Spurs under 23’s 1-1 West Ham United: (match report)

Our under 23’s took on London rivals West Ham at the Chigwell Construction Stadium on Sunday in the PL2, as Wayne Burnett’s side looked to avenge their 3-1 defeat to the ‘ Hammers ‘ earlier on in the season. It was a typically scrappy and highly competitive match in East London on Sunday afternoon, as both sides went in search of all three points. Burnett’s side included Netherlands international Vincent Janssen (24) in the starting 11 for the second consecutive match along with Cyprus international Anthony Georgiou who played at left wing back. While Spurs had the stronger side on paper Liam Manning’s West Ham side were better and more sharper than us on the day. They played with a higher intensify than us and they worked well as a team, and although I thought that our lads had a good game yesterday I thought that West Ham dominated in the middle of the park and I think that’s what cost us in the end. Goalkeeper Brandon Austin had a fantastic game for Wayne Burnett’s side and his razor sharp reflexes may well have stopped Spurs from going home empty handed. The ‘ Hammers ‘ started the first half well and after coming close to taking the lead early on in the game they were awarded a penalty kick in the 25th minute of time, after Japhet Tanganga had fouled Jahmal Hector-Ingram inside the Tottenham penalty area. West Ham’s Joe Powell stood up to convert the resulting spot kick to give the home side the lead. However, Wayne Burnett’s side responded well and less than four minutes later Vincent Janssen drew Spurs level after he tapped home Kazaiah Sterling’s pass from close range. Spurs had a golden chance to take the lead before the half was up, after Kazaiah Sterling won a penalty kick for the Lilywhites. However, the 20 year olds resulting spot kick was tame and the West Ham goalkeeper Joseph Anang was able to comfortably deny Sterling’s effort. Unfortunately for Spurs they weren’t to have any such goal scoring opportunities in the second half and in all truth it was a dour half of football.  And it was West Ham who were the much better side during the second period. After TJ Eyoma was shown his second yellow card of the game in the 66th minute Spurs had to reshape for the latter stages of the match, this meant that they offered very little of a threat going forward. Burnett’s side did however, do well to prevent West Ham from scoring a winner and in the end they did well to record a point.

Wayne Burnett picked a similar side to the one which had drawn 1-1 with Liverpool the previous Monday. Lining up in a 3-4-2-1 formation Brandon Austin started in goal for Spurs, while a back three of Eyoma, Tanganga (the skipper) and Marsh lined up in front of him. Tariq Hinds and Anthony Georgiou started the game as wingbacks down their natural sides of the pitch while central midfielders Jamie Bowden and Dylan Duncan operated in the middle of the park. Meanwhile Cyprus under 21 international Jack Roles and Kazaiah Sterling essentially played as inside forwards behind 24 year old Vincent Janssen who led the line. The ‘ Hammers ‘ got the game underway on a cool day in East London and it was Liam Manning’s side who started the game the brighter of the two teams. West Ham started the game with a real intensity about them and they almost took an early lead after Ben Johnson was allowed to break forward down the right flank unopposed. Johnson was allowed to continue forward down the channel before picking out Jahmal Hector Ingram inside the Tottenham penalty area with a pin point cross. The West Ham centre forward jumped up well before testing Austin with a powerful header which the Spurs goalkeeper did well to palm away at full stretch. Japhet Tanganga did well to clear Joe Powell’s dangerous low cross shortly afterwards before Janssen tried to play Sterling through on goal at the other end. After the Dutchman has skipped past Alfie Lewis in the centre of the park the striker attempted play Sterling through on goal but Janssen’s pass had too much pace on it, and Anang was able to gather the ball before Sterling could get to it. West Ham almost caught us out a couple of minutes later after Joe Powell passed the ball over the Spurs defence to Hector-Ingram down the right side of the Spurs box. However, the alert Brandon Austin came out to close him down before making a smart stop to deny the West Ham forwards low effort on goal. Austin did hurt himself in the process but after a little bit of medical treatment the 20 year old was fine to carry on, before telling the referee that Hector-Ingram’s studs had touched him.

