Match Report: Tottenham 4 – 3 Wycombe Wanderers

Tottenham walked off the White Hart Lane pitch Saturday baffled as to how they managed to win 4-3 against Wycombe Wanderers only thanks to a late goal.

The first signs of trouble came within 45 seconds of the opening whistle. Wycombe raced toward Michel Vorm’s goal and, after crossing the ball back and forth across Tottenham’s penalty area, managed to richoted a shot off the post.

Spurs grew into the game thereafter, but it wasn’t enough to hold back Wycombe winger Paul Hayes. It was he who came close in the opening minute, and continued to be a threat right up until his opening goal in the 23rd minute.

A one goal lead was hardly discouraging for Spurs — bigger gaps have been closed before — but Mauricio Pochettino’s patched together B team failed to take advantage of their chances.

Their impotency was punished less than a quarter hour later. A foul on Wycombe midfielder Sam Wood by young American centre-back Cameron Carter-Vickers earned the visiting side a penalty. It was no surprise when Hayes stepped up and converted to double his side’s lead.

Going into half-time, the situation was bleak. Strong even for a B team, Tottenham just weren’t able to grip hold of a game that Wycombe were clearly determined to win. Changes were required, and there were plenty of good options from the bench.

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That Pochettino would go with Vincent Janssen over, say, Dele Alli might have struck some as peculiar. It did make sense however.

With Heung-min Son leading the line, Tottenham lacked a proper focal point. They were attacking often, but without having a figure like Harry Kane distracting or pulling apart the opposing defense most of their efforts came to nothing. With the Dutchman on the field, Spurs fit into a more familiar groove.

Though they were a big part of the problem in the first half, Carter-Vickers and Son combined to give Spurs some limited hope. Fifteen minutes into the second half, the American set up Son for a goal that halved Wycombe’s advantage.

The choice of Janssen was further justified four minutes later when he scored the equalizer after a Wycombe blunder resulted in a penalty.

By this point Pochettino smelled blood in the water and had brought on Alli and Mousa Dembélé. Wycombe were out of options but to sit back and absorb pressure, which Tottenham delivered in buckets.

In the end, it was not enough. Wycombe substitute Garry Thompson scored against the run of play in the 83rd minute. It seemed as if Tottenham’s hopes were lost.

One of Tottenham’s one substitutes would again step up however. Dele managed to get on the end of a ball from Dembélé and score another equalizer in the 89th minute to leave it 3-3.

And it wasn’t over yet. Janssen and Son would combine deep into stoppage time and give Tottenham the goal they needed to progress onto the FA Cup’s fifth round.

Next: Erik Lamela Dismisses Rumors That He'll Leave Tottenham

Needing a stoppage time goal to break a six-goal draw deadlock was not the scenario Tottenham expected.. Though some solace can be taken from not losing or being forced into a replay, Pochettino will have some doubts about how well his B team can perform.