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.

Spurs’ Under 23 side faced West Ham United at their Rush Green training ground on Monday evening in a Premier League 2 match. Spurs lost the match 3-1, against a West Ham side who deserved to win. Spurs lined-up with Joshua Oluwayemi in goal, while a back four consisting of Maksim Paskotši, Malachi Fagan-Walcott, Tobi Omole and Marcel Lavinier started in front of him. Captain Jamie Bowden and Matthew Craig started in central midfield, while Kallum Cesay and Yago Santiago started out on the flanks, either side of CAM Romaine Mundle. Midfield player Max Robson led the line for Spurs. Spurs got the game underway, but it was West Ham who had the first real chance of the game, with Sonny Perkins heading over from inside the Spurs box, after connecting with a cross from the left flank. After receiving Keenan Appiah-Forson’s pass on the edge of the Spurs box, Armstrong Okoflex had an effort saved by Joshua Oluwayemi. After showing some good skill with the ball on the left flank, Marcel Lavinier came inside with the ball onto his right foot, but his curling effort from distance was saved by Krisztián Hegyi. Yago Santiago then had a penalty shout waived away by the referee, after Harrison Ashby had made a challenge inside the West Ham box.

Romaine Mundle had an effort blocked for Spurs, before Matthew Craig hit an effort over the West Ham goal, after Yago Santiago was able unable to take the ball in his stride inside the West Ham box, after initially controlling the ball well. Pierre Ekwah hit an effort over for West Ham, and then in the 42nd minute of the game, West Ham took the lead. Harrison Ashby’s cross from the right flank was met by Sonny Perkins inside the Spurs box, and the centre-forward managed to control the ball before finding the bottom right corner of Oluwayemi’s goal, 0-1. The referee sounded his whistle for half-time shortly after. West Ham got the second half underway. Spurs had made two changes for the second half as Dante Cassanova and Dermi Lusala came on to replace Jamie Bowden and Makism Paskotši respectively. After receiving the ball on the right side of the Spurs box, Thierry Nevers hit a low effort on goal, which took a slight deflection off of a Spurs defender, before going just wide. West Ham captain Ajibola Alese headed behind Harrison Ashby’s resulting corner-kick.

After Spurs went forward with the ball Marcel Lavinier headed wide after meeting a cross inside the West Ham box. Malachi Fagan-Walcott was shown a yellow card by the referee for making a challenge, and then a couple of minutes later West Ham  doubled their lead. Emmanuel Longelo’s free-kick delivery into the Spurs box was met by Thierry Nevers, who headed the ball into the goal, despite the best efforts of Spurs goalkeeper Joshua Oluwayemi, 0-2. A good Spurs move after the game got started again saw Lavinier pass the ball to Santiago down the left side of the West Ham box. Santiago squared the ball for Robson, but his first time effort went just wide of the goal. Armstrong Okoflex volleyed an effort over Oluwayemi’s goal, from a corner-kick, before Robson just missed being able to tap home a Marcel Lavinier cross, at the other end of the pitch. The impressive Romaine Mundle had a penalty shout waived away by the referee, and then a couple of minutes later Mundle delivered a really good cross into the West Ham box, which was just missed by Dermi Lusala.

Marcel Lavinier hit an effort wide from distance for Spurs, before Romaine Mundle created a good chance out of nothing. After receiving Kallum Cesay’s pass, Mundle skilfully brought the ball to the edge of the West Ham box, before having a good effort saved by Krisztián Hegyi. Harrison Ashby volleyed an effort wide of Joshua Oluwayemi’s goal from inside the Spurs box, just before West Ham got their third goal of the game. After Sonny Perkins received the ball he brought it forward towards the edge of the Spurs box, and then made a pass to Kamari Swyer on the right side of the Spurs box. Swyer hit a low effort past Oluwayemi, and into the bottom left corner of the goal, 0-3. Marcel Lavinier received a yellow card, before Malachi Fagan-Walcott headed over from a Dermi Lusala cross. Spurs managed to score a late goal, in stoppage time of the second half. After receiving Romaine Mundle’s pass down the right hand side of the West Ham box, Dante Cassanova passed the ball into the feet of Max Robson, in the centre of the box. Robson turned with the ball and showed good composure, before powerfully hitting the ball into the bottom right corner of the goal, 1-3. 

Malachi Fagan-Walcott managed to block behind Keenan Appiah-Forson’s effort, before the referee sounded his whistle for full-time. Spurs’ next Premier League 2 game is away to Chelsea on the 15th of April.

