Spurs’ Under 18 side faced Southampton in a Premier League South game on Saturday, at Spurs’ Hotspur Way training centre. Spurs lost the game 3-0, and I thought that Southampton did deserve to win, and they were particularly strong in the second half of the match. First year scholar Luca Gunter started in goal for Spurs, while a defence consisting of Brandon Bryan-Waugh, Alfie Dorrington, Will Andiyapan and Jahziah Linton started in-front of him. Captain Dante Cassanova and Rio Kyerematen started in midfield, and Maxwell McKnight and Renaldo Torraj started out on the flanks, either side of CAM Jamie Donley. Jaden Williams led the line for Spurs. Spurs got the game underway, and an early chance which came Jaden Williams’ way resulted in the Spurs forward trying his luck on goal from inside the Southampton box. However, the centre forward’s effort deflected behind off a Southampton defender, for a Spurs corner-kick. Léon Pambou blocked behind an effort from Rio Kyerematen, and then at the other end of the pitch the same Southampton player headed wide from Fedel Ross-Lang’s free-kick. Luca Gunter made his first save of the game shortly afterwards, when he saved Kaya Tshaka’s deflected effort on goal.

Brandon Bryan-Waugh was shown a yellow card on 18 minutes, as the game continued to be a close one. Gunter saved Fedel Ross-Lang’s effort from distance, before Joshua Squires came quite close to accidentally putting Maxwell McKnight’s fine cross into the box at the other end of the pitch into his own goal, but he did well in the end. Southampton player Tyler Dibling hit an effort over the Spurs goal, and then a couple of minutes later Jaden Williams had a looping headed effort from a corner-kick saved by Southampton goalkeeper Eddie Beach. After cutting inside onto his left foot, Tyler Dibling hit an effort just over the Spurs goal, and then Jimmy Morgan hit a deflected effort wide, with Fedel Ross-Lang then hitting an effort wide after receiving the ball down the left side of the Spurs box. After Dante Cassanova’s corner-kick came to him on the edge of the Southampton box just before half-time, Brandon Bryan-Waugh had a low effort saved by Eddie Beach, in what was the final chance of the half. Southampton got the second half underway. After Maxwell McKnight won a free-kick on the edge of the Southampton box, Jamie Donley stepped up to take it. However, his curling effort was saved by Eddie Beach.

McKnight then made an impressive headed clearance at the other end of the pitch, as he diverted Luke Pearce’s headed effort from a Southampton corner-kick onto the left hand post of Luca Gunter’s goal. Khalon Haysman came on to replace Renaldo Torraj out on the left flank shortly afterwards. Then in the 55th minute of the game Southampton took the lead. Southampton broke forward as Jimmy Morgan went forward with the ball down the right flank, before squaring the ball for Fedel Ross-Lang inside the Spurs penalty area, and he was able to slot the ball home from close range, 0-1. Jez Davies returned to replace Rio Kyerematen in midfield shortly afterwards, and afterwards Southampton had further chances to extend their lead. Jimmy Morgan had an effort saved by Gunter, before Fedel Ross-Lang had an effort blocked by Jahziah Linton, as Southampton missed a number of good chances. However, not long afterwards the away side did extend their advantage. Jimmy Morgan received the ball on the right flank, and he brought the ball into the Spurs box, before finding the bottom left hand corner of the Spurs goal, with a composed finish, 0-2.

Luca Gunter saved Luke Pearce’s headed effort well, before Spurs created a great chance to get a goal from. As Jahziah Linton played a pass through to Jaden Williams, who was was through on goal, but his effort was straight at Eddie Beach, who also saved McKnight’s effort on the follow up. Luke Pearce hit an effort over the Spurs goal, before Alfie Dorrington received a yellow card. At the end of a good Southampton move Tommy-Lee Higgs hit the ball over Luca Gunter’s goal. Billy Heaps then came on to replace Dante Cassanova in midfield, before in the final real moment of the game Southampton made it 3-0. As Tyler Dibling’s deflected effort from the edge of the Spurs penalty area went past Luca Gunter and into the back of the net, 0-3. Spurs will now travel to Fulham’s Motspur Park training ground next Saturday, in their final Premier League Cup group game of this season.

Player reviews:

• Luca Gunter: The goalkeeper made a number of good saves, and he also commanded his box well during the game.
• Brandon Bryan-Waugh: Making some good blocks and challenges down the right flank, I thought that this was another solid performance from the first year scholar.
• Alfie Dorrington: The right sided centre-half defended well in the air and also showed his quality on the ball.
• Will Andiyapan: Showing good pace in defence on occasions, Wales Under 17 international Will Andiyapan played on the left side of central-defence today, having played at left-back for most of the games this season.
• Jahziah Linton: The left-back got up and down the left-flank well and he made one good clearance off the line in the second half.
• Dante Cassanova: The Spurs captain made some good passes from midfield against Southampton, during his time on the pitch.
• Rio Kyerematen: Starting just above Dante Cassanova on the pitch, central-midfielder Rio Kyerematen completed 60 minutes of the match.
• Maxwell McKnight: My man of the match, see below.
• Jamie Donley: The Spurs CAM made some good passes during the game and he tried his best to create chances for Spurs.
• Renaldo Torraj: It was a strong first half performance from Renaldo Torraj out on the left flank, and once again he showed some tremendous skill with the ball, during his time on the pitch.
• Jaden Williams: Leading the line once again for Spurs, Jaden Williams pressed the Southampton defence well and he also worked very hard up front.
• Khalon Haysman: The second half substitute played out on the left flank, and he was very direct with the ball during his time on the pitch.
• Jez Davies: The midfielder returned today for the first time in a while, as he played in central midfield during the final 30 or so minutes of the match.
• Billy Heaps: The late substitute was always looking to pass the ball forward from midfield.

My man of the match: Maxwell McKnight. The Colchester born full-back has been playing out on the right flank as a winger quite a bit this season, and today he put in a very good and direct performance, in my opinion. McKnight was quicker than the Southampton left-back, and he went on some really good and strong runs down the right flank, while also showing good ball control and skill. Maxwell also delivered some fine crosses into the Southampton box, and he tracked back well too.