FA Cup 5th round: Spurs thrash Rochdale

Tottenham reached the FA Cup quarter-finals after surviving a scare against League One Rochdale in a fifth-round replay littered with video assistant referee controversies.

Amid persistent snow at Wembley, Fernando Llorente scored a 12-minute hat-trick early in the second half after Rochdale’s Stephen Humphrys had cancelled out Son Heung-min’s opener.

Son added the fifth and substitute Kyle Walker-Peters the sixth yet the match will be remembered for a number of incidents involving VAR.

Erik Lamela thought he had given Spurs an early lead only for his goal to be ruled out for a foul – but only after lengthy consultation between referee Paul Tierney and his video assistant.

Then, with the hosts 1-0 up, Spurs were awarded a free-kick when Kieran Trippier was fouled only for Tierney to point to the spot after another VAR ruling. Son beat Josh Lillis but it was disallowed after he was adjudged to have stopped in his run-up before shooting.

Spurs will travel to face Swansea City in the sixth round on 17 March.

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