the crucial moments - Dier’s deflected goal, Sordell’s shot against the post - and hey, you make your own luck. A very entertaining cup tie. Follow that, Lionel Richie.
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90 min: There will be two additional minutes.
89 min: Colchester touch the ball! This is exhibition stuff now. But the League One strugglers have performed well today, and were right in this tie until that late burst of scoring.
88 min: See 86 min. Colchester haven’t had a touch for some time now.
86 min: Spurs calm it all down, knocking it back and forth in the Dad v Toddler style, running down the clock in a most professional manner.
84 min: The crazy run of Goal Every 120 Seconds is broken, but only just. Son dribbles with purpose down the right and reaches the byline. He’s got men in the middle, but his low cross, driven into a mixer at the near post, somehow squirts clear of danger instead of heading into the net.
GOAL! Colchester United 1-4 Tottenham Hotspur (Carroll 82)
It’s turned into a goalfest! Chadli twists and turns down the left. He fires low into the centre, where Carroll sweetly volleys past Kean from close range.
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GOAL! Colchester United 1-3 Tottenham Hotspur (Davies 80 og)
As the game restarts, a fan rushes onto the pitch and asks Vorm for his autograph! What brazen chutzpah! And then Colchester get onto the scoresheet! Massey is found in space down the left. His low shot crashes off the right-hand post and back across the goalline. Davies, rushing back, can’t stop himself running the ball into the net.
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GOAL! Colchester United 0-3 Tottenham Hotspur (Chadli 78)
Carroll, on the right of the Colchester D, shoots. The ball breaks to Trippier on the wing. Trippier curls a delightful medium-height cross to the near post. Chadli stoops ahead of Kent, and guides the ball into the bottom right.
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77 min: Eriksen is replaced by Onomah.
76 min: Dier is caught sleeping on the ball. Sordell nips it off him, exchanges passes with Massey, and tears clear on goal! He opens up his body, and looks to sidefoot into the bottom right. He beats Vorm, but the ball crashes off the base of the right-hand post and away. So close to getting back into this game! Lower-league sides need all the luck they can get in the FA Cup, and nothing’s going Colchester’s way.
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73 min: Massey has been Colchester’s best player today. He beats a couple of players down the left and fires a shot towards the bottom left. It’s blocked easily enough. The ball breaks to the right of the D, where Brindley attempts to replicate Chadli’s goal. Not quite.
72 min: Son cuts in from the right and turns on the jets. He looks for the bottom left. Kean does well to get down and parry the shot clear.
71 min: Spurs with more of the stroking, left and right and left again, all across the back. “Google tells me that the Weston Homes Community Stadium is closed today,” reports JR in Illinois, who has too much time on his hands. “I am surprised that someone is wrong on the internet, but hopefully for everyone in the vicinity of Essex Google is not wrong in telling me that Lionel Richie will be playing there in June.”
69 min: Spurs hog the ball, knocking it hither and yon. Already they’re looking to run down the clock in a fuss-free fashion.
67 min: A sign that Tottenham know this tie is now over. Kane hands the captain’s armband to Eriksen, and departs the field of play. Son comes on in his wake.
66 min: That said, Spurs should be four or five goals up, so it’s swings and roundabouts.
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GOAL! Colchester United 0-2 Tottenham Hotspur (Dier 64)
Oh dear, such a shame for Colchester, who are dished out a terrible slice of luck. Dier has the ball 25 yards out, a little to the right of centre. He looks for the top right. It’s not a particularly good effort, but slams into the back of Briggs, and takes a huge left-turn into the left-hand side of the net, bouncing at an agonisingly slow speed past Kean, wrong-footed and rendered impotent.
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62 min: Somehow, Colchester are still within touching distance of Tottenham. So it’s time to make their last roll of the dice. An attacking change: the midfielder Ambrose is replaced by the striker Sordell.
60 min: I should be writing Colchester United 0-2 Tottenham Hotspur (Chadli 60) in big letters. But I’m not. Kane bursts down the left, into the area, and slips the ball low to Chadli. He spins to make space. He’s free, eight yards out. He’s got to score! But he batters a rising shot onto the crossbar, and that’s that. What a miss!
