Spurs’ Under 21 side welcomed Sunderland Under 21’s to Stevenage’s Lamex Stadium on Tuesday evening, in Spurs’ first ever group game in the Under 21 Premier League Cup. Wayne Burnett’s Spurs side won the game 3-2. Luca Gunter started in goal for Spurs, as Will Andiyapan, Ashley Phillips, Alfie Dorrington and Max Robson started in defence. Captain Matthew Craig, Yago Santiago and Jamie Donley started in midfield for Spurs, with Nile John and Harvey White (initially) starting either side of centre-forward Will Lankshear. Spurs got the game underway against Sunderland (unfortunately I didn’t manage to find a team-sheet at the match on Tuesday, so for the Sunderland players that I don’t know, I will be referring to their starting number). Early on in the match Alfie Dorrington headed over Nile John’s corner-kick. Then a couple of minutes later Jamie Donley managed to find Harvey White on the left side of the Sunderland box, but his resulting effort was saved by the Sunderland goalkeeper Matt Young. After Jamie Donley had travelled with the ball from the right flank, he had an effort blocked by a defender, before Nile John had an effort from the edge of the Sunderland penalty area saved. A Sunderland free-kick which was taken by the Sunderland left-back (number three) was blocked by the Spurs wall, before Spurs took the lead.

Nile John went on a skilful run from the right flank, before entering the Sunderland penalty area, where he was tripped by Sunderland player Nectarios Triantis, resulting in the referee pointing to the penalty spot. Up stepped Jamie Donley, who calmly and clinically found the bottom right hand corner of Matt Young’s goal, 1-0. Sunderland did come close to equalising soon after, after a good through-ball pass to Marshall Burke in the Spurs box resulted in the Sunderland player hitting an effort over Luca Gunter’s goal. However, an effort on the edge of the Spurs penalty area a couple of minutes later from Ellis Taylor ended up takin a big deflection off of Alfie Dorrington, wrong footing Luca Gunter as it went into the Spurs goal, 1-1. Alfie Dorrington made a great and important sliding challenge on Sunderland’s number nine inside the Spurs penalty area, before Spurs regained the lead. A good pass from Matthew Craig found Will Andiyapan on the right flank, and the Wales youth international then managed to find Yago Santiago on the edge of the Sunderland penalty area, and he finished really well into the bottom of the goal, 2-1. This Sunderland side never gave up however, and just before half-time they came close to getting level again, on two occasions.

The first occasion was after Dorrington blocked really well, on the line after the Sunderland number nine almost got his goal. The ball then came to the Sunderland number eight, whose effort went over the Spurs goal. Sunderland got the second half underway. The Sunderland right-back had a headed effort saved from Luca Gunter, before Spurs went forward with the ball. Yago Santiago once again showed his excellent pace as he went forward with the ball down the left flank, before eventually passing the ball to Jamie Donley, whose effort hit the crossbar. Harvey White then had an effort from distance saved by Matt Young, before Nile John went on a surging forward run into the Sunderland penalty area, however, his resulting effort went over the goal. Luca Gunter saved a header well from a corner-kick, as the game continued to be played at a very good pace. The Sunderland number ten had an effort on the half volley on the edge of the Spurs box, saved by Gunter. Spurs made a double change shortly after, as Maxwell McKnight and Rio Kyerematen came on to replace Will Andiyapan and Matthew Craig respectively. 

Sunderland’s number three had an effort saved by Luca Gunter from the left, before  the Spurs goalkeeper made a fantastic double save. After the ball was squared to the Sunderland number nine inside the Spurs penalty area, Gunter saved well from the effort from the centre-forward, before then saving superbly from the Sunderland right-back who was somehow stopped by Gunter from close range on the follow up. Max Robson superbly headed clear a headed effort on goal from a Sunderland corner-kick, before a low cross into the Spurs box from the left, was blocked on the line by Dorrington. The Sunderland number 15 had a low effort saved by Gunter, before Jude Soonsup-Bell came on to replace Jamie Donley. Sunderland were getting closer, and closer to drawing level. Ashley Phillips made a sliding block from the Sunderland number ten’s effort inside the Spurs box. However, on 85 minutes Sunderland thought that they’d most probably earned a point from the game. A low cross into the Spurs box from the left came to Ben Crompton, who managed to find the goal from close range, 2-2. Spurs were not happy with just a point however, and after Rio Kyerematen went on a brilliant surging forward run with the ball through the middle of the pitch, the Spurs substitute found Will Lankshear well on the left flank, and he continued with the ball into the Sunderland box. However, his powerful effort on goal was well pushed behind for corner-kick by Matt Young.

