Under-23s pegged back after Roles' stunner

Jack Roles netted a stunning free-kick as our Under-23s drew 2-2 with Crawley Town in a pre-season friendly at Hotspur Way on Saturday morning (22 August).

Leading through Rodel Richards’ 54th-minute strike, the midfielder picked out the top corner from 25 yards to put Wayne Burnett’s side in firm control of what was their second match against a senior League Two club in three days.

But two goals from Ricky German and Manny Adebowale in the last eight minutes saw honours end even.

The first half didn’t yield any real chances for either side, Kazaiah Sterling twice firing wide while George Marsh almost snuck onto Maurizio Pochettino’s low ball into the box with a late run, but the ball was touched behind for a corner, which came to nothing.

We took the lead nine minutes into the second half when J’Neil Bennett picked out Kion Etete with a low ball into the box from the right and he was able to ferry it on to Richards under pressure, with the substitute converting from 10 yards amidst a congested area.

Dilan Markanday, a lively influence off the bench, could only fire straight at the goalkeeper after collecting a wayward clearance while Etete’s header sailed onto the roof of the net, before a moment of magic from Roles in the 65th minute, the former Cambridge United loanee firing an inch-perfect set-piece right into the top corner from 25 yards out.

Roles saw another shot deflect behind but Crawley suddenly found their attacking impetus and drew level with two goals in four minutes. German ran free in the left channel before slotting beyond goalkeeper Brandon Austin in the 82nd minute, with Jack Powell’s corner somehow allowed to drop in the six-yard box after clearing bodies at the front post, with Adebowale left to simply nudge the ball home for 2-2. Nevertheless, it was another useful pre-season workout for our Development Squad against senior opponents as we continue to build up to the start of the new season.