Under-23s dominate but there's no way through against resolute Brighton

Our Under-23s couldn't find a way past Brighton as it ended goalless in the Premier League 2 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Bank Holiday Monday.

Jamie Bowden came closest to breaking the deadlock in the second half, first with a free-kick that was deflected onto the crossbar, then a bullet header from close range clawed away brilliantly on the stretch by James Beadle. Alfie Devine was also denied by the visiting goalkeeper in the first half.

At the other end, we were strong defensively and Thimothee Lo-Tutala was needed on a couple of occasions to see off danger.

We complete our 2021/22 Premier League 2 campaign at Chelsea next Sunday (8 May, 1pm), with the Blues in need of victory as they look to clamber out of the bottom two.

Dermi Lusala, Devine and Dane Scarlett came into a team showing three changes from the 1-0 win at Derby last time out. The first half was a bit of a slow burner before we started to take control. Bowden had the first effort of note, fizzing just over from 22 yards, before Yago Santiago forced Beadle into a sharp save at his near post after good work from Romaine Mundle on 18 minutes. Mundle was also involved in the next chance, five minutes later. Picked out by Nile John, he did well to hold the ball up before finding Devine, Beadle this time with an impressive block with his legs. Bowden then headed over from Kallum Cesay's cross.

Brighton's threat came from quick transitions, with Todd Miller and Cameron Peupion willing runners. There was a scare for us on 36 minutes when Peupion chased down a pass over the top, the ball bounced over the advancing Lo-Tutala, but Malachi Fagan-Walcott was alert and on the cover to clear.

Scarlett skied from Mundle's near post corner at the start of the second half and Bowden was within inches of the opener when his free-kick took a slight deflection and rattled the crossbar. Santiago glanced the ensuing corner into the side-netting.

Mundle's corners continued to cause Brighton problems and Bowden was there to meet one on 68 minutes, forcing the save of the match from Beadle, flying to his left. From that save, another Mundle corner connected with Santiago, who glanced just wide. Mundle then looked to take matters into his own hands, cutting in from the left but firing straight at Beadle.

At the other end, Odeluga Offiah and Miller drilled into the side-netting for Brighton and Marqes Muir did enough to deny Peupion after a lay-off from Andy Moran.

Another corner, this time from Santiago, provided the final chance of normal time, Maksim Paskotsi heading over, and we were camped in Brighton's half for 10 minutes of added time - that extended period mostly for a head injury sustained by Brighton's Hayden Roberts - without carving out a clear-cut chance.

'We lacked a little bit of a cutting edge'

Under-23s Coach Wayne Burnett thanked our fans for turning out in numbers to get behind the team, but felt we could have capitalised on some of the positions we found ourselves in over the course of the game.

“It was another brilliant opportunity for the players to play at such a wonderful venue and it’s brilliant that our fans have again come and supported the young players – we’re really grateful for that and it means a lot to all the staff and players, but we’re disappointed that we haven’t given them something more to cheer about,” he said.

“It was probably a fair result in the end, although the scoreline perhaps wasn’t reflective of the game, given the chances that both teams had. I thought our application was very good, we kept going but we lacked a little bit of a cutting edge or a little bit more in the final third and I think that’s what was missing. Based on how many good positions we got into and the attempts we had, for us, we should be doing better.”

Match data

Yellow cards: Spurs - Devine 65; Brighton - Leonard 64, Turns 74.

Referee: Aaron Jackson.

Venue: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Weather: Cloudy but mild, 16 degrees at kick-off.