Tottenham U21 play out superb game over in Bristol
By Tom Vinall
Spurs U21s began their Bristol St Motors trophy campaign away at Bristol Rovers of League One.
Rovers made changes, but were still playing an iteration of their first team.
Wayne Burnett went with a starting XI of; Gunter; McKnight, Cassanova, King, Akrhamrich; Ajayi, Abbott, Hall; Olusei, Lankshear, and Moore.
It was a tough start for Spurs, as Isaac Hutchinson opened the scoring for Rovers with a strike from just inside the box after seven minutes.
After 11 minutes, Lankshear went close, doing well to find space inside the box, but scuffed his effort and his shot was blocked.
Just a minute later, Rovers should have doubled their lead, but Chris Martin failed to connect when presented with an open goal.
Spurs then had a lot of possession in the first half, but not with much to show for it.
That was until the 26th minute, where Lankshear scored a beautiful goal, sidefooting the ball into the top corner, and shooting across the goal with very little backlift. An absolute sublime goal showing why fans have so much hope for him.
It was after being found by Moore, too - Rovers can feel aggrieved that no foul was given after an aggressive challenge from Moore to lay it off to Lankshear - but Spurs will not be complaining.
Five or so minutes into the second half, Moore scored a brilliant solo goal - picking the ball up on the left wing, he drove past his marker, before firing in right-footed from a tight angle.
Rovers should have equalised soon after, but Ruel Sotiriou hit the post from very close range.
Sotiriou then missed another free header just minutes later, with Burnett’s side looking open at the back.
After 56 minutes, the hosts pressure paid off and Kofi Shaw made it 2-2 from close range.
Twenty minutes from time, Spurs broke away fast and Ajayi kept his composure when through on goal to make it 3-2, after being superbly picked out by the ever-impressive Moore.
Three minutes later, Hall flashed the ball across goal for Ajayi to get his second but he couldn’t quite get across in time. Robson then replaced Akhamrich in Spurs' first change.
On 77 minutes, Luke McCormick scored with a glancing header - despite protests for offside from the Spurs players.
Black and Irow replaced Olusei and Ajayi in a double sub 12 minutes from time.
Eight minutes from time, McCormick was close to his second, but a superb block by Cassnova prevented him before a tame rebound was easily saved.
Hall went close a minute later, forcing a strong wrist from his namesake in the Bristol Rovers goal.
Lankshear was forced off with an injury after 88 minutes in concerning news and was replaced by Williams.
Sotiriou nearly won it for the hosts after 93 minutes, but could only find the side netting.
In the 97th minute, Moore went on a fantastic drive through the middle of the park, before a tactical foul hauled him down. From the resulting free-kick, Moore put the ball into the stands with the last kick of the game.
Tottenham U21 play out superb game over in Bristol
As per the rules of the tournament, a group game that ends in a draw goes straight to penalties for an extra point.
Rovers went first, and Joel Senior scored. Moore then took first for Spurs - and scored, despite Hall getting a hand to it.
Hutchinson scored for Rovers - before Hall scored for Spurs.
McCormick and Williams both scored their spot kicks and it was six perfect penalties after three each.
Sotiriou scored his penalty, though Gunter in the Spurs goal will be mightily disappointed that the ball squirmed under him.
Cassanova then made it 4-4, and it was down to sudden death.
Conor Taylor converted for the hosts, and it was down to Abbott, the Spurs skipper, to keep the shootout alive - and he did.
Jake Garrett missed his penalty, with Gunter saving down to his left, and it was down to Irow to secure the extra point for Spurs.
And he did, with a superbly taken penalty in the bottom left corner.
Burnett's side's next game in this competition will be a trip to Exeter City on the 24th of September.
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