Spurs’ Under 18 side welcomed Fulham to Hotspur Way on Saturday morning, for the third competitive fixture between these two sides this season. Spurs lost the Premier League South game 1-0, and it was a game of not very many chances, for either side. Aaron Maguire started in goal for Spurs, while a defence consisting of Will Andiyapan, Archie Chaplin, Charlie Sayers and Jahziah Linton lined-up in front of him. Rio Kyerematen and George Abbott started in central midfield, and Sam Amo-Ameyaw and Billy Heaps started out on the flanks, either side of CAM Jamie Donley, with Jaden Williams leading the line. Spurs got the match underway. Rio Kyerematen hit an early effort over the Fulham goal, before a good chance came the way of Jaden Williams, but he headed wide from Kyerematen’s free-kick into the Fulham box. A couple of minutes later Oliver Sanderson curled an effort wide of Aaron Maguire’s goal, and then at the the other end of the pitch Jaden Williams managed to get onto the ball inside the Fulham box, from a Fulham back pass. However, Williams was met by the Fulham goalkeeper Michael Allen, who saved his effort, before the ball was cleared.

A loose pass from Charlie Sayers was latched onto by Oliver Sanderson, who went into the Spurs box, before having his effort saved by Maguire. A cross into the Spurs penalty area from the right flank from Terrell Works, was met by Oliver Sanderson, whose headed effort was well saved by Maguire. Archie Chaplin blocked Xavier Benjamin’s effort on the turn, and then Spurs came close to taking the lead through Jamie Donley, a couple of moments later. After receiving Rio Kyerematen’s pass down the left side of the Fulham box, Donley tried his luck on goal with a low effort, but it was tipped behind by Allen. Aaron Maguire gathered the ball well from Delano McCoy-Splatt’s free-kick, before Jahziah Linton had an effort on goal blocked, at the other end of the pitch. Jaden Williams received the first yellow card of the game a couple of minutes later. Fulham took the lead not long before half-time. Terrell Works crossed the ball into the Spurs penalty area from the right flank, and Oliver Sanderson met the ball and finished past Maguire, with a first time effort.

Shortly after the game got started again after the opening goal of the match, Oliver Sanderson hit an effort over inside the Spurs box. Then moments later Jamie Donley hit a free-kick into the Fulham wall, before Imani Lanquedoc hit an effort wide from distance, and Xavier Benjamin hit an effort wide from a Fulham corner-kick, just before the referee sounded his whistle for half-time. Fulham got the second half underway. Sayers headed over a Rio Kyerematen free-kick, before Chaplin blocked an effort from Georgios Okkas. Billy Heaps received a yellow card, and then Spurs made their first change of the game, as Maxwell McKnight came on to replace Billy Heaps. Donley hit another free-kick effort into the Fulham wall, but this time the ball came out to Linton, whose powerful effort was saved by Michael Allen. Thomas Bloxham came on to replace Sam Amo-Ameyaw out on the left flank,  shortly after. A cross from the right flank from Michael Olakigbe towards Imani Lanquedoc, ended up coming off the foot of Charlie Sayers, resulting in Aaron Maguire having to make a good reaction save to tip the ball around his post.

After Jahziah Linton conceded a free-kick on the edge of the Spurs box, Delano McCoy-Splatt hit an effort into the Spurs wall, before Xavier Benjamin then hit the ball over the goal. Spurs’ third and final substitution saw Riley Owen replace Jaden Williams. Sayers blocked Delano McCoy-Splatt’s effort, before a pass from the same Fulham player, to Michael Olakigbe down the right side of the Spurs box, resulted in Maguire saving a low effort from Olakigbe, with his feet. After winning the ball off of George Abbott inside the Spurs box, McCoy-Splatt hit an effort on goal, but it was saved by the impressive Aaron Maguire. Charlie Sayers then headed over after meeting a headed clearance from Georgios Okkas inside the Fulham box. The referee sounded his whistle for full-time shortly after.

Player reviews:

• Aaron Maguire: My man of the match, see below.
• Will Andiyapan: Starting the match at right-back, the Wales youth international   often stayed deep to defend against Imani Lanquedoc.
• Archie Chaplin: This was a solid defensive performance from the schoolboy footballer, at centre-half. Chaplin made some good blocks and also kept good positioning throughout the game.
• Charlie Sayers: Returning to the Under 18 side after making his competitive debut for the Spurs Under 23’s in midweek, Charlie Sayers had a good game in central defence alongside Archie Chaplin.
• Jahziah Linton: The left-back got up and down the left flank well, as he defended against Terrell Works.
• Rio Kyerematen: The skilful midfielder was inventive with the ball and brought it forward well throughout the match, as he went on some good surging forward runs. The England Under 17 international created a good chance for Jamie Donley, during the first half, and he was probably Spurs’ best outfield player on the day.
• George Abbott: Starting the match slightly more forward than Rio Kyerematen, George Abbott was tenacious in midfield.
• Sam Amo-Ameyaw: Starting out on the right flank as a winger, schoolboy footballer Sam Amo-Ameyaw later went out to the left flank following the introduction of Maxwell McKnight, before being substituted later on.
• Jamie Donley: The England Under 17 international had one good chance to score from during the first half, but his effort was saved by Fulham goalkeeper Michael Allen. Donley later moved from the CAM position to centre-forward, after Jaden Williams left the pitch.
• Billy Heaps: Starting out on the left flank as a winger, the talented midfielder  unfortunately didn’t receive the ball a lot in forward areas, during some of his time on the pitch. But he did work well off the ball.
• Jaden Williams: The centre-forward worked well off the ball and also came quite close to scoring from a headed chance early on in the game.
• Maxwell McKnight: The second half substitute came on to start out on the right flank, to make his 20th competitive appearance of the season for the Spurs Under 18 side.
• Thomas Bloxham: The second half substitute started out on the left flank.
• Riley Owen: The late substitute came on and started in the CAM role, behind centre-forward Jamie Donley.

My man of the match: Aaron Maguire. The Republic of Ireland youth international and second year scholar made a number of impressive saves, on what was only his second competitive appearance of the season for the Spurs Under 18 side. Maguire made some impressive reflex saves and kept good positioning in his goal during the match.