58 min: Kane powers into the Colchester box from the left, but can’t find space to shoot. The ball finds its way to Chadli, who twists and turns on the right-hand corner of the six-yard box, but isn’t able to make room for an effort on goal. Colchester’s makeshift defence slammed the door shut very impressively there. For a brief moment it looked like a second Spurs goal was on the cards.
56 min: Porter and Wimmer challenge a ball down the Colchester inside-left channel. Wimmer sticks his leg out to guide it back to Vorm. Porter goes over Wimmer’s leg and claims a penalty, but he’s never getting that. Spurs meanwhile make their first change, hooking Lamela and throwing on Dembele.
55 min: Yes, much better indeed. Ambrose skitters down the right and curls a glorious deep cross towards Porter at the far post. It’s begging to be met by a diving header. But Porter tries to meet it with a high boot, and the chance is gone.
54 min: A speculative hoof down the Colchester right. Moncur sticks out a boot and takes it down brilliantly. He romps down the wing and this time finds Ambrose in the middle. Ambrose shoots, and the effort from the edge of the box is deflected inches wide of the right-hand post. Had that been on target, it was creeping in with Vorm’s feet planted. From the corner, the ball finds Massey wide on the left. He blooters a shot goalwards, but Vorm has it covered. This is much better from the home side!
52 min: Garvan rakes a delicious pass down the left flank to release Massey into space. Massey makes it to the box, before pulling the ball back for Moncur, who turns in a tight space and sees his snapshot blocked pretty much the nanosecond the ball comes off his boot. Ambrose was in the middle, in space, waiting for a pass there.
50 min: Massey has been busy in attack for the home side. He earns himself a little space down the left, and decides to take a shot from distance. It’s a weak effort, and deflected through to Vorm.
49 min: Lamela appears to be in the mood to put this tie to bed early in this second half. He dribbles in from the left, and again looks for the bottom right. Again his effort is wide, but he’s getting chances. Colchester have come out a little cold.
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47 min: Briggs tries to Beckenbauer his way through the middle of the park. Bad decision. He gifts the ball to Kane, who drifts down the Spurs right before dinking the ball across to Lamela, who takes a touch to burst clear into the Colchester box down the inside-left channel. He’s got Brindley on his shoulder, and the full back does enough to put him off. Lamela goes for the bottom right, and squeezes the ball past Kean, but also past the right-hand post.
And we're off again!
Great news regarding Alex Wynter: he’s conscious and sitting up in hospital. So hopefully, touch all sorts of wooden items, he’ll be OK. Spurs get the ball rolling for the second half. And here’s Steve Wiles with a Colchester-centric take on that eventful first half: “All things considered, when you bear in mind we’ve lost our entire central defence, played for a quarter of the half with ten men, are currently playing an inexperienced kid at centre back (but watch him, he’s gonna be good) along with a left back who finds himself there by accident ... the sheer fact we started to find our way into this match is a credit. Even if we clearly look like blokes running after a ball vs athletes I couldn’t be more proud of the guys.”
Half-time entertainment:
HALF TIME: Colchester United 0-1 Tottenham Hotspur
Not the worst scoreline for United at half time, given the early loss of both central defenders, and Tottenham’s subsequent dominance. In fact, had Moncur picked the right pass towards the end of that half, the teams might be going in level. Strange game in that respect, though Spurs have been much the better side. Could be a fascinating second half. Stay tuned!
45 min +5: Vincent-Young hasn’t lost the confidence to attack. He makes off down the left again, drifts inside, and so nearly releases Moncur, cutting in from the right, with a sliderule pass. But Dier steps in to intercept, having read Vincent-Young’s intentions perfectly.
45 min +3: Vincent-Young attacks down the left. But he passes inside to nobody, and Kane’s first to the ball. Kane drives into the Colchester half, and tries to burst past Kent. If he manages it, he’s clear on goal, but Kent stays strong, block tackles, and clears upfield. Marvellous defending!
