Spurs’ Under 21 side faced West Ham United at the Rush Green Stadium on Friday evening, in their final Premier League 2 fixture until January. Spurs lost the game 1-0 to a resolute defensive West Ham side. Spurs lined-up with Josh Keeley in goal, as Kallum Cesay, Malachi Fagan-Walcott, Brooklyn Lyons-Foster and captain Matthew Craig started in defence for Spurs. Pape Matar Sarr and Harvey White started the game in central midfield, and Jamie Donley and Romaine Mundle started the match out on the flanks, either side of CAM Alfie Devine. Yago Santiago led the line for Spurs, who got the match underway. Will Greenidge blocked Jamie Donley’s early effort inside the West Ham penalty area, before Malachi Fagan-Walcott blocked Kamarai Simon-Swyer’s effort inside the Spurs box, a couple of minutes later. Spurs were starting to control the game, and after exchanging passes with Alfie Devine on the right side of the West Ham box, Kallum Cesay curled an effort over the goal. Matthew Craig received a yellow card, before Harvey White hit a good effort just over the West Ham goal, from distance.

After receiving Yago Santiago’s pass on the edge of the West Ham box, Romaine Mundle hit an effort over the goal. Then a couple of minutes later Brooklyn Lyons-Foster made a good and important clearance from Kamarai Simon-Swyer’s cross into the Spurs box. After Harvey White had conceded a free-kick and was shown a yellow card for a foul on the edge of the Spurs box, West Ham’s Oliver Scarles stepped-up to curl a really good effort into the top right corner of Josh Keeley’s goal, leaving the Spurs goalkeeper with no chance. The referee sounded his whistle for half-time shortly after. West Ham got the second half underway. Nile John had replaced Pape Matar Sarr at half-time. And the Spurs midfielder headed wide an early cross from Kallum Cesay, soon after the second half had started. Romaine Mundle was fouled by Michael Forbes inside the West Ham box, shortly after, resulting in a penalty kick for Spurs. Jamie Donley stepped-up to take the penalty, but his effort was saved really well to his left, by goalkeeper Krisztian Hegyi. 

Nile John hit an effort over from distance, before then having a curling effort from the edge of the West Ham box saved by Hegyi. After meeting a good through-ball pass, Kamarai Simon-Swyer continued with the ball into the Spurs box, but his effort from a difficult angle went wide of the goal. Harvey White had an effort saved from the edge of the West Ham box, and then the midfielder delivered a cross for Jamie Donley, inside the West Ham box, but Donley’s effort was saved by Hegyi. Damola Ajayi came on to replace Romaine Mundle, before Brooklyn Lyons-Foster did well to block an effort from Keenan Appiah-Forson. Malachi Fagan-Walcott then received a yellow card. Spurs were trying hard to find that equalising goal. Kallum Cesay hit an effort over from the edge of the West Ham box, and then Malachi Fagan-Walcott had a headed effort cleared inside the West Ham box. 

Harvey White’s late effort from the edge of the West Ham box was saved, before West Ham went forward with the ball. The move ended with Brooklyn Lyons-Foster making a great sliding block, to stop Gideon Kodua from testing Keeley, on the right side of the Spurs box. The referee sounded his final whistle shortly after. Spurs’ Under 21 side now don’t have a competitive game until early January, when they face Liverpool away.

My Spurs player of the match – Brooklyn Lyons-Foster. The left sided central defender had in my opinion another very strong defensive game. Lyons-Foster defended really well I thought alongside Malachi Fagan-Walcott, and his reading of the game and overall decision making was good. He also made some good defensive interventions.