Shootout success for Development Squad

Our Development Squad got off the mark in this season's Leasing.com Trophy with a 1-1 draw and subsequent penalty shootout victory at Colchester United on Tuesday night.

After a bright performance against a senior men's side in which Tashan Oakley-Boothe cancelled out Luke Norris' opener to secure a share of the spoils, the game went to penalties with an extra point up for grabs. Harvey White and Phoenix Patterson both hit the woodwork but goalkeeper Jonathan De Bie prevented Noah Chilvers from winning the shootout for the hosts, with Kion Etete, Tariq Hinds and Malachi Fagan-Walcott all subsequently scoring before substitute Brandon Comley put Colchester's last kick wide, ensuring we won 6-5. The outcome puts us on two points in Southern Group A, with a trip to winless Gillingham still to come next month.

Colchester lined up with five players who featured against our first team in last month's Carabao Cup third round clash - rising to seven after all substitutions had been made - but our young side, anchored by Under-18s centre-halves Luis Binks and Fagan-Walcott, gave a good account of themselves, playing neatly through midfield to Armando Shashoua and striker Rodel Richards, who both scurried around at the edge of the hosts' box in search of a breakthrough. The game seemed there for the taking at times, but we couldn't forge ahead.

Richards did manage to get some shots away during the first 45 minutes, seeing an early attempt blocked by Tom Eastman before coaxing a brave one-on-one stop from goalkeeper Ethan Ross on the half-hour in our best chance of that period. In between, Binks, impressing for the second consecutive Development Squad match, made a crucial block in the box from Kwame Poku's goalbound curler, Hinds charged down Norris' strike on the follow-up, centre-forwards Richards and Norris subsequently had shots deflected wide at either end and Shashoua suddenly found himself in on goal for us but was flagged off-side.

The opener went Colchester's way on 44 minutes. Our defence bunched up in the middle of the 18-yard line, Colchester went left to Ryan Clampin and his cross was nodded back across De Bie by Norris, glancing in via the body of Fagan-Walcott on the line.

Further chances weren't forthcoming for either side until the last 20 minutes. Colchester sent some dangerous balls into our box but we held firm, deservedly levelling with a quarter-of-an-hour left as TJ Eyoma played in Oakley-Boothe down the right channel and he hammered past Ross, who got a touch on the ball but couldn't keep it out. We looked more likely to win from there, Dilan Markanday's cross hitting the bar, Richards guiding a shot just wide and substitute Etete forcing a save from Ross, but Colchester almost nicked it in added time when Courtney Senior's scuffed shot fell to Eastman at the far post, only for the defender to miss from a couple of yards out.

Penalties ensued - both sides held the advantage for a time, but in the end it was Fagan-Walcott who scored our eighth attempt, with Comley missing the target.

Key moment

There were a number of key chances in the game - some of them squandered - but for us, Oakley-Boothe's equaliser was vital. Colchester's opener had been a blow for us after a positive team display, but when right-back Eyoma spotted Oakley-Boothe in space in the right channel, he released the midfielder to go surging into the box and hammer home. Ross got something on the ball, but it still went into the back of the net. That earned us a fully-deserved share of the spoils, with an additional point gained after the shootout.

Penalty shootout

Spurs - Binks - scored
Colchester - Norris - missed
Spurs - White - missed
Colchester - Brown - scored
Spurs - Shashoua - scored
Colchester - Robinson - scored
Spurs - Patterson - missed
Colchester - Senior - scored
Spurs - Eyoma - scored
Colchester - Chilvers - saved
Spurs - Etete - scored
Colchester - Eastman - scored
Spurs - Hinds - scored
Colchester - Jackson - scored
Spurs - Fagan-Walcott - scored
Colchester - Comley - missed

Coach's view

"I'm really pleased, it was a tough game for us because Colchester have got some very good players," said coach Wayne Burnett at the JobServe Community Stadium. "With our previous results we've conceded goals but we were a lot more resolute tonight, a lot better defensively and we had some good attacking play as well. We dominated the ball for large periods of the game but they've got some dangerous players with Football League experience, so I'm pleased. Overall it was a really good test. We were a goal down, we've shown some character and I think we're in credit in terms of not getting beaten while some players are in credit for doing the jobs we've asked them to do. Overall, I thought it was a good performance."

Match data

Goals: Colchester United - Norris 44; Spurs - Oakley-Boothe 75.

Yellow cards: Colchester United - Norris 52; Spurs - Fagan-Walcott 41.

Referee: Alan Young.

Venue: JobServe Community Stadium, Colchester.

Weather: Grey skies, moderate breeze, 12 degrees.

Attendance: 1,061.