Premier League Tottenham Hotspur needed extra time to beat plucky fifth-tier side Tamworth, 96 places below them in the English football pyramid, 3-0 in the third round of the FA Cup on Sunday.

The game had the makings of a major upset from the opening whistle as Tamworth more than held their own but the team of part-time players grew tired and were unable to pull off one of the biggest upsets in the history of the competition.

“We should be proud, we took a top six team to extra time,” Tamworth goalkeeper Jas Singh, who works full-time as a building surveyor, told ITV. “We had chances too, that’s the frustrating thing.”

After a goalless 90 minutes, Nathan Tshikuna’s own goal in the 101st minute gave Spurs the lead after Brennan Johnson fired a low cross into the box.

Substitute Dejan Kulusevski doubled the lead when he used a pass from Son Heung-Min to shoot over Singh and Johnson added a late third goal.

Tamworth gave their fans plenty to cheer about at the rocking Lamb Ground when Beck-Ray Enoru – who works as a salesman – forced Spurs goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky into a first-minute save.

Before kick-off, Enoru had climbed onto a teammate’s shoulders to close a gap in the net with a roll of tape as Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou looked on laughing and Tamworth’s Tom Tonks, known for his long throw-ins, rattled one off Spurs fired. further post.

Tom McGlinchey and Jordan Cullinane-Liburd had excellent chances to score a late winner for the home side, which left manager Andy Peaks – who quit his job as a manager before Sunday’s game to become a full-time manager – in disbelief.

Singh, whose partner had given birth to a baby boy the night before, was excellent in goal, saving several of Spurs’ shots, including some from James Maddison.