Pochettino relieved as Spurs ride luck to beat Wycombe
LONDON (Reuters) - Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino said his side were lucky to reach the FA Cup fifth round after battling back to edge a seven-goal thriller against fourth-tier opponents Wycombe Wanderers on Saturday.
The hosts took their winning run at home to nine in all competitions but only after getting a real fright at the hands of the League Two team who, despite being 70 places lower on the ladder, were the better side in the first half.
Having clawed their way back from trailing 2-0 at the interval, Tottenham fell behind again in the 83rd minute, only for Dele Alli and Son Heung-min to break Wycombe's hearts in a frenetic climax to a rip-roaring tie which ended 4-3 to the London side.
"It was crazy. An unbelievable game. Credit to Wycombe they were better than us in the first half," said Pochettino, who made numerous changes to his usual starting team but still fielded a strong-looking side.
"They had a clear way to play. We never underestimate our opponents but they played better.
"We always believe and we were a little bit lucky to go to the next round."
Wycombe were quicker to the ball in the first half and the 33-year-old Paul Hayes fired them ahead with a sumptuous left-foot volley that reserve keeper Michel Vorm got nowhere near.
Hayes then slotted home a penalty in the 36th minute as Wycombe revived memories of their run to the semi-finals in 2001.
Son halved the deficit on the hour with a deflected shot and substitute Vincent Janssen equalised from the penalty spot after being bundled over in the area.
With Tottenham down to 10 men after Keiran Trippier hobbled off injured with no more substitutes available, Wycombe's Myles Weston galloped down the left and crossed for substitute Garry Thompson to head powerfully past Vorm.
The 4,000 visiting fans held their breath as the minutes ticked down but the fighting spirit Tottenham have in abundance under Pochettino allowed them to salvage their Cup hopes.
"That's the rollercoaster that is football management -- those last 10 minutes, I don't know where to start," Wycombe boss Gareth Ainsworth said.
"The lads have done me and the town so proud. What we have done today puts a marker down of how far we've come. I hope everyone respects we gave it a go."
(Reporting by Martyn Herman; Editing by Clare Fallon)