Spurs U18s 2-2 WBA U18s

Our Under-18s were held to a 2-2 draw against West Bromwich Albion after letting slip a two-goal half-time advantage on Saturday.

The lads maintained their unbeaten start to the season, this being their third draw from four league matches to date, but the over-riding feeling was one of disappointment on the final whistle as we allowed the Baggies back into the game after a great start.

Lloyd Ross and Cy Goddard scored twice within two minutes midway through the first half to put us in control, but the visitors hit back with a quick-fire double themselves, Tahvon Campbell pulling one back on 50 minutes before Andre Wright levelled five minutes later.

Chances were at a premium in the early stages at the Training Centre, Ross firing wide after collecting a poor clearance from Albion defender Robbie McCourt while Wright hit a right-foot shot just wide at the other end.

We were certainly dominant in terms of possession though and took a deserved lead on 22 minutes when Luke Amos’ corner was missed by both Ryan Loft and Baggies goalkeeper Alex Palmer and the ball fell to Ross at the back post to convert.

And we only had to wait a matter of seconds before we doubled our advantage. Captain Joe Pritchard went on a surging run through the heart of the visitors’ defence and when he was tackled, the ball ran kindly to Anthony Georgiou. His right foot drive brought a smart save out of Palmer, but Goddard pounced on the rebound and smashed home from 10 yards.

Albion responded well to our double salvo though and finished the half strongly. Brad Sweeney fired just past Tom Glover’s far post, Wright prodded wide from Jack Hallahan’s low cross after the full-back dispossessed Amos, Campbell hit a shot straight at Glover and, right on the stroke of half-time, Wright’s header clipped the top of our crossbar.

They had nothing to show for their efforts at the interval, but five minutes into the second period the Baggies did break through. Wright’s flick just inside our half released Campbell down the right channel, he advanced into the area and drilled across Glover and into the far corner of the net.

And the comeback was complete shortly after when Wright reacted quickest to a loose ball in the area, swivelling to fire past Glover from just outside the six yard box.

It could have been worse as Albion enjoyed their best spell of the contest, as Glover had to tip over Hallahan’s long-range effort and was then in the right place to comfortably save Daniel Barbir’s header from the resulting corner.

We slowly managed to get some momentum back in the match as the clock ticked down and Cameron Carter-Vickers thought he had headed us back in front on 63 minutes from Shayon Harrison’s free-kick, only for the assistant referee to flag for offside.

Harrison and Goddard hit the target from distance but both were comfortable for Palmer, while the latter sent his 25-yard free-kick just wide. A late opportunity to snatch the win fell to Harrison, unmarked on the end of Georgiou’s cross from the left, but he sent his header over the bar and we had to settle for a point.

Spurs: Glover, Amos, Muscatt, Walkes, Maghoma, Carter-Vickers, Ross, Pritchard (Paul 69), Loft (Harrison 45), Goddard (Hayford 80), Georgiou. Substitute (not used): Voss.