Player reviews:

• Joshua Oluwayemi: The Spurs goalkeeper was unlucky not to stop West Ham’s second goal of the evening, and he was vocal throughout the game.
• Maksim Paskotši: I thought that the Estonia international made a couple of good challenges, and did a good job at defending against West Ham player Armstrong Okoflex, on the right flank. Maksim only completed the first half of the game.
• Malachi Fagan-Walcott: The centre-half won a good amount of challenges, but both Malachi and also Tobi Omole had quite a lot of defending to do in the game against West Ham.
• Tobi Omole: The left sided centre-half brought the ball out well from defence, but like Malachi Fagan-Walcott he had a lot of defending to do, and was busy throughout the match.
• Marcel Lavinier: Starting the match at left-back and showing some good skill on the ball as he brought it forward well, the former Chelsea Academy player later moved into a midfield position for the second half.
• Jamie Bowden: The Spurs captain only completed the first half of the match, a game in which he started in central midfield, just behind Matthew Craig. Bowden used the ball well in midfield.
• Matthew Craig: The midfielder worked well off the ball, and after Jamie Bowden left the field for the second half Craig moved into a more defensive midfield position.
• Kallum Cesay: The Sierra Leone international started the game out on the right flank as a winger, but would finish the game at right-back.
• Romaine Mundle: My man of the match, see below.
• Yago Santiago: The former Celta Vigo youth player started the game out on the left flank as a winger and he was unlucky not to get a goal during the first half.
• Max Robson: The Spurs centre-forward for Mondays game completed the whole of the match. Robson worked really well off the ball, was clever in his movement off the ball and could have scored an earlier goal, but was unlucky on that occasion. However, he deservedly got his first competitive goal at this level very late on in the game, as he finished well after showing good composure in front of goal.
• Dante Cassanova: The midfielder and second year scholar completed the whole of the second half and he set-up Max Robson’s late goal.
• Dermi Lusala: The full-back went to left-back after replacing Maksim Paskotši. Lusala went on some good forward runs with the ball down the left flank, and he linked up well with Yago Santiago.

My man of the match: Romaine Mundle. The skilful winger showed throughout the second half his ability to go past players with ease. Mundle showed some excellent skill with the ball as he went forward with it. By far Spurs’ most inventive and creative player during the game, Romaine played a part in Spurs’ only goal of the game. He also delivered some very good crosses into the West Ham box. After starting the game as a CAM, the first year professional went out to right flank as a winger for the start of the second half.

Spurs’ Under 18 side met Reading at their Bearwood Park training ground, in a Premier League South fixture on Saturday. Spurs won the match 2-1, against a Reading side who managed to create more chances than them during the game. However, Spurs defended really well throughout the match, and in the end they deserved to win, because of how well they defended. Adam Hayton started in goal for Spurs, while a back four consisting of Maxwell McKnight, Alfie Dorrington, captain Charlie Sayers and Jordan Hackett started in front of him. Tyrese Hall and Billy Heaps started in central-midfield, and Sam Amo-Ameyaw and Thomas Bloxham started out on the flanks, either side of CAM Riley Owen. Jamie Donley led the line for Spurs. Reading got the game underway. Early on in the match and after receiving the ball out on the left flank, Thomas Bloxham managed to find Tyrese Hall, who had made a run towards the back post inside the Reading box. Hall’s resulting headed effort was saved however, by Reading goalkeeper Tom Norcott. At the other end of the pitch Alfie Dorrington cleared away Ajani Giscombe’s effort inside the Spurs box, before Reading came very close to taking the lead. As Jeremiah Okine-Peters put Princewill Ehibhationham’s low cross from the left just wide, from the centre of the Spurs penalty area.

Alfie Dorrington did really well to block Princewill Ehibhationham’s effort inside the Spurs box, as Reading started the game well. Adam Hayton saved Princewill Ehibhationham’s headed effort from a Reading corner-kick. Then a couple of minutes later Caylon Vickers met a pass inside the centre of the Spurs box, but he put the ball over the goal. A good Spurs move followed, as Jamie Donley made a pass through to Riley Owen inside the Reading box, and Owen went past the Reading goalkeeper before passing the ball to Sam Amo-Ameyaw. The Spurs winger saw his resulting low effort cleared on the line by a defender. After meeting Maxwell McKnight’s clearance inside the Spurs box, Princewill Ehibhationham hit the ball wide of the Spurs goal. Dorrington blocked Ajani Giscombe’s effort, before Jamie Donley hit a free-kick effort into the Reading wall, a couple of minutes later. After receiving Tyrese Hall’s pass on the edge of the Reading box, Sam Amo-Ameyaw hit an effort over the goal. Reading took the lead in the 30th minute of the match. 

After Caylon Vickers went on a good and skilful run with the ball towards the Spurs box, he tried to score a goal. His effort hit one of the posts, before going back in his direction, and this time he was able to finish well, past Adam Hayton, 0-1. Spurs did respond well though, and around four minutes later Jamie Donley managed to get Spurs level in the game. After meeting Sam Amo-Ameyaw’s cross inside the centre of the Reading box, Donley got up well to head the ball past Tom Norcott and into the bottom left hand corner of the goal, 1-1. Spurs almost took the lead a couple of minutes later, after Amo-Ameyaw received the ball out on the right flank, came inside onto his left foot and hit a low effort against one of Tom Norcott’s posts. Maxwell McKnight then had an effort blocked, in what turned out to be the final real chance of the half. Spurs got the second half underway. After receiving a through-ball pass inside the Spurs box, Ajani Giscombe seemed likely to score however, Tyrese Hall managed to get in front of him and deflect his effort on goal behind for a corner-kick.