45 min +1: Eriksen skates across the front of the Colchester area, left to right. He considers shooting, but slips Trippier free into the box instead. Trippier fires into the centre, low and hard. Kane can’t quite guide it home from close range, and Kent is able to hook clear while sliding along hysterically on the seat of his pants. Brilliant football all round.
45 min: There will be six minutes added to this half, in the wake of Wynter’s early injury.
44 min: Space for Davies down the left. Once again he reaches the byline. But his pullback doesn’t find Kane. Kent hoicks clear.
43 min: A lot of Spurs passing. But right now, they’re going nowhere.
41 min: Moncur dribbles down the middle of the park at pace. Spurs are light at the back, and if Moncur rolls a pass down the inside-right channel for Porter, he’ll send his strike partner free on goal. But he’s high on life, and decides to go it alone. Spurs finally swarm around him before he can reach the box. Far too late, he tries to find Porter, by now on the left, but his flick is no good. A real chance for the League One side to draw level has been spurned.
39 min: Lots of space again for Trippier down the right. Again. Another low cross, with plenty of men in the box, but it’s pretty aimless. The ball breaks to Carroll on the edge of the area. He takes a shot. Nope!
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38 min: Spurs are having a lot of joy down the right. Trippier zips past Vincent-Young. His low cross is hacked clear by Briggs at the near post. Then Bentaleb takes a shot from 25 yards on the same wing. The wind catches the curler, and nearly carries it along an absurd arc and into the top left. Kean, running backwards at pace, does well to claw it out for a corner. Was it going in? Not sure, but the keeper couldn’t take the chance. The corner is cleared easily.
35 min: A determined dribble by Massey down the right drives Tottenham onto the back foot. He can’t quite burst through and checks back. But soon enough he’s having another drive down the wing. This time he wins a throw, from which Gilbey shoots from the best part of 30 yards and very nearly takes out the right-hand corner flag. Best forgotten. But signs that Colchester are getting into this match at last.
33 min: Space for Brindley down the right. He whips a high cross towards Moncur, eight yards out, and it’s a good one, but Dier arrives at the last minute to send a defensive header behind for the corner. Vorm claims the set piece without fuss. But that’s a little better from Colchester, who have otherwise been quiet in attack.
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31 min: Kane should be on the scoresheet. Bentaleb slides the overlapping Davies free down the left. Davies stands one up into the centre. Kane heads goalwards from six yards. He has to score, but his effort is straight at Kean, who nevertheless saves well with a strong hand. The resulting corner comes to nothing.
30 min: Kane runs powerfully down the right, reaches the area, and opts to go for goal from a tight-ish angle despite having men in the box. It’s not far off. He goes for the near post, and flashes a shot into the side netting.
29 min: A loose ball in the Spurs midfield, a dreadful blind crossfield pass by Carroll. Ambrose intercepts, and makes good towards the Spurs box. He slips the ball to the left for Moncur, who tries to work space to shoot. He doesn’t make enough; Dier is across to block. The corner comes to nothing. The only danger to Spurs so far has been of their own making.
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GOAL! Colchester United 0-1 Tottenham Hotspur (Chadli 27)
This had been coming, and it’s almost a repeat of the Eriksen shot, 60 seconds earlier. Lamela slides Chadli into space down the inside right. Kean is off his line. Chadli, on the right of the D curls into the top left. No more than Spurs deserve.
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26 min: Eriksen, from the centre circle, goes on a bold diagonal skitter towards the right of the Colchester D. He attempts to float one into the top left. He’s got Kean beaten, but clears the post too.
25 min: A lull, which is exactly what Colchester needed. A bit of time for their new men to settle, a week’s planning having gone out of the window in double-quick time.
23 min: Porter chases after a speculative ball down the inside-left channel. He’s not far from getting a toe to it, but Vorm bravely comes out to the edge of the area and smothers, taking a knock for his troubles.
21 min: Eastman isn’t able to continue. The big man looks disappointed as he’s replaced by Briggs, but Keen doesn’t fancy taking any chances with a head injury.
