Here’s Paul Wilson’s match report.
A difficult interview for Tranmere manager Micky Mellon: “You’ve got to say Spurs were fantastic. We’re disappointed with certain moments and some of the goals. When you don’t do the right things with the ball you can get punished and we were punished very heavily by a very good team. They’re a fantastic team with outrageously good players. It’s a tough night for the boys but it was a fantastic achievement to bring tottenham here and that’s important.”
Pochettino’s verdict: “It was a very professional performance. It was fantastic for our fans. I’m very pleased.” When he’s told by Jake Humphreys that this is Spurs’ record away win, he turns to Harry Redknapp (who’s here on pundit duties) and asks: “you never did it?” Redknapp proceeds to regale him with the tale of that 9-1 home win over Wigan in 2009.
Asked about his team’s recent away wins, Pochettino says: “I am so, so pleased because the team is performing very well away from home, showing great character. Maybe it’s helped by playing at Wembley because it’s like playing the whole season away.” He is also asked about his impression’s of yesterday’s Man City-Liverpool match and the title race. “It was very nice to watch but I don’t care about the result. We are in a competition where there are still a lot of games to play. We have to go step by step. Of course we need to be dream and be ambitious but we also have to be realistic.”
Updated
Tottenham Hotspur were founded in 1882 and never have they won an official away match by a score as big as this. That’s right, folks, you’ve witnessed history. But no hat-trick from Serge Aurier.
“Kudos to you and Mike Nagle for the headlines,” blurts Peter Oh. “These recent scores sure do give Spurs an Aurier of invincibility.” Honk!
Alli: “We knew it was never going to be easy. It was all about attitude today, we had to give them a lot of respect ... then in the second half we showed our quality. It was a top performance for us but you have to give them credit for working so hard and making it difficult for us in the first half.”
Aurier: “I’m happy about my two goals and happy for the team. We’re going to keep going for the next one.”
Full-time: Tranmere 0-7 Spurs
For almost half the game Tranmere sort of held their own ... and then they were blown away. One-nil up at half-time, Spurs were royally superior in the second period and crushed their hosts with almost relentless scoring.
90+2 min: Moura tries to get in on the act but bangs over from 20 yards.
89 min: Aurier tries again, this time from 20 yards. He smashes it with great force ... into a defenders face, potentially adding injury to insult.
87 min: Banks booked for a studs-first challenge on Skipp. He won the ball but in a naughty way.
86 min: Aurier sees the chance for a hat-trick as Kane rolls the ball into his path 20 yards from goal. He lets fly with his left foot ... and the ball sails towards the Irish Sea.
84 min: This is how the FA Cup should be. All I want from a tie is (a) a shock win for the lower league side or (b) a ruthless annihilation of the lower league side by an elite team determined to show their superiority rather than get a couple of goals in front and then knock off.
GOAL! Tranmere 0-7 Spurs (Kane 82)
Easy as you like. Alli collects the ball on the left wing, spots a run by Kane and flips the ball into his path with the outside of his foot. Kane dinks it over the advancing goalkeeper. This has been a pleasingly merciless second half by Spurs.
Updated
Spurs substitution: Eyoma, another debutant, enters the fray in place of Sanchez. He’ll remember this moment rest of his life. Unless Aurier completes a hat-trick, in which case everyone’s minds will be blown.
77 min: A lull. We’re approaching four minutes without a shot. Kane can’t be happy with that. “Why are you even MBM’ing this match?” demands-to-know Rob Coughlin. “Better yet, why am I following your every keystroke?” Because we’re addicts. The first step to recovery is to admit that.
Spurs substitution: Kane on - because you can never take victory for granted - and Llorente off.
74 min: Freekick to Tranmere, about 25 yards out and central. Consolation coming? Only for people consoled by the sight of Norwood smashing a shot into the wall.
