View: Tottenham Under-18s demonstrate strong mentality with win v Leicester
While the Tottenham first team crumbled late on against Wolves, the Under-18s were demonstrating their strength in mentality with a 4-1 win at Leicester City.
With both of the games on Saturday 11 November overlapping, most Spurs supporters would have been frustrated as they watched the first team blow a late lead and chance to return to the top of the Premier League at Wolves.
However, they can take some comfort in knowing that the under-18s, who were also missing some key players, did not fluff their lines, and secured a big win to bounce back from defeat and return to the top of the U18 Premier League South.
Perhaps the first-team players should take some lessons from those looking to one day take their spots. Having lost 5-2 at home to Crystal Palace last week, and without the likes of Mikey Moore and James Rowswell, who were both away on international duty, the under-18s were still able to secure an emphatic victory.
Yusuf Akhamrich got the visitors off to the best possible start when his cushioned volley from the edge of the area sailed in with 10 minutes on the clock. Spurs continued to dominate the first half and doubled their advantage in the 37th minute through Damola Ajayi who finished off a quick counter-attack.
In the 55th minute the hosts grabbed a goal back and reduced the defect, although, unlike the first team, the Spurs youngsters did not let this phase them and stood up to the adversity.
They restored their two-goal advantage in the 66th minute when defender Leo Black scored his third league goal in four matches and sealed the win with a minute to play as the ever-impressive Tyrese Hall glided forward and finished well.
Both the men’s team and Under-18’s team were facing similar circumstances. Without key players, playing away from home with the chance to return to the top of the league having previously tasted defeat.
However, in the end, it was the youngsters who demonstrated superior maturity levels and dusted themselves off, with second-placed Fulham now three points behind their London rivals in the U18 Premier League South.
In other Tottenham news, ex-Spurs scout Bryan King has provided his player ratings from the first team’s defeat against Wolves.