A Spurs Under 17 side met Manchester City in the final of the 2021/22 Under 17 Premier League Cup, on Wednesday evening at the Loughborough University Stadium. Spurs lost the Cup final 6-0 against a Manchester City side who were excellent throughout the match. Spurs lined-up with Aaron Maguire in goal, while a back four of Maxwell McKnight, Alfie Dorrington, Charlie Sayers and Jordan Hackett started in front of Maguire. Han Willhoft-King and George Abbott started in central midfield, while Sam Amo-Ameyaw and Jaden Williams started out on the flanks, either side of CAM Rio Kyerematen. Captain Jamie Donley led the line. Spurs got the game underway, and after an early penalty appeal from Jaden Williams, which the referee didn’t agree with, Rio Kyerematen had an effort blocked as Spurs started the match quite well. A good move from Manchester City followed however, as Carlos Borges passed the ball to Max Alleyne on the left flank, and he then delivered a low cross into the Spurs box, to find Luca Barrington who hit the ball wide of the goal, and he was possibly put off by the sliding Charlie Sayers.

After receiving the ball out on the right flank Jamie Donley looked up before threading through a brilliant pass towards Rio Kyerematen, who had made a run in behind the Manchester City defence. After getting onto the ball Kyerematen took the ball around the goalkeeper George Murray Jones inside the Manchester City box, before unluckily only managing to find the side netting of the goal from his effort. Not long afterwards Manchester City took the lead. After Maxwell McKnight’s back heeled clearance inside the Spurs box went to a Manchester City player, he then found Dan Ogwuru, who from near to the penalty spot was able to find the bottom right hand corner of the goal, 0-1. After receiving a pass from Rico Lewis down the right side of the Spurs penalty area, Luca Barrington hit an effort wide, across the Spurs goal. Josh Adam then hit a low effort wide of Aaron Maguire’s goal, before another good move from Manchester City led to them scoring another goal. Barrington was found with a pass from Rico Lewis, on the right side of the Spurs box. The winger then passed the ball across to Carlos Borges, who finished low past Aaron Maguire, 0-2.

Luca Barrington hit one of Maguire’s posts after meeting Josh Adam’s pass inside the Spurs box. A couple of minutes later the impressive Luca Barrington hit an effort just over the Spurs goal, from the edge of the Spurs box. Maguire managed to tip behind a powerful effort from distance, before Kian Breckin hit a low effort wide of the Spurs goal. Manchester City were in control of the game, and after Dan Ogwuru received Luca Barrington’s pass on the edge of the Spurs box, Ogwuru saw his effort deflected go over the Spurs goal, off of defender Alfie Dorrington. Just before half-time, Charlie Sayers had a headed effort saved by Manchester City goalkeeper George Murray Jones, after meeting Sam Amo-Ameyaw’s free-kick. Manchester City got the second half underway, after Spurs made their first change of the game as Sam Amo-Ameyaw was replaced by defender Will Andiyapan, who went to right-back. This impressive Manchester City side made it 3-0 not long in to the half, after Josh Adam received Dan Ogwuru’s pass inside the Spurs box, before finishing low and well past Maguire, 0-3. 

Aaron Maguire was able to tip over Luca Barrington’s powerful effort from down the right side of the Spurs box, before Dan Ogwuru hit an effort wide of the goal. After showing some good skill with the ball Carlos Borges hit the ball across the face of the Spurs goal, from the left side of the Spurs box. Josh Adams hit a free-kick effort into the Spurs wall, before Luca Barrington then hit the ball wide of the goal. Manchester City substitute Will Dickinson received a nice pass on the right side of the Spurs penalty area, and would go forward with the ball before finishing low past Maguire, 0-4. Spurs then made two changes in quick succession, as Tyrese Hall replaced Maxwell McKnight, before Riley Owen came on to replace Rio Kyerematen. A good lofted pass from Justin Oboavwoduo to Luca Barrington inside the Spurs box, resulted in Barrington volleying the ball against the woodwork, before it bounced back out to Josh Adam, who finished well with a first time effort from inside the Spurs box, 0-5.

After latching onto a through-ball pass into the Spurs box, Luca Barrington hit an effort over Maguire’s goal. Shortly after Manchester City extended their lead, as Han Willhoft-King, who a couple minutes later would have to leave the field because of injury, would have the ball taken off of him by Will Dickinson. The Manchester City substitute ran into the Spurs box, before delightfully lofting the ball over Maguire and into the back of the goal, 0-6. The referee brought the game to an end a couple of minutes later.

My Spurs player of the match: Jamie Donley. The centre-forward was in my opinion Spurs’ best and most influential player against Manchester City. The Spurs captain for the game would often drop deep to receive the ball, and he made some very good passes forward.