Spurs 3-1 Norwich U18s - report from the Training Centre

Goals from Cy Goddard, Emmanuel Sonupe and Anthony Georgiou saw our Under-18s overturn a 1-0 half-time deficit to claim a 3-1 victory at home to Norwich City on Saturday lunchtime.

Norwich had taken the lead on the stroke of half-time through Lewis Byrne-Hewitt, but we stormed back in the second half to claim the points in the Barclays Under-18 Premier League.

Academy Manager John McDermott rotated his squad, making 10 changes from the side that lost to Fulham in the FA Youth Cup on Thursday night – only centre-half Cameron Carter-Vickers retained his place in the starting 11.

The first period was played out in tough, windy conditions – neither side able to get a clear foothold in the game.

A series of short free-kicks came to nothing for us, while debutant Joe Muscatt went down in the Norwich 18-yard box only for the referee to wave play on in spite of an appeal for a penalty.

Georgiou looked lively down the left wing and in the 20th minute his cross looked destined to find the head of centre-forward Daniel Akindayini, but Norwich left-back Ben Wyatt stood his ground and Akindayini was unable to reach the ball.

The Canaries tried their luck by sending a handful of crosses into the box from the right flank – the first being turned away for a corner by Kane Vincent-Young, the second being headed wide by Rhys Browne at the far post and the third evading everyone and going behind for a goal-kick.

Luke Amos reacted quickest to clear Harrison Heath’s left-sided free-kick, while Georgiou crashed a shot wide at the other end as the first half approached its conclusion.

Seconds before the whistle, however, the visitors took the lead when Byrne-Hewitt got away from our defence and slotted low into the corner beyond goalkeeper Harry Voss.

It was a disappointing end to the first period, but the lads emerged confidently for the resumption and it took Goddard eight minutes of the second half to find a leveller. Muscatt made a good run from midfield and rolled Goddard in behind, the latter clipping the ball beyond Norwich keeper Ben Killip.

Emmanuel Sonupe livened things up further following his introduction from the bench and it was he who put us in front on the hour mark, latching onto a fantastic cross-field pass from Carter-Vickers and advancing down the right before smashing home. Keeper Killip got his hands to the ball, but was unable to keep it out.

A through ball from Amos ran beyond Akindayini five minutes later, while Norwich saw a good chance to restore parity go begging when Michee Efete sent a free header wide at the back post following Wyatt’s cross from the left.

Henry Randall dragged a shot across the face of goal and wide for Norwich and with 73 minutes on the watch we effectively sealed the deal, Sonupe’s low cross from the right being turned home at the far post by Georgiou.

Randall squandered a couple of chances for Norwich in the last quarter of an hour – with a Sonupe snap shot that flew wide and a fast-paced attack down Norwich’s right by Efete which came to nothing sandwiched in between.

Spurs: Voss, Vincent-Young, Muscat (Wallace 73), Amos, Walkes, Carter-Vickers, Ross (Sonupe 54), Pritchard, Akindayini, Goddard (Lesniak 65), Georgiou. Sub not used: McGee (GK).