{"id":24734,"date":"2022-01-09T12:15:00","date_gmt":"2022-01-09T17:15:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=24734"},"modified":"2022-01-10T09:18:10","modified_gmt":"2022-01-10T14:18:10","slug":"spurs-leave-it-late-to-avoid-cup-upset-against-morecambe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=24734","title":{"rendered":"Spurs Leave It Late To Avoid Cup Upset Against Morecambe"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Quick fire goals from Harry Winks, Lucas Moura and Harry Kane sent Antonio Conte\u2019s side through to the Fourth Round (PA Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Tottenham needed three goals in the final 16 minutes to avoid an FA Cup upset against Morecambe as they came from behind to win 3-1 on an afternoon when record signing Tanguy Ndombele was booed off by the home crowd.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anthony O\u2019Connor\u2019s first-half goal had the League One side \u2013 59 places below their hosts on the football ladder \u2013 dreaming of the most famous result in their history, but a late blitz spared Spurs\u2019 blushes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After Ndombele, who asked to leave the club last summer, angered the home fans by taking an age to leave the field when being substituted \u2013 surely a terminal act in the Frenchman\u2019s underwhelming stay in north London \u2013 quick-fire goals from Harry Winks, Lucas Moura and Harry Kane sent Antonio Conte\u2019s side through to round four.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But Conte will have had his assertions that the majority of his squad are not good enough to compete for the major honors confirmed in a substandard display and Ndombele might not be the only one considered to be at the end of the road.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Morecambe, whose manager Stephen Robinson was absent due to a positive coronavirus test, put up a spirited display and can take heart in how their Premier League hosts struggled to get past them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conte made eight changes from the side that lost to Chelsea in the Carabao Cup semi-final first leg in the expectation that it would not be an issue against a side in a League One relegation battle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And they may have enjoyed a far more comfortable afternoon had Spurs taken two chances within the first minute.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ndombele had a shot blocked from a promising position after only 36 seconds, with Ben Davies heading the resulting corner over.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Spurs continued to dominate, without carving too many opportunities out, though they did hit the woodwork when Matt Doherty headed a corner against the frame at the far post.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Morecambe had offered little going forward but stunned the home side by taking the lead in the 33rd minute.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After some shoddy defending saw Joe Rodon concede a needless corner, Japhet Tanganga\u2019s offence was even worse from the set-piece as he did not track O\u2019Connor\u2019s movement and the Shrimps skipper slotted home Alfie McCalmont\u2019s delivery from close range.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Spurs were booed off at half-time by fans who are used to seeing their second-string side failing to deliver.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They created chances to level after the break but Dele Alli\u2019s flick from a corner was well saved by Trevor Carson and Ryan Sessegnon shot wide after a loose ball fell to him inside the area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conte had seen enough and made a triple substitution with 21 minutes to go, and it prompted Ndombele\u2019s act of mindless defiance, which must surely spell the end of his Spurs career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ndombele was one of those taken off, but was not happy about it and proceeded to trudge across the pitch at a snail\u2019s pace, appearing to go even slower when the home fans started voicing their anger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The introduction of Moura and Kane changed the course of the game, though, as Spurs rattled off three goals in the final 16 minutes to win it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They needed a slice of luck to get level, as Winks\u2019 free-kick was overhit, but it caught Morecambe goalkeeper Carson off the line and sailed into the far corner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moura completed the rescue act five minutes from time as he dispossessed Ryan McLaughlin on the halfway line, sprinted in on goal and calmly slotted home after rounding Carson.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kane got in on the act as well, neatly tucking into the far corner after Giovani Lo Celso had teed him up.<\/p>\n

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