City 4-2 Spurs (PL2)

Our Under-23s let a 2-0 lead slip to go down 4-2 at Manchester City in the Premier League 2 on Saturday afternoon.

Strikers Shayon Harrison and Kazaiah Sterling took their opportunities well from set-pieces as two of our three shots on target in the first half went in at the City Academy Stadium.

But the home side reduced the arrears through Phil Foden shortly after the half-hour mark and then roared back in the second period thanks to a Lukas Nmecha hat-trick to leave us propping up the standings in the 12-team division.

Key action

Goal: Manchester City 0-1 Spurs – Shayon Harrison – 21mins
City had a bit of possession in the opening stages but we made the breakthrough when, following a throw-in on the right, Oliver Skipp found Joe Pritchard and he was fouled by Jacob Davenport 25 yards out. Up stepped Harrison to curl a great free-kick beyond City stopper Daniel Grimshaw.

Goal: Manchester City 0-2 Spurs – Kazaiah Sterling – 27mins
Six minutes later it was 2-0 and again it came from a set-piece. This time, Pritchard swung in a free-kick, Japhet Tanganga got the first contact and knocked it back across goal for Sterling to nod home.

Above: The players celebrate Shayon Harrison's goal.

Goal: Manchester City 1-2 Spurs – Phil Foden – 33mins
The home side got themselves off the mark as Foden worked an opportunity for himself in a move that started all the way back with keeper Grimshaw. Foden advanced into the area and rifled high into the net from a tight angle on the left.

Goal: Manchester City 2-2 Spurs – Lukas Nmecha – 50mins
Five minutes after the break it was all square. Skipp was robbed of the ball in midfield, City countered and after a two-v-one against defender Christian Maghoma, Nmecha fired past goalkeeper Alfie Whiteman.

Goal: Manchester City 3-2 Spurs – Lukas Nmecha – 80mins
The hosts got themselves in front with 10 minutes left as they worked the ball from right to left, Javairo Dilrosun got the better of TJ Eyoma at right-back and crossed for Nmecha to head in.

Goal: Manchester City 4-2 Spurs – Lukas Nmecha (pen) – 90mins
Sterling almost fashioned an equaliser as the clock ticked down but saw his effort blocked on the six-yard line before Nmecha completed his treble on 90 minutes, firing past Whiteman after Maghoma was penalised for a challenge on Tom Dele-Bashiru as he went through on goal on the counter.

Match data

Manchester City: Grimshaw, Latibeaudiere, Adarabioyo, Francis, Davenport, Dele-Bashiru, Diaz, Richards (Diallo 88), Nmecha (c), Foden, Dilrosun. Substitutes (not used): Sokol, Kigbu, Wilson, Smith.

Spurs: Whiteman, Eyoma, Brown (Loft 86), Skipp, C Maghoma, Tanganga (c), Pritchard (S Shashoua 64), Marsh, Sterling, Harrison, Tracey (Bennetts 64). Substitutes (not used): Austin, Roles.

Goals: Manchester City – Foden 33, Nmecha 50, 80, 90 (pen); Spurs – Harrison 21, Sterling 27.

Yellow cards: Manchester City – Nmecha 41, Adarabioyo 79; Spurs – Tracey 55, Skipp 73, Tanganga 79, C Maghoma 89.

Next up

Our Development Squad returns to action away to Barnet in our final game in this season’s Checkatrade Trophy on Tuesday night, kick-off 8pm. We’re unable to qualify for the next stage of the competition after picking up one point from our first two matches.