Tottenham Under-21s make it six for six as they hit Newcastle for four
After a memorable away victory in Manchester, all eyes were on the Tottenham Under-21s to build on their promising start to the Premier League Two season.
A visit from Newcastle was the task at hand, and it was a task which the youngsters passed with flying colours. 320 supporters filed into the Lamex Stadium in Stevenage on a sunny Saturday lunchtime (19 August) to watch Spurs’ academy prospects put on a show.
Summer signing Ashley Phillips made his debut for the club, partnering the talented Alfie Dorrington at the back, with the pair of 18-year-olds completing the full 90 minutes. The likes of Alfie Devine and Jude Soonsup-Bell were also on display, the latter scoring one of Spurs’ goals in a 4-1 triumph.
Future is bright.
Yago Santiago and Nile John were the other two goalscorers, with the former netting twice, making it four goals in two matches for the Spaniard this season. Despite Newcastle applying the squeeze in the contest’s early exchanges, once the hosts began to play out from the back and bypass the press, it became a tricky afternoon for the Magpies.
Soonsup-Bell grabbed an assist to go with his goal, playing it to Santiago in the 13th minute and he completed a brilliant solo run by rounding Newcastle’s shot-stopper Jude Smith and slotting home to open the scoring.
Tottenham doubled their lead just shy of 25 minutes later, when Soonsup-Bell finished off a flowing move in the 35th minute, sliding in to convert Jamie Donley’s wicked delivery into the box from the left-hand side. Eight minutes after half-time it was all over, as Santiago grabbed his second, with Devine to thank on this occasion for his pick out.
Newcastle were never quite able to get into the match after this point and John added insult to injury when the ball bounced kindly for him on the edge of the box, offering him the opportunity to sweep home from distance.
James Huntley converted Ben Parkinson’s cross at the far post for the away side with 12 minutes to go, but it was too little too late as Tottenham’s Under-21s made it two wins out of two, scoring nine times and conceding just once in those games.
It now leaves Wayne Burnett’s side sitting top of Premier League Two, level on points with arch-rivals Arsenal but ahead on goal difference. The academy stars will next be in action on Friday 25 August, away to Derby County.
In other Tottenham news, Ange Postecoglou faces an anxious wait over the fitness of James Maddison after the first team’s victory against Manchester United.