Four-midable performance from Under-18s against Orient

Our Under-18s got their pre-season campaign off to a flying start on Saturday morning with a 4-0 victory over Leyton Orient in a behind-closed-doors friendly at Hotspur Way.

Just hours before the Under-21s took on Orient’s senior side at Brisbane Road, Stuart Lewis’ charges got the ball rolling with an excellent performance on home soil, with Yusuf Akhamrich, Tyrese Hall and Damola Ajayi (2) on target.

Our team was made up of a combination of first- and second-year scholars – the Club will be formally announcing its new intake of first-years in the coming days – along with a couple of Under-16s. And the players wasted little time in taking the game to the O’s as Akhamrich controlled Rio Kyerematen’s pass with the outside of his boot before firing past the goalkeeper in the 19th minute – a fine individual goal from the youngster.

Four minutes into the second period, it was 2-0 as Max McKnight cut back for fellow half-time substitute Hall to find the top corner, with Ajayi heading home for 3-0 on 69 minutes before doubling his tally with a cool finish 60 seconds from the end of normal time.

“There were some real positive points from the game and it was pleasing to see the boys transfer some of the work we’ve done on the training pitches over the first two weeks of pre-season into the game,” said Under-18s Coach Stuart afterwards. “We looked very sharp and decisive in the final third and we were pleased to see some really good passages of play while scoring four goals and keeping a clean sheet, which obviously we want to build on now. Collectively, it was a good day for the boys, we had some good moments throughout the game but this is only the beginning and there’s much more hard work that’s going to be needed in the weeks and months ahead.”