FA Cup Third Round 

TOTTENHAM 1 (Odobert 54) 
ASTON VILLA 2 (Buendia 22, Rogers 45+3)

TOTTENHAM players traditionally walk out to the second half as the tannoy plays the strains of MacNamara’s Band.

Tonight (Saturday), in a third round FA Cup tie that saw them dumped out of the competition by Aston Villa, manager Thomas Frank had needed little time to get his message across.

His players were out in the cold long before their opponents reappeared and the tannoy played the track – and Spurs responded in a manner that may, just may, have bought the manager a little more time.

Six months at Spurs has given Frank a haunted, ravaged look and these 90 minutes summed up his terrible tenure.

Frank, understandably, tried to highlight how much better his side had been after the break. He said: “It was a good second half. We played with energy, passion, intensity – how we want to play.

“We played with penetration, runs and passes through the middle; scored a good goal, had other chances, opportunities to get the equaliser. We couldn’t get that, unfortunately.

“The first half was not as good, especially after the goal. We can’t concede the second one. That would have kept us more in the game for the second half. But in the second half, the energy and the cooperation, the unity with the fans was brilliant.”

The neutral may say that at 2-0 Villa sought to contain, with the game already won. For Unai Emery’s team, this was a cake walk into the fourth round.

Villa took the lead on 22 minutes, and it was simple stuff. John McGinn began a move under little pressure in the middle of the park. Emiliano Buendia raced through on to Donyell Malen’s overlapping ball and smashed home from inside the box without a white shirt getting close.

Tottenham looked bereft, and it was no surprise Villa doubled their lead on 45 when Buendía played in the excellent Morgan Rogers, who finished left-footed.

So far, it has been the story of Tottenham’s season – underlined when Richarlison limped off, hamstrung torn, midway through the opening half, adding to the sense that this manager just can’t catch a break.

But the second half – from an admittedly low base – was much, much better. Whatever was said during the brief team talk at the break saw the players respond enough, perhaps, to keep Frank in post for a little longer.

On 53, Randal Kolo Muani’s persistence saw him win the ball and break forward. His perfectly weighted pass slipped into Wilson Odobert saw the young winger advance and finish well into the far corner. It woke the home crowd up.

Spurs threw everything they had at their opponents, with Xavi Simons, Odobert and Mathys Tel testing Villa keeper Marco Bizot. But despite the Tottenham rally, Villa contained and also threatened themselves when they had regained their composure after a whirlwind response from the home side.

Joao Palhinha was at the centre of angry scenes at the end of the match as he caused a melee after taking Ollie Watkins’ celebrations as provocative. At least he showed some heart, something the side as a whole was completely missing in a tepid first half where they looked to be waiting for the inevitable opener from the visitors.

Tottenham: Vicario, Davies, van de Ven, Danso, Porro (Spence, 82), Palhinha, Gray, Simons, Tel (Scarlett, 77), Odobert (Solanke, 82), Richarlison (Kolo Muani, 29)
Substitutes not used: Kinsky, Dragusin, Udogie, Solanke, Scarlett, Byfield, Williams-Barnett

Aston Villa: Bizot, Cash (Garcia, 77), Konsa, McGinn (Sancho, 63), Buendia, Torres, Malen (Watkins, 63), Maatsen (Digne, 77), Bogarde, Rogers, Kamara (Tielemans, 2)
Substitutes not used: Wright, Lindelof, Mings, Hemmings