U18 Report: Spurs 7-0 Saints

The match started in competitive fashion and both sides enjoyed some good possession in the opening stages as they tried to take control of proceedings.

It was Spurs who snatched the lead early on though as midfielder Alfie Devine seized upon a loose pass from Saints and finished confidently with nine minutes played.

The visitors to North London tried to respond immediately when a training ground set-piece gave Marco Rus an opening to fire at goal, but his effort was well blocked by the home defence.

Shortly after, Zuriel Otseh-Taiwo – consistently pushing forward from full-back - forced goalkeeper Thimothee Lo-Tutala to tip a fierce drive across goal around the post, but Spurs were to double their lead in the 22nd minute.

A flowing move from the hosts saw the ball worked to Romaine Mundle in a central position just outside the box and he made no mistake by sweeping home to leave Saints shot-stopper Matt Hall with no chance.

Hall was then forced to make a superb double save to stop striker Dane Scarlett making it 3-0 – getting down low to parry a fierce initial strike and a rebound from close-range.

Saints went closest to halving the deficit when Ryan Finnigan’s effort from much longer range looped onto the top of the net, whilst Scarlett then struck the post at the other end. Spurs’ main man in attack was not to be denied his goal for long though.

A swirling cross from the right wing was flighted perfectly for Scarlett to head home from on 40 minutes and give his side a convincing lead at the half-time interval.

Into the second-half, the Lilywhites looked for more goals and Kallum Cesay blazed over the first shot in anger after the break.

With Saints battling hard but struggling to piece together dangerous attacks of their own, Scarlett made a spell of early Spurs pressure pay when he finished smartly across goal for 4-0 just after the hour mark.

The number nine then completed his hat-trick ten minutes later when he flicked home a header from a free-kick delivery, and Spurs’ lead was stretched to six when a mix-up at the back for Saints saw a clearance fly back into the net off of home defender Maksim Paskotsi.

Luke Pearce was introduced as a substitute for Saints at half-time and forced saves from goalkeeper Lo-Tutala on two occasions having worked space for himself in the box, but it was the home side who would add further to their lead when Scarlett netted his fourth of the match in the latter stages.

Saints are next in action in the Under-18s Premier League when they host Norwich City at Staplewood Campus on the 28th November, with kick-off at 11am.