Colchester 1-4 Tottenham: Nacer Chadli fires Spurs into FA Cup fifth round

Nacer Chadli scored twice as Tottenham eased into the fifth round of the FA Cup with a 4-1 victory over League One strugglers Colchester.

The Premier League side made seven changes for the trip to the Weston Homes Community Stadium and took the lead in the 27th minute when Chadli fired home from the edge of the box.

Eric Dier doubled Spurs' lead after the break with a deflected shot before Chadli headed in the third after Marvin Sordell hit the post for the hosts.

An 80th-minute own goal from Ben Davies gave Colchester faint hope of a comeback but that was soon snuffed out as Tom Carroll added the visitors' fourth.

The win extends Spurs' impressive away form - they are now 10 games unbeaten on the road and have scored in their last 15 consecutive away matches.

As expected, Mauricio Pochettino made plenty of changes for the match, but, somewhat surprisingly, Harry Kane was not among them as he started and captained the side.

Colchester, who are bottom of League One and without a league win since October, were forced into an early change as defenders Tom Eastman and Alex Wynter clashed heads, with the latter taken to hospital to be treated for concussion.

Eastman was subbed off in the 20th minute, by which time Colchester keeper Jake Kean had saved from both Christian Eriksen and Chadli while Erik Lamela had struck the outside of the post.

Spurs' pressure soon paid off as Chadli scored with a fine shot from the edge of the box shortly before the half-hour mark.

Kean then kept out a close-range header from Kane as Spurs pushed for a second.

Lamela should have doubled the advantage after half-time but shot wide after being played in by Kane and then dragged another effort off target.

It looked as though Spurs might pay for their wastefulness in front of goal as Michel Vorm was forced into a near-post save by Gavin Massey and Chris Porter then nearly connected with a cross from Darren Ambrose.

But, after Chadli struck the bar from six yards out, the visitors doubled their lead as Dier's shot took a wicked deflection (64) and beat the wrong-footed Kean.

Kane was replaced by Heung-Min Son minutes later and the substitute saw an effort palmed out by Kean.

Sordell then spurned a great chance for the hosts when he hit the post, and Chadli added a third for Spurs moments later (78), heading in from Kieran Trippier's cross.

Colchester did manage to pull a goal back in the 80th minute when Massey's shot deflected off the post and rebounded in off Davies.

However, Spurs had the final say as Chadli crossed for Carroll to score their fourth in the 82nd minute, Pochettino's side securing easy passage to the next stage.