MAGIC OF THE CUP IS ALIVE AND WELL AT SPURS...

Tottenham fight back from two goals down against League Two Wycombe to win it in the 97th minute

THINK the FA Cup has lost its edge? Then watch a replay of this breathtaking match. For at White Hart Lane yesterday there was proof that this is still the world’s undisputed No1 cup competition.

In the end, Son Heung-min — via a huge defection off Joe Jacobson — secured Tottenham an incredible win in the 97th minute. For plucky Wycombe it was agonising — particularly considering they had not been behind until Son struck.

It was very nearly a day to forget for Tottenham and it is to their credit that they turned it into a day they will never forget.

Two goals down at half-time, Mauricio Pochettino’s understrength team were on the ropes. How on earth did they turn it round? Even Pochettino struggled to answer that question.

‘Maybe it’s the magic of the FA Cup. This is the best competition in the world — you cannot replicate this in Spain or anywhere else. So much passion,’ said the Spurs boss.

But his side showed little passion in the first half. Seventy league places divide these two clubs. But you would not have known it during the first half.

Wycombe were brilliant, Spurs just awful. Nine changes or not, the opening 45 minutes was not a performance befitting a Tottenham team under Pochettino. They should have fallen behind inside a minute when Paul Hayes sent a header on to the bar. And Sam Wood twice went close before Son missed an open goal after some poor Wycombe defending.

Five minutes later, however, Wycombe were ahead. Josh Onomah could only half-clear Wood’s corner but what followed was far from a half-measure. Hayes’ venomous volley past Vorm was sublime; pure Premier League class from the League Two player.

Spurs mustered a response, Moussa Sissoko and Son both went close. But an equaliser would have been harsh on Wycombe.

In the end, the visitors scored a deserved second before the break after Cameron Carter-Vickers launched into a senseless lunge on Wood deep inside his box in the 36th minute. Roger East pointed to the spot and Hayes smashed home to send Wycombe into dreamland.

To Tottenham’s credit, they showed their mettle. On the hour mark, Spurs were back in business when Son’s shot from a tight angle beat Jamal Blackman at his near post. Wycombe knew what was coming. Pochettino sent for the cavalry; Dele Alli and Mousa Dembele replacing Onomah and Kevin Wimmer.

And within four minutes of halving the deficit, Spurs were level.

Wycombe defender Aaron Pierre looked bemused when East pointed to the spot after his tangle with substitute Vincent Janssen. He will not be so confused when he watches the replay, his elbow catching the Dutchman square in the face before Janssen dusted himself down to fire the penalty past Blackman.

By this point Wycombe were on the floor. But they were offered a huge boost in the 74th minute when Kieran Trippier hobbled off after landing awkwardly from an aerial challenge, meaning Spurs — who had made all their substitutions — had to finish the rest of the game with 10 men.

And just as they thought their dream was fading, Wycombe then produced the sort of drama only the FA Cup can muster.

Substitute Myles Weston took full advantage of the space vacated by Trippier before whipping in a delightful cross to substitute Garry Thompson. The finish was unerring, his header evading Vorm before rippling the net. Game over. At least it should have been.

First, Alli slotted past Blackman from the edge of the area in the 88th minute to level. Then, 10 seconds after the allotted six minutes of injury time, Son notched the winner despite Jacobson’s desperate attempts clear off the line.

‘The result is frustrating and there are a couple of incidents in the game — the soft penalty and the winning goal seems to have come in overtime of overtime — but I don’t want to go negative,’ said Wycombe manager Gareth Ainsworth. ‘As a manager, you cannot ask for any more from your players. They have done the whole town proud, me proud and themselves proud.

The FA Cup has lost its magic then, has it? Not a chance.