Spurs 5-2 WBA U21s - report from the Training Centre

Harry Kane led the charge as our Under-21s stormed back to winning ways with a 5-2 victory against West Bromwich Albion on Monday.

Harry was deadly in front of goal, bagging a brace at the Training Centre, with Kenny McEvoy, Connor Ogilvie and Shaq Coulthirst joining him on the scoresheet.

The lads got off to an energetic start with Coulthirst craning a header towards goal from McEvoy’s right wing cross. Baggies goalkeeper Luke Daniels gathered comfortably on that occasion, but despite his best efforts the stopper was unable to prevent us from taking a 10th minute lead.

After Daniels was penalised for catching what was deemed to be a back-pass, Coulthirst rolled sideways to Kane from the resulting indirect free-kick inside the area. The keeper made a fine low block to repel the striker’s fierce drive under the wall, before making a second save to deny Alex McQueen from the rebound. However, it was third time lucky for us as McEvoy squeezed low into the net from a tight angle after the ball came back out to him.

Five minutes later we were two in front as a forward pass from the lively Milos Veljkovic sent McEvoy racing towards the byline on the right, the winger clipping the ball back into the path of the unmarked Connor Ogilvie who finished well from a central position.

Samir Nabi glanced a header just wide from Mani O’Sullivan’s cross as West Brom reminded our lads they were still in the contest – and aerial threats seemed to be the focus of the Baggies’ forward endeavours as the half progressed. Ogilvie headed clear Mekar Roofe’s corner, before Kane got back to win a defensive header after O’Sullivan sent in a cross from the opposite flank.

We broke forward at pace on 27 minutes with Coulthirst squaring for McEvoy who scooped over the bar – but with the flag up it was immaterial.

The third goal arrived on 32 minutes as Veljokovic slid in to intercept a wayward pass and directed the ball in to the feet of Kane in one swift movement, the latter picking his spot and finishing into the far corner from just inside the box.

The visitors pulled a goal back five minutes later as Roofe turned his marker on the edge of the box and rifled inside the far post, but the three-goal cushion was restored two minutes later as Kane latched onto Coulthirst’s cross from the left and crashed a shot into the corner beyond the outstretched fingertips of Daniels.

McEvoy went racing forward a minute later but dragged his shot wide of the post while goalkeeper Luke McGee pounced on a downward header from Liam O’Neil following Roofe’s corner at the other end.

The second period was quieter in terms of chances created, with Roofe looking particularly dangerous in the forward areas for the Baggies. He curled a shot just over the bar on 65 minutes before bagging his second goal of the game eight minutes later, his low drive taking a deflection off the heel of a defender to wrong-foot McGee on its way into the net.

Josh Onomah tried to make inroads into the visitors’ penalty area on 76 minutes but Wesley Atkinson was there to prod the ball away from his feet, while McGee caught a speculative Roofe shot from 20 yards.

The scoring was completed 11 minutes from time when Coulthirst chested down Ogilvie’s left-sided throw-in and rolled his marker before thundering a strike into the far corner of the net from just outside the box.

Roofe sent in a free kick at the other end which was dealt with aerially by Ogilvie in the game’s last real chance, as the lads completed a useful afternoon’s work.

Spurs: McGee, A McQueen, Fryers (McEneff 63), Veljkovic (Dombaxe 89), Stewart, Ogilvie, McEvoy, Winks, Kane (Oduwa 63), Onomah, Coulthirst. Subs (not used): Gallifuoco, Priestley (GK).

West Bromwich Albion: Daniels, Atkinson, Francis, O’Neil, Daniels, Jones (Wright 77), Roofe, Birch (Donnellan 88), Jones, O’Sullivan, Nabi (Wedderburn 64). Subs (not used): Howkins, Palmer (GK).