Adam Hayton managed to save Jeremiah Okine-Peters’ low effort on goal, before Spurs took the lead in the match. After receiving the ball the impressive Tyrese Hall went down the right side of the Reading box, before squaring the ball for Jamie Donley in the centre of the penalty area. Donley did well to put the ball into the back of the net, possibly via a deflection off of a Reading defender. Adam Hayton saved a deflected effort from Jeremiah Okine-Peters, before at the other end of the pitch Thomas Bloxham hit an effort wide from inside the Reading box. Leo Black replaced Thomas Bloxham a couple of minutes later, as Spurs made their first change of the game. Jordan Hackett made two important blocks in quick succession, to stop Jeremiah Okine-Peters from scoring, inside the Spurs box. A good pass from Jamie Donley to Leo Black, resulted in him hitting a low effort just wide of the goal, from inside the Reading box, as Riley Owen was close to being able to guide it into the goal. After cutting inside from the left flank, Owen had an effort saved by Tom Norcott. After Alfie Dorrington made a good challenge, Billy Heaps blocked an effort on goal. 

Damola Ajayi and Jahziah Linton replaced Jamie Donley and Riley Owen respectively, with around seven minutes of the game remaining. After Caylon Vickers passed the ball to Ajani Giscombe on the edge of the Spurs box, the Reading midfielder hit a powerful effort, which was well saved by Hayton, before the ball was then cleared. Then after Maxwell McKnight’s headed clearance was met by Princewill Ehibhationham inside the Spurs penalty area, Adam Hayton managed to tip his effort over the goal. Hayton then saved well from Ajani Giscombe’s effort on goal, before Alfie Dorrington importantly blocked Princewill Ehibhationham’s effort very late on in the game. Reading’s last effort of the game was from Harry Furlong, whose effort went over Adam Hayton’s goal, with the referee then sounding his whistle for full-time. Spurs face West Ham United away next Saturday, in their next Premier League South game.

Player reviews:

• Adam Hayton: The Spurs goalkeeper made some very important saves as the game went on. The second year scholar was vocal throughout the match, and the saves that he made made sure that Spurs won the game.
• Maxwell McKnight: Starting the match at right-back once again, Maxwell McKnight showed his quality while going forward with the ball and he put some good crosses into the Reading box. I also thought that McKnight defended solidly down his side of the pitch, in what was a very good defensive performance from the whole Spurs defence.
• Alfie Dorrington: The right sided centre-half had a very good game today. Dorrington stepped out well with the ball from defence on occasions, but it was his many important blocks and also his good challenges, which helped to stop Reading from getting something out of the game. Dorrington and Sayers worked really well together today in central-defence.
• Charlie Sayers: The Spurs captain managed to get in front of the Reading forwards really well on occasions today. Sayers defended well throughout, and also showed his fine ability on the ball.
• Jordan Hackett: The left-back had one of his best games of the season today, in my opinion. The England youth international made some important and brave blocks, and also some good challenges as well.
• Tyrese Hall: My man of the match, see below. 
• Billy Heaps: This was another hardworking midfield performance from first year scholar Billy Heaps. The footballer from Stevenage worked well with Tyrese Hall in central-midfield, and they both complimented each other well.
• Sam Amo-Ameyaw: Carrying on from his impressive performance against Aston Villa last weekend, winger Sam Amo-Ameyaw went on some good and skilful runs with the ball down the right flank. He set-up Jamie Donley’s opening goal of the game, before then going close to scoring a goal himself.
• Riley Owen: The first year scholar started the game as a CAM, where he linked up well with centre-forward Jamie Donley. Owen would later move out to the left flank, before later being substituted.
• Thomas Bloxham: The Republic of Ireland Under 17 international worked hard out on the left flank as a winger, and he also helped out the team defensively on occasions, while also getting forward well with the ball.
• Jamie Donley: The centre-forward impressed with his link-up play, and he dropped deep well with the ball to make some good forward passes. Donley took both of his goals well, and during his time on the pitch he worked really hard.
• Leo Black: Making his debut for Spurs at this level against Reading, Leo Black started in the CAM position, after being introduced to the game in the second half.
• Damola Ajayi: The late substitute went into central midfield.
• Jahziah Linton: The late substitute went out to the left flank where he played as a winger, during his time on the pitch.

My man of the match: Tyrese Hall. Starting the match alongside Billy Heaps in central-midfield as the deepest of the two midfielders, schoolboy footballer Tyrese Hall had a really good game in midfield, as he had a good influence on the game throughout. Hall’s all-round performance in midfield was very good in my opinion. He got forward well on occasions, showed good skill on the ball throughout the match, and covered a lot of ground. On his fifth competitive appearance of the season for Stuart Lewis’ side, Tyrese Hall, who is clearly a versatile player, showed a real desire to want to make a real difference in the game. He set-up Jamie Donley for his second goal of the game and also made a very important block. Hall knew when to get forward well, but also when to stay deep to help out the defence.