Spurs 4-1 Newcastle U21s - report from Hotspur Way

Four first half goals saw us ease to victory in Tuesday lunchtime’s re-arranged Barclays Under-21 Premier League clash with Newcastle United.

We made a lightning start to the game, Souleymane Coulibaly putting us ahead with a mere 19 seconds on the watch, before goals from Andros Townsend, Kenny McEvoy and Harry Kane saw us take a commanding 4-0 lead before half an hour had been played.

Newcastle pulled a goal back later in the first half, but we comfortably saw out the rest of the match to secure all three points.

We got straight on the front foot with Coulibaly smashing home Townsend’s left wing cross to put us in front – and we continued in that same attacking vein for much of the first period.

McEvoy sent in a couple of early crosses from the right – dealt with by Remie Streete and Michael Richardson respectively – before Paul Dummett made a fine covering tackle to deny McEvoy as he raced down the right channel and was about to pull the trigger.

A fine cross-field pass from Kane found Townsend in space down the left wing with 17 minutes on the watch, the England international cutting in and trying a shot with his right foot, which Streete was there to block.

Five minutes later Townsend was in the same position after Kane collected a low pass through the centre from goalkeeper Jordan Archer and fed the winger. This time Townsend’s shot proved unstoppable, the ball nestling into the far corner of the net to double our lead.

Within two minutes we’d extended our lead further, Townsend’s cross from the left causing a melee inside the six yard box which allowed McEvoy to smash home from close range.

It was 4-0 in the 27th minute when Zeki Fryers picked out Kane on the left-hand edge of the box, the striker finishing expertly from 20 yards.

Townsend and McEvoy then switched flanks, the former producing a fine diving save from Newcastle goalkeeper Jak Alnwick – brother of ex-Spurs keeper Ben – at his near post with a rasping left-footed drive.

Jonathyn Quinn’s half-volley, which sailed wide of the post in the 36th minute, was Newcastle’s first real effort on goal – but their second saw them reduce the arrears 60 seconds later.

Rolando Aarons swung the ball in from the right and with Newcastle’s players appealing for hand-ball as our defence tried to deal with the aerial attack, Richardson picked up the pieces 25 yards out and let fly with a long-range drive which flew beyond the diving Archer and into the far corner.

At the other end, Lubomir Satka was forced to head another McEvoy in-swinger away from danger with Coulibaly lurking at the back stick, while Archer made a fine block at point-blank range to prevent Streete from converting Aarons’ cut-back just before half-time.

Aaron McEneff replaced Townsend at the break, with the Magpies having the first chance of the second half as Streete sent a free header from Adam Armstrong’s free kick over the top.

Archer made a low save from Armstrong a few minutes later, before Aarons set Streete free in behind our defence – the Newcastle man firing wastefully wide when bearing down on goal.

With Newcastle enjoying more of the possession, Archer tipped Armstrong’s searching ball in from the right out for a corner, while Coulibaly and Kane both went close for us.

Kane despatched a brilliant through ball from the central midfield area mid-way through the second half but, after McEvoy got himself goal side of Macauley Gilesphey, his low shot was saved by Alnwick.

Newcastle substitute Greg Olley pulled a shot across the face of goal after receiving a reverse pass from Aarons on 73 minutes, before McEvoy shot wide at the other end after another through ball from Kane.

The visitors tried to hit us on the counter-attack straight away, but Richardson could only find the side netting after Archer shepherded him wide.

Coulibaly and substitute Ruben Lameiras both fired over the bar, the latter also ballooning a shot behind as he tried to convert McEvoy’s swift cross at the first time of asking.

Giancarlo Gallifuoco was off target as he ventured forward and tried a shot as the game entered its closing stages, before McEvoy blasted into the side netting as we mounted another attack.

Newcastle’s Quinn had the final chance of the game, but Kevin Stewart was there to block his angled drive as we retained our three-goal advantage.

Spurs: Archer, Smith (Pritchard 71), Fryers (Lameiras 53), Veljkovic, Stewart, Gallifuoco, McEvoy, Ward, Coulibaly, Kane, Townsend (McEneff 46). Substitutes (not used): Michael-Percil, Miles.

Newcastle: Alnwick, Satka, Gillesphey, Bigirimana (Olley 48), Streete, Dummett, Aarons, Richardson, Quinn, Armstrong (Barlaser 74), Gilliead (Kemen 64). Substitutes (not used): Morgan, Mitchell.