The game was played in front of a sell-out crowd and the game had been prefaced by some rain, which made the approach to the stadium tricky, with muddy banks to cope with outside the Spurs stand. 

An early goal quelled the home crowd and helped settle the Spurs team.  Shaun Close, on his second appearance for the club, slipped Hoddle through and his delicate chip beat Branagan, but not the crossbar, although as it came down, Clive Allen was one hand to snaffle home the rebound.

United hit back when Mark Cooper met Gary Kimble's cross and directed his header over Clemence to make it 1-1 and impress enough for Tottenham to sign him at the end of that season.  It was his strike partner David Crown who had the better game, being a thorn in the side of the defence, causing Clemence to be called into action to keep him out.

With John Polston coming on for thigh injury victim Richard Gough, the team could have been suspect, but the youngster did well alongside Gary Mabbutt and they shut out Cambridge. 

In the second half, Spurs went into a 2-1 lead, with Chris Waddle's cross was flicked on at the near post by Clive Allen and up popped Shaun Close at the far post to head home.  It became 3-1 when Mitchell Thomas released Waddle on the left wing and his cross floated into the box and over Branagan's head into the net to seal Tottenham's progress to the Fifth Round.

Teams : 
Cambridge United -  Branagan, Measham, Alan Kimble, Dowman, Smith, Beck, Tong, Spriggs, Cooper, Crown, Gary Kimble.
Subs not used : 
Spurs -  R. Clemence, P. Allen, M. Thomas, Roberts, Gough (J. Polston 19), Mabbutt, C. Allen (D. Thomas), Close, Waddle, Hoddle, Ardiles
Subs not used : 
Attendance : -  12,143