19 min: Massey goes chasing a long ball down the middle, on the shoulder of Wimmer, and very nearly gets ahead of his man. If he does, he’s clear in the box, but the Spurs defender stays strong and ushers the ball back to Vorm, who kicks clear.
18 min: A long ball hooked into the Colchester box from the right. It’s going to find Kane at close range, but Eastman intercepts. He can only guide the ball back out to Lamela, though, and the Spurs attacker wins a corner with a shot deflected out to the right. Lamela hits the corner long to Chadli, who once again fails to connect properly with a header. But Spurs are asking all the questions here.
16 min: News of the unfortunate Wynter: he’s concussed, and off to hospital.
15 min: Trippier twists Ambrose this way and that as he makes off down the right. Ambrose gets dizzy quickly. Tripper reaches the byline and fires a low cross to the near post, where Kane very nearly tucks home. The ball ripples the side netting. Colchester are holding on by their fingertips here.
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13 min: Ah, here comes Eastman, back and bandaged up, and not a moment too soon. Colchester, relieved, finally launch an attack down the right. Massey swings a ball into the Spurs box, but there’s nobody in blue to meet it. “I’ve been reading rumours that Manchester United might target Pochettino as their next manager,” writes Hubert O’Hearn. “Not that I’m trying to awaken trolls, however in all seriousness, wouldn’t Spurs actually be the preferred job now, as odd as that may be to write? The roster is built, Champions League beckons, and it’s the capital. What strange and delightful times we live in.”
12 min: Lamela, from what initially appears to be a daft distance down the inside-right channel, whips a glorious curling shot past Kean and onto the bottom of the left-hand post. The ball goes out for a corner; the shot deserved a goal. Eastman? Eastman?!
10 min: Colchester are hanging on with their ten men. Chadli has a belt from the left-hand corner of the D. It’s blocked. Then Lamela makes space for himself in the right-hand portion of the area. He can’t get a shot away either. How long can they wait for Eastman to return? Get stitching, doc.
8 min: Colchester have a makeshift defence right now, and Spurs are showing no mercy. First off, Kane sends Trippier free down the right again. A low cross this time, and it nearly finds Chadli in the six-yard box. But Chadli isn’t allowed to sidefoot home, because Brindley hooks away marvellously to save a certain goal. Then Eriksen comes at Colchester down the inside-right, and takes a whack from distance. Kean parries well to stop the ball squeaking into the bottom right.
6 min: Kent comes on for Wynter, who departs on a stretcher. He receives a warm ovation from all corners. God speed. Kent will be partnered by Gilbey in the centre of the defence while Eastman is off being treated.
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4 min: It’s going to take a little while to load poor stricken Wynter onto the stretcher. All due care and attention being taken. Kent, who will come on to replace him, is receiving lengthy instruction from his manager on the touchline.
2 min: Dear me. This looks fairly unpleasant. With Kane making a nuiscance of himself down the Spurs left, Eastman crashes into Wynter, his own man, as the pair challenge a high ball. They clash heads in gruesome fashion. Wynter is down on the ground, spark out. He’ll be helped onto a stretcher, while Eastman goes off down the tunnel for an emergency stitch or two, blood streaming down his face.
And we're off!
Colchester get the ball rolling. A cracking atmosphere at the Community Stadium. It’s hellishly windy. Kane sets Trippier away down the right. Tripper crosses long for Chadli, who can’t connect properly with his header at the far post. But very nearly a whirlwind start for Spurs.
The teams are out! Colchester are in their first-choice blue-and-white stripes, while Spurs have rocked up in their famous lilywhite duds. It would have been easy to opt for third-choice purple, so fair play for their insistence on tradition. Colchester’s kit is predominantly blue, after all. Tottenham’s captain today, incidentally, is Harry Kane. With 15 in his last 18 games, Kane will be a crucial component of Tottenham’s title charge, so it’s to Pochettino’s credit that he’s taking the FA Cup seriously enough to play him today. “I suppose it’s a good sign that the cup is being taken seriously,” begins Steve Wiles, “but I can’t help wishing that sometimes, specifically and only when playing my beloved and bedraggled U’s, the big boys would treat the cup with the disdain it undoubtedly doesn’t deserve.” We’ll be off in a minute!