Updated
GOAL! Tranmere 0-6 Spurs (Llorente 72)
Spurs are scoring quicker than I can type! Llorente completes his hat-trick with an almost effortless close-range finish from a cross from the left by Moura.
Updated
GOAL! Tranmere 0-5 Spurs (Llorente 71)
Skipp finds Llorente with a beautiful low pass straight through the home defence. Llorente takes it in his stride and finishes with nonchalant ease.
Updated
68 min: Tranmere haven’t give up. They’re still buzzing around in the hope of eking out at least one goal for their fans to cheer. “I am sure you have already written your report headline: Spurs Serge to victory,” blares Mike Nagle. It’ll be that or Hip Hip Aurier ...
Spurs substitution: Nineteen-year-old George Marsh trots on for his senior debut; Son walks off to hearty applause - he’s been excellent yet again.
65 min: Norwood nicks the ball off Skipp in midfield and for a moment there seems a chance that he will run all the way through and fire off a shot. But Sanchez soon puts a stop to that far-out idea.
63 min: Jennings releases Caprice with a smart ball down the right. Caprice dashes forward and then tries a hopeful shot from 20 yards and a difficult angle. It drifts way wide.
60 min: Gazzaniga gets his hands warmed by a long-range shot. “So how’s the giant-killing trope going then?” asks Ed Moloney. Forget the giant-killing, from here on in it’s all about finding out whether Serge Aurier is, in fact, the new Bunny Bell.
Tranmere substitution: Banks on, Harris off.
GOAL! Tranmere 0-4 Spurs (Son 57)
Oh dear. Tranmere are unravelling. Son runs from inside his own half to the edge of the area before facing any challenge, and he eludes that easily before shooting calmly past the keeper.
Updated
GOAL! Tranmere 0-3 Spurs (Aurier 56)
A lovely piece of control by Son at the edge of the box as he takes down a diagonal pass and then spins and sets up Aurier, who charges in from the right to hit a powerful low shot beyond the keeper and a defender on the line. Tranmere are toast now, and Aurier’s on a hat-trick!
Updated
54 min: Gazzaniga sets up an attack with a precise long kick. Moura tries to dribbe around the out-rushing keeper, but Davies gets a vital touch with his trailing leg to take it off the attacker!
52 min: A long throw-in from the right if flicked on by Monthe. Foyth jumps with Norwood and heads it further into the six-yard box. It drops to Gilmour, who Gilmour, who lashes the bouncing ball just over the bar!
GOAL! Tranmere 0-2 Spurs (Llorente 49)
Aurier flicks the ball through to Son, who skips past Monthe and into the box. He looks up from the byline and pulls the ball back to Llorente, who merely has to slot it into the net from six yards. Spurs are surely on Easy Street now.
Updated
47 min: Monthe and McNulty combine to snuff out dangerous conniving between Alli and Moura on the edge of the Tranmere box.
46 min: Off we go again. “It’s been the usual nerve inducing game from Spurs against lower league teams,” sniffs Mike Nagle. “Surely would have been a good opportunity for N’Koudou who was in the last squad but not this one. Also appreciate the qualities of Dele Ali but a midfield general he is not. 1-0 at half-time but feel appearances from Kane & Eriksen will be necessary.” You don’t think N’koudou will leave the club this month?
In other news, many, many people have got in touch to tell Alasdair Philips that this match can be watched in the US on a subscription channel. But why would he do that when he can follow it for free here while doing some Skeeter Bass?
Half-time: Tranmere 0-1 Spurs
Serge Aurier’s long-range blast is the difference between the sides, detonated at a time when Tranmere were starting to believe an upset might be on the cards. It still might, but it’s going to take a mighty second-half turn-around. And you wouldn’t want to miss that. Stay tuned!
44 min: Gilmour wins a corner on the left for Tranmere. Spurs deal with it sans bother.