Austin did well to come out and claim Joe Powell’s resulting corner kick as Liam Manning’s tigerish side continued to dominate the game. Alfie Lewis ended up side footing an effort well wide of Austin’s goal from 25 yards out before Jamie Bowden managed to pick Janssen out down the right hand side of the West Ham penalty area. Young Jamie Bowden did well to find Janssen down the right hand side of the ‘ Hammers ‘ penalty area with a clever lofted pass over the West Ham defence. Janssen controlled the ball well before stinging the palms of Anang who could only parry his powerful effort on goal. However, Spurs still looked vulnerable whenever West Ham went forward and they were dealt a big blow in the 25th minute of time after Japhet Tanganga gave away a penalty. Joe Powell’s pass over the top of the Spurs defence had caught out Tanganga who was unable to keep up with Hector-Ingram who darted down the left side of the Spurs penalty area. The Tottenham captain knew that he was never going to be able to win the ball so he ended up cynically tugging the back of Hector-Ingram’s shirt, leaving the referee Carl Brook with no other option than to point to the spot and to give Tanganga a yellow card. Joe Powell stood up to take the resulting spot kick for West Ham and the midfielder made no mistake from seven yards out. Powell powerfully curled the ball into the bottom right hand corner of the goal, despite the fact that Austin had guessed the right way and was only a matter of inches away from getting to the ball, 0-1. Burnett’s side looked to respond, Jamie Bowden played a corner kick short to Georgiou who gave the ball back to Bowden whose cross into the box was clawed away by West Ham goalkeeper Joseph Anang. A matter of minutes later Spurs unexpectedly netted an equaliser through Vincent Janssen. Spurs had managed to slice open the West Ham defence after TJ Eyoma had picked out Sterling with a lofted pass down the right side of the West Ham box. Sterling’s first touch was good and although Ajibola Alese attempted to get in front of the Spurs forward the 20 year old was able to get past Alese before passing the ball to Janssen who tapped home at the back post, 1-1.

TJ Eyoma did well to clear Joe Powell’s teasing cross shortly after the restart before Spurs threatened the West Ham defence once more. After Janssen had received Tariq Hinds pass down the right flank the Dutchman tried to cross the ball into the box, but Conor Coventry was able to put the ball behind for a corner kick. Anthony Georgiou’s resulting corner kick was headed wide by Japhet Tanganga who had gotten too much power behind the ball. TJ Eyoma was harshly given a yellow card shortly afterwards for a challenge on Joe Powell. The same players resulting free kick was headed up in the air by Tanganga before Austin came out to punch the ball clear. The ball then came out to Dan Kemp on the edge of the penalty area but he ended up volleying an effort well wide of Brandon Austin’s goal. A good passing move from Spurs shortly afterwards resulted in Wayne Burnett’s side having a fantastic chance to take the lead for the first time in the game. After a good passing move Kazaiah Sterling passed the ball to Georgiou on the left wing. The Cyprus international cleverly passed the ball back to Sterling inside the West Ham box where he was tripped from behind by Josh Pask who gave away a cheap penalty kick. The player who had won the penalty stood up to take it but Sterling’s casual and predictable effort was easily saved by Anang, who dived to his left to clutch Sterling’s curling effort on goal. Japhet Tanganga blocked Dan Kemp’s effort from long range shortly afterwards before Ben Johnson blazed over from 25 yards out from goal. And the home side were trying to punish Spurs for failing to take the lead from the penalty spot. After Kemp passed the ball to Hector-Ingram the West Ham striker managed to get around TJ Eyoma before chopping past Tanganga and forcing an excellent diving save out of Austin from his powerful low effort on the edge of the penalty area. However, the 20 year old almost undid his good work a matter of minutes later after he failed to deal with TJ Eyoma’s back pass appropriately, and he ended up being robbed of the ball by the high pressing Joe Powell who managed to run across the Spurs goalkeeper inside the box, before passing the ball back to Kemp on the edge of the penalty area. Kemp quickly laid the ball off to Alfie Lewis whose powerful low strike deflected off of the sliding Jamie Bowden before clipping Marsh, before somehow being magnificently tipped over the crossbar by the off balance Brandon Austin who had been diving the wrong way at the time of the shot. Austin was then able to palm away Joe Powell’s resulting corner kick to bring the first half to an end.

