Nacer Chadli double helps Spurs cruise past Colchester

Nacer Chadli marked his 100th Tottenham Hotspur appearance with two goals as Mauricio Pochettino’s men continued on their way to Wembley.

The north London club last lifted the Emirates FA Cup 25 years ago, but belief they can deliver a ninth trophy to White Hart Lane is growing after goals from Chadli, Eric Dier and Tom Carroll were enough to see off League One’s bottom club, with an own goal from Ben Davies providing the consolation.

Just three minutes into the game Colchester centre-backs Alex Wynter and Tom Eastman clashed heads, forcing boss Kevin Keen into an early reshuffle.

Wynter was taken straight to hospital with suspected concussion, while Eastman left the field for almost 10 minutes to receive stitches.

With a man advantage Tottenham dominated and peppered Jake Kean’s goal, the stopper denying Christian Eriksen and Chadli before Erik Lamela clipped the post with a curling effort from 25 yards.

Finally Spurs made the breakthrough on 27 minutes when Lamela found Chadli with an outside-of-the-foot pass and the Belgian winger fired in his third goal in as many games from the edge of the box.

Kean pushed a Harry Kane header wide on the half-hour as Colchester, with the poorest defensive record in the Football League, continued to struggle to cope with the pace and movement of Tottenham’s forwards.

The second half began as the first half finished, Lamela found space in behind the Colchester defence to latch onto Kane’s lofted pass, but the winger side-footed wide.

Colchester’s first meaningful sight of goal arrived on 53 minutes, when veteran midfielder Darren Ambrose’s shot was deflected behind by Nabil Bentaleb.

And Gavin Massey was next to go close, his low strike the first thing Michel Vorm had to save.

The home crowd grew in belief, but it was Spurs who should have got the game’s second goal.

Kane burst down the left and crossed for Chadli. The Belgian took the ball with his back to goal, swivelled and blasted against the crossbar from 10 yards.

Finally goal No2 arrived on 64 minutes when Dier saw his shot from 30 yards deflect off substitute Matty Briggs and wrong-foot keeper Kean.

Colchester’s chance to get back in the tie came and went in a flash when substitute Marvin Sordell found rare space behind the Tottenham defence after Dier slipped, but his low shot bounced back off the post.

The outcome was put beyond doubt on 79 minutes when Chadli met Kieran Trippier’s right-wing cross with a near-post header.

Seconds after the restart Colchester got their consolation after Massey’s low drive came back off the post but hit defender Ben Davies and snuck in.

But Tottenham were not done, and Carroll turned in Chadli’s cross with seven minutes to play.

Colchester United (4-2-3-1): Jake Kean; Richard Brindley, Alex Wynter, Tom Eastman, Kane Vincent-Young; Owen Garvan, Alex Gilbey; Gavin Massey, George Moncur, Darren Ambrose; Chris Porter

Substitutes Frankie Kent for Wynter 6, Matthew Briggs for Eastman 21, Marvin Sordell for Ambrose 61

Substitutes not used: Elliot Parish, Joe Edwards, Elliott Lee, Macauley Bonne.

Goals: Davies 80og

Tottenham Hotspur (4-2-3-1): Michel Vorm; Kieran Trippier, Eric Dier, Kevin Wimmer, Ben Davies; Tom Carroll, Nabil Bentaleb; Erik Lamela, Christian Eriksen, Nacer Chadli; Harry Kane.

Substitutes: Mousa Dembele for Lamela 55, Heung-Min Son for Kane 67, Joshua Onomoah for Eriksen 76

Substitutes not used: Hugo Lloris, Kyle Walker, Toby Alderweireld, Dele Alli.

Goals: Chadli 27, 78, Dier 64, Carroll 82

Attendance: 9,920

Referee: Michael Oliver