Premier League Tottenham Hotspur were given an FA Cup third-round fright before finally overcoming fifth-tier Tamworth on Sunday.
Spurs were taken to extra-time by their part-time opponents after a laboured performance over 90 minutes from Ange Postecoglou's side.
Tamworth – who sit 16th in the National League – had worked so hard but switched off at a crucial moment after 101 minutes in front of 3,700 fans at the Lamb Ground.
Pedro Porro took the home defence by surprise when he slid a free-kick out wide to Brennan Johnson, whose low cross between defence and goalkeeper was bundled over the line off the knee of unfortunate Tamworth sub Nathan Tshikuna.
The goal took all the wind out of Tamworth players who had made their top-flight opponents look decidedly average at times despite the 96 places that separated the two teams in England's football pyramid.
Spurs' second goal arrived seven minutes later at the start of the second period of extra-time, when Son Heung-min fed fellow substitute Dejan Kulusevski who fired a superb low strike across Jas Singh and into the far corner of the net.
Brennan Johnson made it three when he was given time and space in the box to finish with the goal being met by muted celebrations from Spurs players.
“It was a challenging game as we expected it to be,” said Australian coach Postecoglou.
“They made it hard for us, with the surface it was about us staying calm and being persistent in our football. In the end, we got the job done.”
Tamworth had asked for volunteers to help clear the ground on Saturday morning to ensure the biggest match in the club's history could go ahead 24 hours later.
It was something of a culture shock for Tottenham to swap the plush arenas of the Premier League for Tamworth's modest 4,000-capacity stadium with a sloping artificial pitch.
Fans waved tinfoil replicas of the FA Cup, while locals who didn't buy a ticket were able to peer over the garden walls of houses that backed on to the stadium.
The ramshackle vibe was summed up when kick-off was delayed by a hole in one of the goal nets, with Tamworth's Beck-Ray Enoru fixing the problem by climbing on the shoulders of his teammate.
Tamworth's Snowdome – a notable local attraction featuring ski slopes – loomed in the distance behind the stadium, but on a freezing, frosty afternoon, it was Tottenham who had trouble keeping their feet.
The non-league outfit should have been ahead in the opening seconds as Enoru raced through the static Tottenham defence and unloaded a powerful effort that forced a good save from Antonin Kinsky.
Tom Tonks' long throws caused problems for lethargic Tottenham's defence and Tamworth went close three times in the final minutes.
Jordan Cullinane-Liburd headed just wide before Tom McGlinchey's shot was blocked and Cullinane-Liburd was denied by Kinsky.
Tottenham were only the fourth Premier League side since 1992/93 to be taken to extra-time in an FA Cup game against a non-league club.
It was already a result to be proud of but as fatigue began to set in Spurs were able to make the breakthrough before going on to seal their fourth-round spot.
Having beaten Liverpool 1-0 in the League Cup semi-final first leg on Wednesday, Tottenham remain in contention to win their first trophy since 2008.
“We knew we would finish strong and you could see they were tiring a bit,” added Postecoglou, whose team had taken one point from their last four league games.
“It's a game of football you go into it with trepidation and knowing you can slip up with the challenges.
“Most parts the boys kept their heads. I thought they stayed clam and persisted and got through.
“We are through to the next round and that was the objective for today.
“Tamworth did really well and should be proud of their efforts. For us, we move on.”
Tips from the expert
Dobromir Radichkov, chief data officer at dubizzle and Bayut, offers a few tips for UAE residents looking to earn some cash from pre-loved items.
- Sellers should focus on providing high-quality used goods at attractive prices to buyers.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Who is Mohammed Al Halbousi?
The new speaker of Iraq’s parliament Mohammed Al Halbousi is the youngest person ever to serve in the role.
The 37-year-old was born in Al Garmah in Anbar and studied civil engineering in Baghdad before going into business. His development company Al Hadeed undertook reconstruction contracts rebuilding parts of Fallujah’s infrastructure.
He entered parliament in 2014 and served as a member of the human rights and finance committees until 2017. In August last year he was appointed governor of Anbar, a role in which he has struggled to secure funding to provide services in the war-damaged province and to secure the withdrawal of Shia militias. He relinquished the post when he was sworn in as a member of parliament on September 3.
He is a member of the Al Hal Sunni-based political party and the Sunni-led Coalition of Iraqi Forces, which is Iraq’s largest Sunni alliance with 37 seats from the May 12 election.
He maintains good relations with former Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki’s State of Law Coaliton, Hadi Al Amiri’s Badr Organisation and Iranian officials.
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
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Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
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