Spurs’ Under 18 side faced top of the Premier League South side going into this game – West Ham United at the Little Heath Sports Centre, on Saturday morning in a Premier League South match. Spurs won what was a fantastic match 5-3, showing great character to get back into the game after going 2-0 down, early on in the second half. Spurs lined-up with Adam Hayton in goal, while a back four of Brandon Bryan-Waugh, Alfie Dorrington, Charlie Sayers and Jordan Hackett started in defence. Rio Kyerematen and Jez Davies started in central-midfield, and Billy Heaps and Riley Owen started out on the flanks, either side of CAM and Spurs captain Jamie Donley. Jaden Williams led the line for Spurs. Spurs got the game underway on a nice day. However, early on in the match West Ham took the lead, through George Earthy. After receiving Callum Marshall’s through-ball pass, George Earthy continued into the Spurs box, before trying to score with a side-footed effort which despite the best efforts of Adam Hayton, came off the post and back to Earthy to tap home into the goal, 0-1.

Less than six minutes after taking the lead, West Ham doubled their lead through Callum Marshall. After goalkeeper Adam Hayton came out to try and clear George Earthy’s forward pass to Callum Marshall, Hayton unfortunately didn’t make sufficient contact with the ball, and this allowed Marshall to finish into the empty goal from outside of the Spurs box, 0-2. Adam Hayton saved George Earthy’s low effort from distance, before Spurs created a decent chance, as Jaden Williams received Jordan Hackett’s pass, before laying the ball off to Jez Davies on the edge of the West Ham box. However, Jez Davies’ resulting curling effort was pushed away well by West Ham goalkeeper Jacob Knightbridge. Junior Robinson did well to clear a good cross into the West Ham box by Jamie Donley, before Spurs managed to win a penalty. After trying to get onto Jordan Hackett’s cross from the left flank, inside the West Ham box, Billy Heaps was pushed from behind by Kaelan Casey, resulting in the referee pointing to the penalty spot. Donley then stepped up to finish past Jacob Knightbridge, despite the goalkeeper managing to get a hand on the ball, 1-2.

After receiving Jordan Hackett’s pass inside the centre of the West Ham box, Riley Owen controlled the ball before hitting an effort wide of the goal. The referee sounded his whistle for half-time shortly after. West Ham got the second half underway. Rio Kyerematen managed to block Oliver Scarles’ effort inside the Spurs box, before Callum Marshall had an effort well blocked behind by Bryan-Waugh inside the Spurs box. Jamie Donley had an effort from distance saved by the West Ham goalkeeper, before Jaden Williams just missed managing to tap home a good Billy Heaps cross from the right flank. After receiving Jez Davies’ pass, Rio Kyerematen continued with the ball towards the edge of the West Ham box, before hitting an effort wide of the goal. Another good Spurs move this time saw them draw level in the game. After Donley received a pass from Williams out on the left flank, the England Under 17 international delivered a great cross into the West Ham penalty area, at the back post, where he was able to pick out the run of Billy Heaps. The midfield player from Stevenage was able to head home into the goal, 2-2.

Spurs made their first change of the game when Thomas Bloxham replaced Riley Owen out on the left flank. Alfie Dorrington received a yellow card for making a foul, before Brandon Bryan-Waugh won a penalty for Spurs. After receiving Bloxham’s pass on the left side of the West Ham box, Bryan-Waugh was tripped by Asher Falase, leaving the referee with no choice but to point to the penalty spot. Jamie Donley stepped up again to take it, but this time his good effort to the left side of the goal was excellently saved by Jacob Knightbridge. Jaden Williams sent a looping header over the West Ham goal, after meeting Bloxham’s cross inside the West Ham box. A couple of minutes later Spurs took the lead for the first time in the game, through Jamie Donley. After receiving a pass from Billy Heaps, Brandon Bryan-Waugh controlled the ball well and took it into the West Ham box. The ball then came to West Ham defender Michael Forbes, but he was unable to clear the ball properly, and the ball came to Jaden Williams. The centre-forward had an effort blocked by a defender, before the ball came to Donley, who powerfully hit the ball into the far corner of the goal, 3-2.