42 min: The replay suggests that the swerve on Aurier’s shot was enhanced by a slight deflection off Monthe, who tried to charge it down. Still, it was a terrific strike and a bitter reminder to Tranmere that it only takes a second for a Premier League team to transform a match in which the lower league side were starting to gain some momentum.
GOAL! Tranmere 0-1 Spurs (Aurier 40)
That’s a heck of a way to make Spurs comfortable! After winning possession mid-way inside the Tranmere half, the Ivorian lashed a swirling right-footed shot into the top corner! The keeper, bewildered by the swerve, barely moved!
Updated
38 min: Alli badly overhits an attempted cross towards the far post. This is turning into an uncomfortable experience for Spurs. It might have been a lot smoother if they hadn’t bungled those two early chances. Now Tranmere have more belief. “I’m sitting in Brooklyn NY and was really looking forward to tonight’s game,” reveals Alasdair Philip. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy to follow your live updates but I would rather watch it on TV. Sadly the allure of the FA Cup is not enough to elevate it above either ‘Facts of Fishing’ episode 411 or strangely the 2nd test between South Africa and Pakistan. There’s also a Skeeter Bass tournament showing, Smash Wrestling, Australian Rules Football and Kung Fu Panda 2, but no Tranmere-Spurs. If I give you my number, would you Facetime it for me?” No, but if you give me your number I’ll gladly publish it here and invite others to get in touch about any services they may have to offer. (I may change my stance if you offer to provide updates on that Skeeter Bass tournament, starting with what the hell is Skeeter Bass? Do you smoke it or dance to it?).
35 min: Monthe, leaning backwards, meets an outswining corner with a header from 15 yards. He directs it on target but not with enough power to trouble Gazzaniga.
Updated
32 min: Davies sends over an out-swinging corner. Llorente peels off his marker and tries to guide a sidefooted volley towards goal. But he lifts it a couple of yards over.
29 min: Lloretne knocks the ball past Monthe and tries to chase after it but runs into the defender. He turns to the referee with an exasperated look on his face as if to suggest he was barged of the ball. He gets no sympathy from the ref and even less from the crowd.
27 min: A lovely pass from midfield finds Norwood, running into the left-hand side of the box. He has Harris baying for a pass in the middle but chooses to shoot first time from a difficult angle. It flies wide several yards on the near side. Still, there’s been some encouraging signs from the hosts in the last few minutes and the crowd are making noise again after being lulled into silence by Spurs’ early dominance.
25 min: Gilmour’s cross from the left is blocked and sent spinning into the air in the Tottenham box. Jennings keeps his eye on it and catches it sweetly on the volley when it comes down. Foyth makes a good block.
22 min: A marvellous dummy by Alli fools the Tranmere defence ... but also takes Moura by surprise. So the ball rolls through to the goalkeeper.
20 min: Tranmere are starting to put a few passes together around midfield. Nothing remotely threatening but good enough to relieve pressure temporarily.
18 min: Tranmere are in Tottenham’s half! But the flag goes up for offside...
16 min: Davies comes up from his position on the left-hand side of Spurs’ back three to take a freekick on the right. McNulty clears it. But its worked back to Davies, who lets fly from 25 yards. His namesake in the Tranmere goal makes a a tidy save.
14 min: That’s better from Spurs! With swift passing and beguiling movement they opened up the home defence, Son slipped pass through to Moura to give Spurs another one-on-one opportunity - but Moura’s finish is weak, his low shot trickling into the arms of the grateful keeper. In fairness to the Brazilian, the pitch seems a little bobbly and may have stopped him getting a cleaner connection.
12 min: Spurs continue to hog possession but Tranmere remain vigilant. McNulty has atoned for his early lapse by making a couple of fine interceptions in the box. “Please, please tell me McNulty is strong at heading corners,” pleas John Boon. He’s a 35-year-old centreback with the build of a butcher and part-time fire fighter: of course he’s strong at heading corners.
