Under-18s left frustrated despite late comeback in West Ham draw

On top in the opening stages having created plenty of opportunities with nothing to show for it, we were punished down the other end when Jephthah Medine's precise finish put the away side ahead with their first shot on goal on 16 minutes.

The second half followed a very similar theme as Hammers striker Chukwuekmeka Marvin Obi doubled their lead on the break in the 68th minute but two late goals in five second-half minutes from Phoenix Offiah and Oliver Boast salvaged a point even if the overriding feeling was one of frustration to not come away with all three at Hotspur Way.

Having bounced back from our first defeat of the season with an emphatic 9-1 victory at home to West Bromwich Albion in the Under-17 Premier League Cup in midweek, Jamie Carr's young side were looking to get back on track in the league and were instantly on the front foot with the impressive Joel Vidal-Philbert enjoying the beating of his marker down the left and supplying excellent crosses that we failed to convert early on.

It felt like it was only a matter of time before we broke the deadlock with Connall Glancy testing goalkeeper Felix Ayesta and centre-back Cayon Hanson shooting just wide following a superb mazy run out of defence on 12 minutes, but it was West Ham who found the opener against the run of play when Medine cut inside from the left and whipped it into the far bottom corner in the 16th minute.

We came so close to reply six minutes later when a fast counter-attack of our own saw Vidal-Philbert force a good save from Ayesta whose parry hit recovering defender Arnaldo Ugate who managed to scramble clear on 24 minutes before Oscar Sandiford had a cross-come-shot tipped over the bar and an unmarked Hanson headed over from eight yards within the next two minutes.

With the Hammers sat deep to protect their slender lead, we carved out wave after wave of attacking opportunities from open play and corners but continued to be frustrated by a lack of clinical edge and a stubborn goalkeeper with Armend Muslika's attempt tipped wide and a well-worked short corner leading to Hanson seeing his low shot saved three minutes before half time as we were left scratching our heads at being behind at the break.

Character and patience was needed in our second-half response especially after such a dominant first period but we always had to be wary of West Ham's threat on the counter with Medine firing an early warning sign when he latched onto a long ball upfield and forced a smart save from Mikel Jack on 53 minutes. Our goalkeeper was called into action again to keep out Obi's attempt from close range moments later before the striker doubled their lead from a fast break midway through the half.

Carr made attacking changes in an attempt to get back into the game and was rewarded by his substitutes when two combined to halve the deficit with 13 minutes of normal time remaining. The goal was made by George Jobling who carved open the defence with an excellent run through the middle to find Boast in space whose shot was parried wide and Blake Philogene-Bidace reacted quickest to square for Phoenix Offiah.

Offiah almost drew us level minutes later when he volleyed Sandiford's dangerous cross just wide before fellow centre forward Boast - who had been shifted over to the right - was on hand to finish off a rapid counter-attack after being set free from the impressive Jobling who pounced on the loose ball in midfield to get us back on level terms with eight minutes to play. We continued to attack in the closing stages with Muslika twice going close towards the end as we chased the winning goal but had to settle for a point.

Line-up

Spurs: Jack, Sandiford, Tingey (c), Hanson, Jobling, Senyah, Glancy (Philogene-Bidace 67), Salter (Offiah 58), Muslika, Vidal-Philbert (Beckles 75), Boast. Substitutes (not used): Doran, Agyekum, Thomas, Olajide.