Spurs 1-0 Liverpool (PL2) - report from Stevenage

Jack Roles' fourth goal in as many games saw our Under-23s register back-to-back wins in the Premier League 2 for the first time this season at the expense of an experienced Liverpool side at Stevenage on Monday night.

The midfielder had a handful of chances as we recovered from a slow start to dominate the game, but was on point to finish off Keanan Bennetts' counter-attack in the 55th minute against a Reds outfit featuring four senior internationals from their first team squad.

One of those, England's Adam Lallana, was shown a straight red card shortly after the goal for reacting angrily to a challenge from midfielder George Marsh and, from there, we pressed home the advantage.

We were making the most of the extra man in the middle and when George Johnston picked up a second yellow card three minutes from time, the Reds were forced to play on with nine men.

In spite of that, they made a real push to punish us for wasting a series of opportunities on the counter - one of which saw Shilow Tracey tackled by goalkeeper Kamil Grabara some 40 yards off his line - but we maintained our composure to pick up a huge 1-0 victory over the division's leaders to boost our survival hopes.

Below: Kamil Grabara denies Kazaiah Sterling.

Key Action

Double Save: Debutant O'Reilly Keeps It Level - 19mins
Liverpool had looked more dangerous early on and it needed a great intervention from centre-back Jon Dinzeyi to thwart Dominic Solanke, while fellow England international Danny Ings clipped wide after a good turn from Wales starlet Ben Woodburn. We had a couple of half-chances but were indebted to goalkeeper Luke O'Reilly in his first competitive game for the club for a superb double-stop on 19 minutes, first diving to his left to beat out Solanke's header from Woodburn's cross and then getting in the way of Ings' drive on the follow-up. Two minutes later, skipper Marsh threw himself in the way of Lallana's fierce shot, with Ings blasting over the bar with the loose ball.

Saves: Grabara denies Sterling and Roles, Bennetts over the bar - 26-42mins
The game was developing into a high-octane, full-blooded affair as we enjoyed a sustained spell in control after the 25-minute mark. Two chances in 30 seconds went begging as advancing Liverpool stopper Grabara got just enough of a touch on Kazaiah Sterling's effort on the break to prevent it from going in and then Bennetts blazed over from Tracey's cut-back with the goal gaping. Bennetts and especially Tracey were causing the Reds real problems with their pace in attack and Roles was dominating a pocket of space just outside their box, with openings starting to appear. Three minutes before the break, Roles unleashed a venomous shot from 20 yards that coaxed a flying save out of Grabara, while Tracey was denied on the follow-up by Tony Gallacher.

Chance: Roles shot deflected wide - 45mins
On the stroke of half-time, another chance as a miscued defensive header saw Sterling race in behind, but Liverpool's defence recovered well before the ball fell to Roles. He took a touch and tried to squeeze a shot beyond his marker, but the ball spun wide.

Goal: Spurs 1-0 Liverpool - Jack Roles - 55mins
We started the second half in the ascendancy and after Sterling was denied by Grabara and Roles fired over when well placed, a deserved opener came Roles' way. Bennetts latched onto a loose ball to drive through the centre before laying it right to the midfielder, who finished from inside the box.

Red Card: Lallana sent off - 63mins
The Reds were left with an uphill task shortly after the hour mark when Marsh challenged Lallana and the Liverpool man reacted angrily, picking up a straight red card as a result.

Red Card: second booking for Johnston - 87mins
Bennetts twice had shots blocked in the box as we continued to hold the upper hand but Liverpool were further depleted on 87 minutes when Johnston clipped TJ Eyoma as he tried to break forward from defence and was shown a second yellow card before a consequent red.

Chance: Tracey denied by Grabara... 40 yards from goal - 90mins
The Reds were throwing everything forward in spite of their disadvantage in numbers and we needed to stay alert to deal with their aerial threats. There were a handful of chances to break away and finish things off on the counter - the biggest of which saw Tracey sprung free just inside Liverpool's half, only for keeper Grabara to come racing way out and tackle him as the last man - but frustratingly we were unable to finish any of them off. Nevertheless, it was a fine victory for our young side.

Coach Wayne Burnett said

“I’m really pleased with the performance and really pleased with the effort and application that we showed. This is why you play the game – you want to play against top players and we’ve played against some very good players tonight with some internationals on show, and the players have done themselves complete credit. I felt we thoroughly deserved to win the football match.

“We had a few chances in the first half and some more in the second, it was a little bit nervy at times because when you’re only 1-0 up there’s always an opportunity for them to get back into the game, I felt we should have scored one or two more goals but we’ll take a win regardless because we need the points and I’m really pleased for everyone that we’ve got another win after last week against Manchester United (3-1 at Old Trafford).”

Match data

Spurs: O'Reilly, Eyoma, Brown, Marsh (c), C Maghoma, Dinzeyi (Skipp 78), Tracey, Duncan (Oakley-Boothe 62), Sterling (S Shashoua 84), Roles, Bennetts. Substitutes (not used): De Bie, Pritchard.

Liverpool: Grabara, Masterson, Lewis, Johnston, Gallacher, Kane (c), Dhanda (Millar 72), Lallana, Ings, Solanke, Woodburn. Substitutes (not used): Kelleher, Camacho, Gomes, Williams.

Goal: Spurs - Roles 55.

Yellow cards: Spurs - Tracey 38, Marsh 46, Brown 84; Liverpool - Johnston 36, 87, Lewis 69.

Red cards: Liverpool - Lallana 63, Johnston 87.

Referee: David Rock.

Attendance: 891.

Up Next

Our Development Squad will be back in Premier League 2 action next Monday night with an away game against West Ham United. Kick-off at Dagenham & Redbridge will be at 7pm.