AN ELLESMERE teacher featured in a memorable FA Cup tie on Sunday which put his eighth-tier club against one of the world's biggest sides.

David Raven, a coach at Ellesmere College, played centre-back as the non-league side faced José Mourinho's Tottenham Hotspur in the third round of the competition.

It is only the second time a side from their level has reached the third round, and the first at their level to take on Premier League opposition in the FA Cup.

Raven started the game at centre-back and was tasked with keeping players including Lucas Moura and Dele Alli quiet.

A difficult afternoon at the office was expected for Marine with the gulf in class between the two sides evident; but those watching at home – and from their gardens beside the pitch in Crosby – were on the verge of breaking into wild celebrations in the 20th minute, when Marine forward Neil Kengni rattled the crossbar with a strike from 30 yards.

Tottenham goalkeeper Joe Hart was left stunned by the effort, which could have set up for a very different evening.

However, the chance proved to be a turning point as Mourinho's men began to show their quality, starting with a goal from on-loan Brazilian forward Carlos Vinícius who fired home from inside the six-yard box.

Vinícius scored two more before half-time, either side of a well-struck free-kick by Lucas.

A much more resilient performance from Marine in the second half limited Spurs to just one goal, scored by 16-year-old Alfie Devine on a day to remember for the youngster.

It will be one of the days to stand out in the club's history, with international stars including Gareth Bale stepping over the white line to feature in the game.

Raven and his teammates received praise from football fans on social media following the match, after competing with Tottenham for parts of the match.

And the club was quick to thank Tottenham supporters, and other football fans, who bought virtual tickets before the match to raise money for Marine, who were unable to have supporters in the ground due to Covid-19 guidelines.

The match could be the last in a matter of months for Marine, after football at their level of the pyramid was suspended in line with Covid-19 guidelines.