Sunday’s FA Cup Third Round meeting between Tottenham Hotspur, fourth-place in the Premier League, and Marine AFC, sixth-place in the Northern Premier League Division One North West, represented a record gap of 161 places in the English football pyramid.
The prospect of the greatest giant killing of all time — and the spectacle of José Mourinho’s side visiting Rossett Park in Merseyside — allowed Marine to compensate for the potential loss in revenue of playing the match behind closed doors by selling 20,000 virtual tickets.
We’ve hit 20,000!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
THANK YOU ALL!!!!!— Marine Football Club (@MarineAFC) January 10, 2021
Those lucky enough to watch the match from the the backyards of houses near the pitch provided what atmosphere they could.
Marine fans in their gardens blasting air horns to put off Matt Doherty.
The Beautiful Game #FACupWatch Now - https://t.co/RRmQgctETJ pic.twitter.com/Tfto7ynQlX
— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS_EN) January 10, 2021
2d Jurgen Klopp was in attendance!
Watching Gareth Bale whilst leaning out my window. Unreal pic.twitter.com/iEFCHhMiyu
— Christopher (@Cmcm1991) January 10, 2021
This guy probably had the best day of anyone on the planet.
The starting XIs couldn’t have been more fascinating. Spurs boasted seasoned internationals in Moussa Sissoko, Lucas Moura, Toby Alderweireld and Dele Alli, while Gareth Bale and Son Heung-min were on the bench. For a bit of perspective, Bale makes over $650,000 per week. Marine’s entire wage budget for the whole season was $160,000.
What’s more, Marine hadn’t played since Dec. 26 because of the implementation of the UK Government’s new national COVID-19 lockdown. They could only adequately prepare for this match after Everton and Liverpool allowed them to use their training grounds.
My favorite Marine players were defender James Joyce (A Portrait of the Left Back as a Young Man), thicc boi striker/P.E. teacher Niall Cummins and 35-year-old center back David Raven.
16 - David Raven is making his second appearance against Spurs, and first since his Liverpool debut as a 19-year-old in the 2004-05 League Cup quarter-final, 16 years and 40 days ago. Raven and Liverpool won that tie after a penalty shootout. Experience. pic.twitter.com/NXl6f1XNOb
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 10, 2021
The opening 15 minutes saw Spurs dominate possession but Marine work effectively to keep them at bay. Then, out of nowhere, we almost had pure pandemonium: Neil Kengni smacked the crossbar with Joe Hart, like the rest of us, unable to believe it.
Eighth-tier @MarineAFC were so close to taking the lead pic.twitter.com/lDDyqURCLr
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) January 10, 2021
That woke the beast as Tottenham scored four goals over a 13-minute period to put Marine away before halftime. Carlos Vinícius hit a hat-trick with Alli playing his part in each, and Lucas struck a sweet free kick to make it 4-0 after 45.
24’: Vinícius is lucky as hell to convert after being dimed by Alli. He completely misses his initial attempt but somehow regains control and rounds the keeper before finishing and hitting the Mbappé celly.
Vicious from Vinícius #EmiratesFACup @SpursOfficial pic.twitter.com/Nd5F1af0wg
— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) January 10, 2021
Vinicius doing the Mbappe celebration after smashing ithe ball into an empty net against eighth tier Marine...
No shame pic.twitter.com/IIItZJZggZ— Footy Accumulators (@FootyAccums) January 10, 2021
30’: Alli picks out the run of Matt Doherty, who has his volley saved but Vinícius is there to tap-in the rebound.
Vinícius at the double #EmiratesFACup @SpursOfficial pic.twitter.com/Q4fXg9twJk
— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) January 10, 2021
32’: Lucas with the exceptional free kick.
A special free kick from Lucas Moura #EmiratesFACup @SpursOfficial pic.twitter.com/Au5Di2apJQ
— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) January 10, 2021
37’: Alli tries to breakthrough the Marine backline and the ball eventually falls to Vinícius. The 25-year-old Brazilian completes his first half hat-trick in fine style with a composed lob into the top corner.
Hat-trick hero, Vinícius #EmiratesFACup @SpursOfficial pic.twitter.com/XEDgn5tfjR
— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) January 10, 2021
Tottenham would add one more in the second half after 16-year-old Alfie Devine, who replaced Sissoko at halftime, scored on the hour mark.
Divine from 16-year-old Devine #EmiratesFACup @SpursOfficial pic.twitter.com/2F7qd1j5V2
— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) January 10, 2021
Spurs finished with 75% possession and eight shots on target compared to two for Marine. The win puts Tottenham into the FA Cup Fourth Round, whereas Marine players are now furloughed with their season on hold because of the lockdown.
