Hampton 1-1 Development squad - report from Beveree Stadium

Alex McQueen’s first half strike ensured our Development Squad emerged from Tuesday night’s friendly at Hampton & Richmond Borough on level-pegging.

The defender cancelled out Nic Bignell’s early rasper to secure a 1-1 draw in a useful test for our youngsters against the non-league side.

The hosts got off to a lively start and took the lead inside three minutes. Connor Ogilvie’s attempted clearance struck Thiago De Freitas and the ball fell kindly for Bignell to blast into the bottom corner from the edge of the box.

Our back four soon became accustomed to the fast-paced attacking threats possessed by the home side, however, and as the first half progressed it was our own forwards who enjoyed the better chances.

Josh Onomah flashed an effort wide of the post on 10 minutes, while a last-ditch tackle from Hampton’s Luis Morrison prevented Emmanuel Sonupe from converting Daniel Akindayini’s cross following a quickly-taken free-kick.

The corner that resulted from Morrison’s defensive action led to our equaliser with 20 minutes gone, Harry Winks’ flag kick finding its way through to McQueen who hammered home from the left-hand corner of the penalty box.

Sonupe’s tame shot on the turn was gathered comfortably by home stopper Ronnie Worster just after the half-hour mark with the latter in key action again six minutes later, tipping Akindayini’s angled effort low around the post after Will Miller sprung the forward in behind the Hampton defence.

Akindayini went close again on 39 minutes, meeting Anton Walkes’ cut-back from the right with a fierce volley that whistled over the top, while De Freitas’ low drive took a touch off a defender on its way past the post at the other end.

Amid changes made by the home side, we got straight on the front foot after the interval with Miller sent scampering free down the right channel by Winks - only for the attacker to  get too much underneath the ball and lift it over the bar.

A swift attack down the right by Sonupe led to the wide man setting up Akindayini close to the penalty spot on 51 minutes, but the striker’s first-time volley was straight at Hampton’s substitute goalkeeper Jack Norton who was able to parry.

Those early chances set the tone for the remainder of the half as it was very much one-way traffic from there on in - although a lack of sharpness in front of goal meant we were unable to go on and win the game.

McQueen latched onto a long ball down the left by Ogilvie and cut inside onto his right foot before fizzing a shot inches over the bar, while some tidy footwork by Miller saw him outfox two defenders inside the box on 71 minutes but keeper Norton smothered at his feet.

Hampton’s best chance of the half came and went as Bignell rose and flicked on a long ball down field into the path of the onrushing Jerome Federico - only for the substitute to drag well wide.

Sonupe’s deflected shot tested Norton at his near post and after the resulting corner was only half-cleared, centre-half Dominic Ball - who had stayed up in Hampton’s area - steered a shot wide from an acute angle in what proved to be the last real chance of the contest.

Spurs: Voss (Miles 75), Walkes (Goddard 75), McQueen, Lesniak, Ball, Ogilvie, Sonupe, Winks, Akindayini (Harrison 72), Onomah (Georgiou 61), Miller.

Attendance: 331.