The ever-calm Mauricio Pochettino talks! “My experience is that when you play against lower-level teams, it is difficult, as their motivation is great. We need to show respect, we know it will be a very tough game. We need to play well. We have the possibility to make the fifth round, and while it’s an opportunity for other players to play, we still picked the best starting XI to win. It’s important to keep our momentum going. We want to go far in every competition. Today is a very important game for us.”
A very cheery Kevin Keen speaks! “It’s the cup, and everyone in the lower leagues love the cup, because it’s an opportunity to grab the headlines. They’re doing very well at the moment, and we’re not, but we’ll have a go. Everyone in the dressing room is excited. Their second-string aren’t really second-string, so whatever team they’ve picked, we’ll give it a go. We’ve got a lot of young players, and this club is about bringing them through. Hopefully we’ll put on a good show and encourage other young players to come and play for Colchester United. Alex Gilbey is 21 and he’s played 100 games for us. That’s got to be better than sitting in someone’s under-21 side.”
Colchester haven’t won a league game in 14, so today’s match against one of the most upwardly mobile teams in Europe should come as light relief. Eh? They make three changes to the XI that started the 3-0 defeat at Scunthorpe: Kane Vincent-Young, Gavin Massey and Darren Ambrose are in for Matthew Briggs, Joe Edwards and Chris Porter.
Spurs have given their line-up a good old shoogle, much as expected. Seven changes to the team that began the 3-1 victory at Crystal Palace. Hugo Lloris, Danny Rose, Toby Alderweireld, Jan Vertonghen, Heung-Min Son, Mousa Dembele and Dele Alli make way for Michel Vorm, Kevin Wimmer, Ben Davies, Nabil Bentaleb, Tom Carroll, Erik Lamela and Nacer Chadli. That’s still a strong side, isn’t it. Spurs are the real deal nowadays.
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The teams
Colchester United: Kean, Brindley, Eastman, Wynter, Vincent-Young, Garvan, Gilbey, Massey, Moncur, Ambrose, Porter.
Subs: Briggs, Edwards, Lee, Kent, Bonne, Parish, Sordell.
Tottenham Hotspur: Vorm, Trippier, Dier, Wimmer, Davies, Bentaleb, Carroll, Lamela, Eriksen, Chadli, Kane.
Subs: Lloris, Alderweireld, Walker, Alli, Dembele, Onomah, Son.
Referee: Michael Oliver (Northumberland).
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Good morning!
“I always score against Jack Charlton.” Ray Crawford’s boast, there, back in 1971, ahead of Fourth Division Colchester United’s fifth-round FA Cup tie against First Division table-toppers Leeds United. It wasn’t an idle one, either. The 34-year-old Crawford - who had been a member of Alf Ramsey’s title-winning Ipswich Town side back in 1962, and therefore knew a thing or two about jaw-dropping outcomes - scored twice in the first 28 minutes against Don Revie’s stellar team. Crawford & Co. never looked back, hanging on for an eventual 3-2 win. It’s arguably the biggest shock in the entire history of the FA Cup. It’s certain that 13 February 1971 remains the most famous day in Colchester United’s history.
A win over Tottenham Hotspur today wouldn’t be far off matching it. Colchester are rock bottom of League One, while Spurs have a sniff of the Premier League title. Kevin Keen has some experienced names in his squad - former Crystal Palace midfielder Darren Ambrose, one-time Reading defender Nicky Shorey, erstwhile Ipswich midfielder Owen Garvan - but even if Mauricio Pochettino selects a second-string line-up, you’d expect Spurs to be too strong for their hosts today. But then everyone said that before a fourth-round tie between Terry Venables’ Tottenham and third-tier Port Vale back in 1988, and look what happened there. It’s the nature of the cup. So it can be done. It probably won’t, but it can. It’s on!
Kick off: 12.45pm GMT.
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