Development Squad victorious at Enfield Town

Our Under-23s put on a show for more than 800 supporters at Enfield Town on Tuesday evening as they breezed to a 4-0 win against our near neighbours in their second pre-season friendly of the summer.

J’Neil Bennett set the tone with a terrific strike from distance at a sunny Queen Elizabeth II Stadium – just a stone’s throw from our Training Centre – and was unlucky not to double his tally in similar circumstances within minutes, his second 25-yarder hitting the bar and appearing to cross the line as it bounced down, only for the match officials to wave play on.

Kion Etete, whose earlier effort might also have crept in but was cleared off the line, soon rattled home for 2-0, with Jubril Okedina’s header from a corner deflecting off a defender and beyond goalkeeper Nathan McDonald as we totally controlled the first half.

Bennett swept in six minutes after the break to complete the scoring on a thoroughly enjoyable evening with traditional pre-season vibes about it, as locally-based fans soaked in the action and enjoyed a chance to meet the legendary Gary Mabbutt, who made a half-time presentation of signed items donated by the Club to raise much-needed funds for our local non-league team. Our players then posed for photos with excited young fans after the final whistle.

Under-23s Coach Wayne Burnett made two changes from the side that started Saturday’s 6-0 win at Ramsgate with goalkeeper Thimothee Lo-Tutala and attacking midfielder Romaine Mundle coming in for Josh Oluwayemi and Michael Craig, but Lo-Tutala was practically a bystander in the first half as we dominated proceedings. Dilan Markanday was unplayable as he worked his way into dangerous areas in attack, pouncing on an early mistake from keeper McDonald and getting a shot away, only for central defender Rian Bray to clear off the line, while Mundle’s effort was well saved before Town’s other centre-half, Charley O’Keefe, got back to make another goal-line clearance when Etete headed Markanday’s lofted pass over the advancing goalkeeper and towards the net.

That was all inside nine minutes, with Markanday subsequently forcing a fine stop from McDonald from inside the box on the quarter-of-an-hour mark, while Etete and Bennett were narrowly off-target before we took a deserved lead in the 24th minute through Bennett’s sumptuous curler from outside the area.

Bennett’s second long-ranger would surely have counted with the aid of goal-line technology, but it mattered little as Etete was swiftly played in by Bennett to crash a shot home off the bar and double our lead on 28 minutes. Six minutes later it was effectively game over as Markanday swung in a corner, Okedina attacked it at the near post and the ball was diverted home off a defender.

Etete went close at the start of the second period after doing well to win the ball in the Enfield box, before Bennett brought Mundle’s right-wing delivery under his spell and fired home number four from six yards out with 51 minutes played. Town had a spell of pressure as the second half wore on, but the closest they came was when Jerry Gyebi was denied by substitute goalkeeper Oluwayemi.

Match data

Goals: Spurs – Bennett 24, 51, Etete 28, Okedina 34.

Referee: Alex Kyriacou.

Venue: Queen Elizabeth II Stadium, Enfield.

Weather: Bright sunshine, 24 degrees.