Spurs U18s 2-2 Fulham U18s - report from the Training Centre
The latest encounter between our Under-18s and Fulham ended all square after a flurry of goals at the end of the first half at the Training Centre on Saturday.
Daniel Akindayini struck twice from close range as we fought out a 2-2 draw in the Barclays Under-18 Premier League, just nine days after the Cottagers’ 3-2 triumph in the FA Youth Cup.
The result mirrored that of our first league meeting with the Cottagers back in November – although both sides had chances to win the game in the second period, with goalkeeper Luke McGee making a match-saving stop in added time.
We fell behind four minutes in when McGee brought down Dean O’Halloran in the area and Patrick Roberts – who scored a hat-trick in the FA Youth Cup last week – converted from the spot.
We went on to give away a couple of cheap free-kicks 20 yards out, neither of which really troubled our defence, while in between, Akindayini scooped an effort against the post at the other end after Josh Onomah’s deflected cross.
Kyle Walker-Peters got to the byline on the right side in the 36th minute and looped a high ball into the box, with Fulham goalkeeper Marek Rodak climbing just above the prowling Anthony Georgiou to grab it.
Two minutes later, though, we found a leveller. Onomah cut into the box from the right and, after Rodak parried his low ball into the six-yard box, Georgiou saw a shot blocked with Akindayini scoring from the rebound.
Akindayini’s second goal arrived in the 43rd minute, the striker smashing into the roof of the net after Rodak failed to deal with Nathan Oduwa’s low ball in from the right.
But any hopes we had of going in at half-time in front were dashed when Roberts got away from his marker at the other end and crossed for O’Halloran to tap home just 60 seconds later.
Defender Connor Ogilvie emerged as an influential figure going forward after the break. He got on the end of Harry Winks’ corner on 55 minutes and pulled the trigger with his right foot, only to see his shot crash off the bar.
Walker-Peters’ right wing cross zipped marginally over the head of Akindayini, while McGee had to be alert to keep out a Roberts snap-shot from a tight angle.
With 20 minutes remaining, the lively Ogilvie gathered possession inside our territory and embarked on a marvellous solo run to the byline. Cottagers right-back Ryheem Sheckleford appeared to bring him down in the area, but the referee waved away impassioned appeals for a penalty.
Fulham substitute Aaron Redford fired past McGee six minutes later, but the linesman’s flag was raised before he took the shot and his effort was ruled out.
The Cottagers then did well to deal with a penetrative attack led by Ogilvie and Onomah, while McGee dived low to his left to keep out Roberts’ stoppage time free kick after Luke Amos was adjudged to have fouled O’Halloran 20 yards out.
There was still time for us to venture forward once more – substitute Emmanuel Sonupe led a break and, after he ran into trouble, Winks took over and tried a shot, only for Sheckleford to come across and cover.
Spurs:
McGee, Walker-Peters, Amos, Lesniak, Carter-Vickers, Ogilvie, Oduwa (Miller 75), Winks, Akindayini (Harrison 75), Onomah, Georgiou (Sonupe 64).
Sub (not used): Voss (GK).