Spurs' second string too hot for Carlisle to handle

Andre Villas-Boas has learnt some painful lessons as a manager in England, but he was spared the one about underestimating lower-league opposition in cup contests as an efficient Tottenham performance overcame Carlisle United.

As with most Premier League managers, Villas-Boas used the Capital One Cup to give his squad players a game, but despite making eight changes to his starting line-up there was still no place for his new 12 million pounds goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, with Carlo Cudicini replacing Brad Friedel.

Quite what the Frenchman's reaction to the decision was is unclear, but it is pretty safe to assume it was not a happy one given his lack of games since signing from Lyon last month.

The night began with the hint of an upset in the air as Carlisle caused a few nervous moments in the Spurs defence, Kallum Higginbotham firing over the bar after the visitors had failed to deal with a corner properly.

Almost immediately after, Iago Falque, in his first domestic start for Tottenham, forced an excellent save from Carlisle's Mark Gillespie.

Carlisle had another decent chance when Danny Cadamarteri got in behind the visitors' defence and caused problems for Steven Caulker before Higginbotham dragged his shot wide as he stretched to connect with the ball on the edge of the area.

It was not going to be an easy night for the Premier League side, although it could have been a far more comfortable one had Clint Dempsey's shot not been cleared off the line by Danny Livesey after Gillespie had misjudged a ball into his area.

Fortunately for Villas-Boas the missed chance did not prove costly. With eight minutes left to play in the first half, Dempsey was brought down wide on the right and a delicately flighted free-kick from Gylfi Sigurdsson was headed in, with the aid of a deflection, by Jan Vertonghen.

Carlisle were still in the game at the start of the second half and had Cadamarteri passed to Higginbotham instead of trying to shoot from 30 yards after Adam Smith had gifted him possession, they would have had a great chance of an equaliser. Two minutes later Spurs gave themselves the breathing space their manager wanted. It was all down to Andros Townsend. The 21 year-old has toured the country during eight different loan spells in the lower leagues, but his goal was of the highest quality. He picked the ball up on the halfway line before setting off on a jinking run which ended with a low shot into the bottom corner.

Sigurdsson wrapped up the win with a header from Falque's cross.

Carlisle United (4-2-3-1): Gillespie; Simek, Murphy, Livesey, Chantler; Thirlwell (Noble 62), Berrett; Higginbotham (Beck 61), McGovern (Symington 61), Robson; Cadamarteri. Subs Collin, Madden, Edwards, Potts.

Tottenham Hotspur (4-3-3): Cudicini; Smith, Dawson, Caulker, Vertonghen (Walker 65); Sigurdsson, Huddlestone, Mason (Carroll 70), Falque, Dempsey (Obika 75), Townsend.

Subs Gomes, Lennon, Defoe, Sandro.

Referee K Friend (Leicestershire).