Tamworth 0-3 Tottenham: Non-league side tick almost all the FA Cup magic boxes

An extraordinary FA Cup match saw non-league side Tamworth face Tottenham Hotspur, featuring a broken net, a goalkeeper who became a father hours before the game, and a defender pulling off a "Maradona" style skill even he couldn't explain. The game had almost everything one could hope for in an FA Cup tie, except for a goal in regulation time.

Tamworth, one of the few remaining semi-professional teams in the fifth tier (National League), had enjoyed consecutive promotions. They could have had a replay at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium if it weren't for the abolishment of replays this season. Ultimately, Premier League giants Spurs narrowly won 3-0 in extra time after a goalless 90 minutes against Tamworth. However, the match itself was full of memorable stories, showcasing the magic of this historic competition.

Based in Staffordshire, Tamworth had been anticipating this match for a long time. They welcomed eight-time FA Cup winners Tottenham Hotspur to their home ground, the Lamb Ground, which has an artificial pitch. National television cameras were also present, attempting to capture the captivating magic of the competition. Soon after the start of the match, a dramatic scene unfolded: player Baker-Ray Enoru had to climb on a teammate's shoulders to repair a hole in the net with tape, delaying the kick-off to ensure the game could proceed.

Tamworth performed admirably throughout the match, holding their own against Spurs for much of the time and even having chances to win. A highlight of the game was 32-year-old experienced defender Haydn Hollis's turn to evade two Spurs players. Although the risky move could have led to an opportunity for the visitors if it failed, Tamworth later posted a photo on social media of Diego Maradona performing the same skill for Argentina. Hollis said after the game: “Their manager (Ange Postecoglou) said to me, ‘That’s good enough to get you a place here’. I said, ‘Believe it or not, I’ve never done that before. It’s not my style, you’ll never see it again.’” He also cleared Timo Werner’s header off the line, which was more in line with his usual style of play.

Tommy Tonks, a food van driver five days a week, caused Tottenham some trouble with his long throw-ins. One of his throws even hit the far post. His name was widely discussed on social media, with viewers praising the 33-year-old's performance. Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live with his family, Tonks said: “All the lads can be proud of themselves. I’m a bit cramped up. We’d go to war for each other.” He also said: “I’ve not been home much this week. I’m coming to the end of my career and I hope there’s more nights like this. The FA Cup is so special for me and the club.”

What else was missing? Oh yes, goalkeeper Jas Singh’s partner had just given birth to a son the day before the match. The 34-year-old building surveyor, who has played for several non-league clubs in the West Midlands, had a superb game, making multiple saves from James Maddison and Werner. He told BBC Radio 5 Live: “I became a father yesterday, so this is the icing on the cake for me. It was a fairly easy day at the office today. First kid, a boy. My partner’s still in hospital, thanks to her for letting me come out today.” Regarding the match, he added: “To take a team like that to extra time is unbelievable, and the way we did it – we really grafted. Maybe on another day, the ball falls differently – we should be proud. They brought on their big guns in extra time, and we were all joking in our little circle saying, ‘Here we go!’. I’m gutted, but when the dust settles, I’ll be proud. It doesn’t get much better than this. I’ve spent most of my career part-time – it’s incredible to have a day like this.”

Singh was first beaten by an own goal from substitute Nathan Cikuna, before goals from Dejan Kulusevski and Brennan Johnson sealed the win for Tottenham, a scoreline that was somewhat flattering to them. Tamworth manager Andy Peaks had only been a professional coach for three days. He signed a new full-time contract on Thursday, meaning he could quit his job as a support worker at Kettering Tresham College. The 54-year-old coach, who has been with Tamworth since 2022, said it had been difficult to balance the two roles after leading the club to promotion from the Southern League. Following the match against Spurs, he added: “They’ve all got to go back to work tomorrow, but they can go back with their heads held high. Everyone put a shift in, everyone stuck to the tactics. Our players were unbelievable, and I’m proud of them.” Regarding his players starting to tire in extra time, Peaks said: “Why wouldn’t we be? We’re a part-time team, and they, I think, probably had 11 internationals on the pitch at that time.”

Tom McGlinchey, a lecturer at Nottingham Trent University and Tamworth player who joined from Coalville Town this summer, added: “Unbelievably proud of the lads. It was a great day, a shame we couldn’t hold on. It’s back to lecturing tomorrow – unfortunately, back to the day job.”