Spurs got the second half underway and goalkeeper Brandon Austin did well early on to claim Powell’s pacy cross into the danger zone. George Marsh did well to block Ben Johnson’s effort on goal after the fullback had cut inside from the left flank before letting fly. From the following corner kick the ball came out to Bowden on the edge of the penalty area and the Tottenham midfielder managed to play a pass to Janssen down the left flank. The Spurs centre forward did well to hold off Ben Johnson before turning around and managing to dart past Ajibola Alese before continuing forward and doing well to fire an effort on goal, which was well parried by Anang. Jack Roles skied an effort over  Anang’s crossbar from the edge of the West Ham penalty area after receiving Kazaiah Sterling’s pass, after he had done well to win the ball off of the West Ham goalkeeper in the first place. Brandon Austin did well to catch Ben Johnson’s cross a couple of minutes later. Vincent Janssen was replaced by Tashan Oakley-Boothe just after the hour mark as Kazaiah Sterling moved up top. Ngakia managed to pick out Jahmal Hector-Ingram with a pass over the top of the Tottenham defence but the West Ham strikers effort on goal was blocked by Eyoma. The West Ham centre forward then headed over from Dan Kemp’s cross. Spurs were then dealt a major blow after TJ Eyoma was sent ff after he received his second yellow card of the game after he had pulled Hector-Ingram after he had received Joe Powell’s pass on the edge of the Tottenham penalty area. Powell’s resulting free kick was blocked by George Marsh in the Spurs wall before the same Spurs player managed to clear Jahmal Hector-Ingram’s cross. West Ham were piling the pressure on ten men Spurs and Tanganga had to be alert to clear West Ham substitute Amadou Diallo’s cross, before Dan Kemp fired wide at Brandon Austin’s near post after latching onto Joe Powell’s cross. Jack Roles was booked for a foul on Alfie Lewis before Rayan Clarke replaced Jamie Bowden. 

In all truth it had been an absolutely dour second half with so few clear cut chances for either side. Tashan Oakley-Boothe had a low cross gathered by Anang before Diallo almost managed to get to Dan Kemp’s cross at Brandon Austin’s back post, at the other end of the pitch. However, both sides had to settle for a point in the end after a scrappy London derby had ended 1-1. It was a good point for Wayne Burnett’s side who impressed during periods of the match and there will have been a number of positives that our lads will take from the game. Up next for Wayne Burnett’s development side is a trip to Norfolk to face Norwich city in the Premier League International Cup on Friday afternoon.

Player reviews:

