View: Mikey Moore shines as Tottenham Under-18s thrash Reading
Tottenham Under-18s made it four straight wins with a 3-0 victory over Reading at Hotspur Way on Saturday (23 September).
A brace from Mikey Moore and a goal from Ellis Lehane was enough to seal all three points in the Under-18 Premier League clash. Following recent wins over Arsenal, Blackburn and Brighton, the youngsters were able to build on this momentum and continue their hot streak.
It was only 1-0 at half-time and, although the visitors worked hard defensively early in the second half, two goals in as many minutes around the hour mark was enough to secure the win.
Spurs were on the front foot from the game’s first moments, and the early pressure paid off as they opened the scoring in the 13th minute, after Maeson King played Moore into a shooting position inside the box, the 16-year-old finishing cooly past Harrison Rhone.
Most of the action was going on within Reading’s half, with both Moore and Callum Olusesi seeing shots blocked in the box as the hosts continued to apply the pressure toward the end of the first half. Damola Ajayi, who has started the season with the Under-21s, returned to the Under-18s fold and squandered an excellent opportunity.
Reading made some adjustments after the break which limited Spurs to very few opportunities, until the hour mark, when Rhone parried Moore’s cross into the path of half-time substitute Lehane, who knocked the ball back into the back of the net.
This rattled the Royals, and two minutes later they conceded a third, as Olusesi advanced down the right and set up Moore, who swept the ball home and put the game to bed. If Ange Postecoglou was watching this display, he would have certainly liked what he saw.
The Australian was hired with his track record of developing young players into first-team prospects partly in mind. Within the Tottenham Under-18 ranks, there are certainly plenty of talented prospects whom the 68-year-old could mould into top players.
Moore is arguably the most exciting prospect of all, and with each passing performance, it is looking like more and more of a smart decision to tie him down to a new deal in the summer. Despite still just being 16 years of age, he is flying at Under-18 level, with three goals and two assists in his four appearances so far this season.
It will be interesting to see how long Postecoglou waits until he decides to include him in the first-team setup.
In other Tottenham news, one first-team defender could be key for the club during the north London derby.