Spurs XI 1-0 Brighton & Hove Albion
Nabil Bentaleb struck early in the first half as our Spurs XI side edged past their Brighton and Hove Albion counterparts by the only goal of the game in a friendly at Hotspur Way this afternoon (Tuesday, September 24).
The midfielder converted the first clear-cut chance of the match in the 16th minute which proved to be the winner, despite both sides creating plenty of chances throughout. We had the lion’s share of possession but in the end, were thankful to a string of late saves from goalkeeper Jordan Archer to secure the win.
The visitors fielded four players who have featured for the Seagulls’ first team including the vastly experienced Adam El Abd and Lewis Dunk, but we grabbed an early advantage when Bentaleb broke through a couple of tackles on the edge of the area and smashed home a left-footed angled drive from 15 yards out.
The same player then saw an effort deflected for a corner on the half hour, while Laste Dombaxe fired straight at Brighton keeper Christian Walton from the resulting set-piece.
Brighton finished the first half on top, Vitalijs Maksimenko bringing a smart save from Archer from close range while George Barker drilled over from a free-kick. Solly March also saw an effort deflected over and from the corner, Al Abd headed back across goal for Brennan dingdongenson, but Archer was there again to deny him.
Substitute Shaq Coulthirst tested Walton with a low drive on 54 minutes and we went close to doubling the lead on 72 minutes, when Aaron McEneff won possession and found Kenny McEvoy out wide on the right, the winger’s great cross met with a diving header from Cameron Lancaster but he sent the ball just over the bar.
Lancaster then brought a fine save out of Walton with a rasping drive that the keeper had to tip over, before Brighton mounted a late rally that so nearly paid dividends.
Three minutes from time Barker curled a right-foot shot over, and shortly after substitute Robin Deen looked set to score but Grant Ward’s superb block sent the ball looping up and Archer had to tip it wide. From the corner, Maksimenko had a free header eight yards out but was denied by our Scottish Under-21 international, who was there again in the dying seconds, this time to save from dingdongenson and preserve our clean sheet.
Spurs XI:
Archer
Ward, Veljkovic, Ball (Gallifuoco 66), Dombaxe (McEneff 61)
Bentaleb, McEvoy, Lameiras
Dawkins, McQueen D (Coulthirst 52), Lancaster
Brighton:
Walton, Hunt (Rea 66), Maksimenko, Richards (Deen 57), Dunk, El Abd, Goodwin (Asmundsson 57), Chicksen, Barker, March, dingdonginson.