Two first half goals were enough for Tottenham Hotspur to see off a plucky Newport County side at Wembley and progress into the Last 16 of the Emirates FA Cup.
The sides had met twelve days ago in Wales and the Premier League side had needed a late Harry Kane equaliser to rescue them from a huge upset after the hosts had taken the lead in the first half at Rodney Parade.
However the hosts, three leagues above their opponents, were expected to finish the job here. But backed by a sizable away support, Newport would no doubt enjoy their Wembley experience whatever the outcome in this one.
Spurs had the first shot on goal, when Heung-Min Son whistled a shot over from an acute angle, as they looked for that early goal to settle their nerves. Newport though looked far from overawed by the occasion though and so nearly took an 11th minute lead when a pin point cross found Padraig Amond unmarked in the area, but he could only direct his header over when he should of at least tested Michel Vorn in the Spurs net.
And after twenty or so minutes Newport were more than holding their own in this one, and you could feel the home crowd becoming edgy already as their side had started with a degree of nervousness in this one.
In the 22nd minute the hosts did go close when a ball to the far side of the box saw full back Danny Rose charge in to fire an effort into the side netting, but three minutes later the home side could relax a little when they did find the breakthrough when Moussa Sissoko crossed into the dangerzone and the unfortunate Dan Butler turned the ball into his own net, and Spurs had the lead.
This seemed to release a pressure valve in the hosts as they began to find their feet at long last and on the half hour visitors keeper Joe Day had to make decent saves from Erik Lamela and then Son in a matter of moments before Lamela then fired a loose ball well over the bar.
Two minutes later more good Spurs build up play ended with Lamela firing wide of the Newport goal, and you felt a second Spurs goal wasn’t far away.
And just a minute later, in the 34th minute, they found that second goal as good play from Son saw him play in Lamela, and the Spurs attacker duly slotted expertly past Day and into the far corner and Spurs now had a two goal cushion and were looking very menacing now.
With seven minutes of the half remaining Spurs fizzed a ball into the near post, but Day got down well to save that, before the visitors managed to break down the left a few minutes later, and almost converted the cross however the covering defender managed to just about thwart any danger to the hosts goal.
Remember Victor Wanyama and his goal against Liverpool? Well he received the ball about twenty five yards or so, and with the crowd urging him to shoot, he obliged although this effort was sliced miles wide of the target!!!
It was the final act of the half, a half were Spurs had started slowly, however after they took the lead looked far more comfortable. Newport were far from disgracing themselves though but they had a mountain to climb in this one.
Half Time Tottenham Hotspur 2 Newport County 0
It was a fairly quiet opening to the second period, with the first effort at goal a Wanyama effort for the hosts, although his header was straight at Day, and then two minutes later Spurs almost netted a third as a cross was almost turned in by a defender, but this time they managed to advert any danger, just.
Then just past the hour mark great skill from Lamela saw him twist and turn his marker inside the box before he almost teed up Fernando Llorente, but the striker could not stretch far enough to divert the cross home.
You had to give Newport their due though as they continued to battle well and give it a go, however Spurs always looked the likelier to add further goals, and in the 65th minute saw Lamela thwarted by a decent stop from Day, before another terrific move from the hosts involving the recently arriving substitute Christian Eriksen and Rose ended with the former putting Rose’s cross wide of the target.
In the 72nd minute Newport went on the attack and it needed a decent punch out from Vorm to clear the danger and from this Spurs counter attacked but messed up the final ball and the flag had gone up for offside in any case.
And four minutes later it should have been three for the hosts when a delightful ball into the area found Llorente all alone, however he could only head wide of the far post, and then two minutes later Llorente was guilty of another miss when another great cross found him unmarked however he could only volley wide the other post.
Spurs had also now brought on Dele Alli and in the 83rd minute saw a brilliant ball release him in on goal, however his effort struck the bar and went over, before he saw another effort well saved by Day down at his near post four minutes later.
Three minutes of stoppage time were then announced and in the first of these another second half substitute Kyle Walker-Peters fizzed a decent effort wide, whilst deep into stoppage time Newport so nearly grabbed a goal when they found themselves in on goal however Vorm made a terrific save to deny them, and preserve his clean sheet in the process.
In was the last act in this one, and Spurs had netted a fairly routine victory in the end, although take nothing away from the visitors who gave their all and were rightly clapped by their fans as well as the home ones after the final whistle. However it is Spurs who travel to face Rochdale in the Last 16 of the competition.
Full Time Tottenham Hotspur 2 Newport County 0
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