After West Ham goalkeeper Jacob Knightbridge ended up passing the ball out of his penalty area, Jaden Williams managed to latch onto the loose pass. Williams turned inside onto his left foot after entering the West Ham box, before then brilliantly turning around a West Ham defender and finishing well with a low finish, 4-2. Callum Marshall headed wide from a cross, and then after Jamie Donley handled the ball inside the Spurs box from a cross, the referee pointed to the penalty spot. Substitute Divin Mubama stepped up to finish past Hayton, into the right corner of the goal, 4-3. Spurs made two late changes, as Maxwell McKnight and Dante Cassanova replaced Billy Heaps and Rio Kyerematen respectively. In the 91st minute of the match Spurs made sure of the win, through substitute Maxwell McKnight. After receiving the ball on the left flank Jamie Donley showed good vision to find Maxwell McKnight at the back post inside the West Ham box from a really good pass, which McKnight volleyed past Jacob Knightbridge, 5-3. Donley hit a good free-kick effort from distance which was saved by the West Ham goalkeeper, before the referee brought the game to an end. Spurs’ Under 18 side welcome Norwich City to Hotspur Way next Friday, for their next Premier League South match. 

Player reviews:

• Adam Hayton: The Spurs goalkeeper commanded his box well, and was particularly good at dealing with corner-kicks. He recovered well from his unfortunate early error for the second West Ham goal of the game, to have a good match.
• Brandon Bryan-Waugh: This was very good all-round performance from the Spurs defender, on his return to the side. Bryan-Waugh won a penalty for Spurs, which was subsequently saved, but he was also involved in the build-up play to Jamie Donley’s second goal of the game. The right-back also had a good game defensively.
• Alfie Dorrington: The right sided centre-half along with Charlie Sayers had a lot of defending to do during the first half, but during the second half Dorrington helped Spurs to manage the game well.
• Charlie Sayers: Like Alfie Dorrington, the centre-half showed some real character to make sure that Spurs got the win.
• Jordan Hackett: The left-back was involved in the build-up play to Spurs winning their first penalty of the game, and Hackett got forward well throughout the match.
• Rio Kyerematen: Starting this match as the deepest central-midfielder and completing 89 minutes of the game, Rio Kyerematen and Jez Davies did really well in midfield today. Both linked up well on the pitch, and Kyerematen went on some good skilful runs with the ball.
• Jez Davies: This was a very impressive performance from the second year scholar, who worked really hard off the ball as well as going on some very good surging runs with it.
• Billy Heaps: Another player who I thought had a really good game today, Billy Heaps didn’t start the match in central-midfield, but out on the right flank as a winger. Heaps won Spurs’ first penalty of the game, and he also scored a headed goal during the second half. The first year scholar was very determined throughout the game, and he helped out a lot defensively as well.
• Jamie Donley: My man of the match, see below.
• Riley Owen: Starting the match on the left wing, Riley Owen worked hard off the ball and was unlucky not to score from his first half chance.
• Jaden Williams: The centre-forward and Jamie Donley have such a good understanding between each other in matches, and that fine understanding was clear to see again today. Impressing with his movement off the ball, Williams scored a brilliant goal during the second half of the match.
• Thomas Bloxham: The Republic of Ireland Under 17 international was direct with the ball and showed some fine skill with it out on the left flank.
• Dante Cassanova: The late substitute went into the defensive-midfield role.
• Maxwell McKnight: The late substitute made sure of the win for Spurs, after scoring a good volleyed effort. That was his first goal of the season for the Spurs Under 18 side.

My man of the match: Jamie Donley. Starting the match as a CAM, Jamie Donley was one of a number of Spurs players who were excellent against West Ham on Saturday. The Spurs captain scored two goals and also set two up, and he was unlucky not to score a hat-trick after having his second penalty of the game really well saved by the West Ham goalkeeper. Donley’s passing was as excellent as always, and his all-round influence on the game today was very good. He also took up some really good positions in the final third.