Harvey White received a yellow card in second half additional time, before the Sunderland number 15 had a headed effort saved by Luca Gunter. Not long after Harvey White had a free-kick effort saved on the edge of the Sunderland box by Matt Young, Jude Soonsup-Bell managed to win a free-kick in a similar position. Harvey White stepped up to show tremendous composure and quality, to score a free-kick goal that he has done on many occasions over the years, to find the goal with a powerful, curling effort past Matt Young, to win the game for Spurs in the 98th minute, 3-2! Just before the referee was about to sound his whistle for full-time, Sunderland’s Nectarios Triantis was shown a red card. This was another good win for Spurs, who return to league action on Saturday afternoon, with a home Premier League 2 fixture against Blackburn Rovers.

Player reviews:

• Luca Gunter: The 18 year old goalkeeper made an excellent double save during the second half, and Luca Gunter did make some additional impressive saves during the match. This was a good performance from the England youth international.
• Will Andiyapan: On his competitive debut for the Spurs Under 21 side, I thought that Will Andiyapan had a good balance to his game. The 18 year old who started the match at right-back, made some good blocks and kept good defensive positioning during his time on the pitch. He also provided the assist for Yago Santiago’s goal in the first half. However, he unfortunately went off with an injury during the second half.
• Ashley Phillips: The central defender did well alongside Alfie Dorrington, making some good defensive interventions against Sunderland.
• Alfie Dorrington: My man of the match, see below. 
• Max Robson: This was a really good performance from Max Robson at full-back, against Sunderland. Starting the game at left-back, Robson did well in that position. During the second half he would later go to right-back, and as well as making an important headed clearance off the line, he made some really good and strong challenges, as he defended that side of the pitch well.
• Matthew Craig: The central midfielder was involved in Spurs’ second goal of the game. He worked hard off the ball and was involved quite a lot during his time on the pitch.
• Yago Santiago: The Spurs forward started the game in central midfield however, he later moved out to the left flank, where he played as a winger. Santiago was excellent with the ball, he scored a fine goal during the first half and his surging forward runs down the left flank were something that Sunderland just couldn’t stop. Yago now has five goals in all competitions for the Spurs Under 21 side this season, from just four appearances.
• Jamie Donley: The Spurs CAM for the game, took his early penalty goal really well. However, once again he was very hardworking off the ball, and he was unlucky not to score another goal during the second half.
• Nile John: Doing well to win a penalty for Spurs early on in the game, Nile John impressed off the right flank, where he had a good game. The 20 year old also went on some good surging forward runs, with the ball.
• Will Lankshear: The Spurs centre-forward really impressed with his off the ball pressing and hard work. Lankshear might not have scored a goal against Sunderland or had too many really good chances to score a goal from, but his work-rate was excellent for the entirety of the match.
• Harvey White: Starting the game out on the left and eventually drifting into midfield, 21 year old midfielder Harvey White showed real character throughout the match. He deserved to score that quality free-kick goal at the end of the match.
• Max McKnight: The substitute for Spurs on Tuesday teamed up with Max Robson at right-back to help stop Sunderland from having too much joy on that side of the pitch, during the latter stages of the game.
• Rio Kyerematen: The Spurs midfielder and second half substitute went on one excellent surging forward run through midfield, with the ball.
• Jude Soonsup-Bell: The late substitute won the very late free-kick from which Harvey White scored the winning goal of the game.

My man of the match – Alfie Dorrington. The central defender made some impressive and very important defensive interventions against Sunderland. The 18 year old made two very important blocks on the goal-line, as well as showing good quality on the ball. He was impressive alongside Ashley Phillips on the day in my opinion, on a day that Alfie had quite a lot of defending to do, against a good Sunderland side.