• Brandon Austin: My motm, see below.
• Japhet Tanganga: The skipper started out in the middle of a back three and although we would later switch to four at the back Tanganga played the majority of the game as part of a back three. The Spurs captain made some important blocks and challenges, and he certainly made up for giving away a penalty during the first half.
• TJ Eyoma: The 18 year old operated on the left side of the back three during his time on the pitch. And while he did make some important interceptions and clearances Eyoma was dismissed in the 66th minute of the game after he was harshly shown a second yellow card for a pullback on Jahmal Hector-Ingram.
• George Marsh: The hardworking 19 year old made a number of important blocks during his time on the pitch. Marsh played on the left side of the back three.
• Tariq Hinds: The 18 year old put in a decent shift at right wing back and he managed to protect his side of the pitch well.
• Dylan Duncan: The 19 year old midfielder kept things ticking in the centre of the park alongside Jamie Bowden. Duncan was tidy in possession and he did a good job at breaking up play and recycling possession.
• Jamie Bowden: On his tenth appearance at this level 17 year old Jamie Bowden had another good game in central midfield for Wayne Burnett’s side. Like Dylan Duncan, Bowden was nice and tidy with the ball while also doing a job at winning balls and helping out the defence. It was a good all round performance from the second year scholar and what really impressed me about his performance against West Ham was his ambitious passing. Bowden made a number of nice long passes over the top of the West Ham and defence. One such impressive pass saw the Londoner pick out Vincent Janssen inside the West Ham box during the first half.
• Anthony Georgiou: I thought that the Cyprus international was one of our best players on Sunday. Georgiou started the game as an LWB but he played a lot of the game as a left back. The winger showed good discipline to stay back and defend against West Ham’s Dan Kemp who he kept in check for the entirety of the game. Due to the sending off of TJ Eyoma in the second half Georgiou had virtually no attacking freedom down the left flank, and this was frustrating because he could have caused so many problems for West Ham right back Ben Johnson. However, under the circumstances I thought that Anthony put in a really good shift for the team and if you watched him closely like I did all game then you will appreciate that. Georgiou whipped some really nice balls into the box from corner kicks.
• Jack Roles: Like Sterling, Jack Roles operated as an inside forward off the left flank. Roles was unable to make much of an impact and apart from a couple of good runs he was left pretty isolated out on that side of the pitch.
• Kazaiah Sterling: The 20 year old played the majority of the game as an inside forward before playing as a nine after Janssen was brought off. Sterling did well to set up Janssen’s goal and to win our penalty soon afterwards. He worked his socks off as always.
• Vincent Janssen: The 24 year old centre forward was one of our best players on Saturday. His quality really showed on his second consecutive appearance for our under 23’s. The Dutchman’s goal was an instinctive one to tap home Kazaiah Sterling’s pass and he came close on several occasions to adding to his tally. Janssen went on one excellent solo run during the second half and his off the ball work, hold up play and the timing of his runs was all very impressive.
• Rayan Clarke: The second year scholar only made a fleeting cameo after coming onto replace Jamie Bowden late on in the game. Clarke didn’t see much of the ball during his time on the pitch.
• Tashan Oakley-Boothe: After coming on in the 62nd minute of the game Oakley-Boothe played out on the right wing. The 18 year old went on a couple of good forays down that side of the pitch.

My man of the match: Brandon Austin made four saves in Sunday’s 1-1 draw against West Ham and the 20 year old had yet another very good game in between the sticks. Austin made some superb stops against the ‘ Hammers ‘ and it wasn’t just his shot stopping that was so impressive. Austin did a fantastic job at dealing with corners and set pieces and there was a wonderful confidence about his game. The goalkeeper won Spurs the point yesterday, all four of his saves were top class but none more so than the one which saw him deny Alfie Lewis deflected strike late on in the game, and to somehow tip the ball over the crossbar. Brandon has been in absolutely superb form for Spurs this season.

West Ham: Anang, Johnson, Ngakia, Coventry (c), Pask, Alese, Kemp, Lewis (Rosa 78), Hector-Ingram, Powell, Holland (Diallo 45). Substitutes (not used): Barrett, Harness, Belic.

Spurs: Austin, Hinds, Eyoma, Marsh, Tanganga (c), Duncan, Roles, Bowden (Clarke 76), Janssen (Oakley-Boothe 62), Sterling, Georgiou. Substitutes (not used): De Bie, Reynolds.

Goals: West Ham – Powell 26 (pen); Spurs – Janssen.

Yellow cards: West Ham – Alese 28; Spurs – Tanganga 25, Eyoma 36, 66, Roles 75.

Red card: Spurs – Eyoma 66.

Referee: Carl Brook.

Venue: Chigwell Construction Stadium.

Spurs under 21/23’s statistics 2018/19:

Goals scored: Jack Roles – 5

Shayon Harrison – 5

Kazaiah Sterling – 5

Paris Maghoma – 4

Jaden Brown – 2

Samuel Shashoua – 1

Marcus Edwards – 1

Dylan Duncan – 1

Phoenix Patterson – 1

Harvey White – 1

Vincent Janssen – 1

Assists: Jack Roles – 5

Kazaiah Sterling – 3

Paris Maghoma – 2

J’Neil Bennett – 2

Jaden Brown – 2

Troy Parrott – 1

Shayon Harrison – 1

Oliver Skipp – 1

Tashan Oakley-Boothe – 1

Dylan Duncan – 1

Jamie Bowden – 1

George Marsh – 1

Tariq Hinds – 1

Clean sheets: Brandon Austin – 2

Alfie Whiteman – 1