9 min: A mistake by McNulty allows Son to race through on goal. Davies surges out to meet him ... and makes a fine save near the penalty spot! Tranmere got away with one there.
Updated
7 min: Moura becoems impatient at Spurs’ slow and steady passing. He tries to dissect the home defence with a quick pass through to the overlapping Walker-Peters but it was too rushed and easily cut out.
5 min: Spurs have monopolised possession so far but Tranmere are energetic and well organised and aren’t about to offer up an easy openings.
3 min: Alli, Spurs’ captain for the occasion, leads a slow, probing move forward. Walker-Peters, the left wing-back, takes it up and skitters down the flank and wins a corner. Davies’ delivery is cleared at the near post.
1 min: Spurs kick off.
Updated
The teams are on the pitch and there’s a party in the stands! The locals are determined to make the atmosphere as loud and festive as possible. It’s Tottenham’s job to try to shut them up.
Pochettino has opted for a pretty strong lineup and has even more class on the bench, along with a couple of youngsters with who you might not be familiar: Timothy Eyoma is an 18-year-old defender who is highly enough rated to have been given a new contract in August. And George Marsh is a 19-year-old midfielder who is competitive enough to have sent Adam Lallana into a red-card rage during a reserve team match against Liverpool in February.
Pochettino has warned his players not to take Tranmere lightly. “It’s going to be a very difficult game because the FA always forces you to give your best. You cannot talk about levels in this type of competition and if you don’t take it the right, the game can be problematic. We have to have the same level of motivation and energy [as Tranmere] and after that our quality should appear, but if we do not have that, it will be difficult.”
Updated
Micky Mellon has been talking to the TV people and his message is clear: “This is a big step forward in our recovery as a football club. I want the players and fans to be excited. We’re going to have a right good go. It’s a one-off shot at glory so why be afraid of that? Go for it.” It’s on!
“I’ve got a good feeling about this one,” announces Matt Dixon. “I fancy us to come out strongly and put Tottenham under pressure early doors. McNulty will score from a corner and then we’ll hang on for a famous victory.” Is that all? I thought “starting strongly” meant more than that at Tranmere, what with Bunny Bell & Co having shown the way by scoring six goals in the first 20 minutes against Oldham back in 1935, en route to a 13-4 win. Bell, of course, scored nine that day (and missed a penalty), so the likes of Norwood and Kane have plenty more to do if they want to really impress folks in these parts.
Updated
Teams:
Tranmere: Davies, Ridehalgh, McNulty, McCullogh, Monthe, Caprice, Ellis, Gilmour, Harris, Jennings, Norwood
Subs: Passant, Bakayogo, Buxton, Sutton, Stockton, Mullin, Banks
Spurs: Gazzaniga; Foyth, Sanchez, Davies; Aurier, Skipp, Alli, Lucas, Walker-Peters; Son, Llorente.
Subs: Vorm, Alderweireld, Eyoma, Marsh, Sissoko, Eriksen, Kane
Updated
Preamble
Hello. If you’re reading this, then you don’t think the FA Cup has become a waste of time. Or your Fridays ain’t what they used to be. Either way, welcome: this could prove a fun diversion from routine.
Mauricio Pochettino is unlikely to field a full-strength team for a competition that he does not consider to be first-rate (but which he would like to win, if only to have something other than a tea cup to put in his trophy cabinet). But Tranmere plan to make life awkward for their Premier League visitors.
Micky Mellon’s side are in upbeat form, going along nicely in League Two in their first season back in the Football League following last May’s thrilling promotion playoff victory at Wembley. The man who scored the winning goal against Boreham Wood that day, James Norwood, remains in scorching form, his 16 goals league goals so far this season making him the joint-highest scorer in League Two and the Prenton Park version of Harry Kane.
Tranmere’s two previous ties in this season’s FA Cup – against Oxford City and Southport – went to replays. A similar outcome this time would suit them just fine.
Updated
