Town’s U18s produced a fine all-round performance to comfortably beat Tottenham Hotspur 4-0 in a friendly played in two 40-minute periods on Thursday lunchtime. Teddy Bishop (pictured), Matt Clarke, Rory Thompson and Shane McLoughlin were on the scoresheet.
Spurs had the first chance of the game on eight minutes but centre-half Omar Sowunmi got back to clear an effort off the line.
Two minutes later Town were in front. Midfielder Jack Willbye spread the ball to right-back Josh Emmanuel, whose low cross was turned home by Bishop.
Town keeper Michael Crowe produced a good low save soon after, before midfielder Matt Clarke’s effort was saved by Spurs keeper Harry Voss.
Town’s lead was doubled on 23 when Willbye’s freekick from the right was touched home by Matt Clarke.
The young Blues were dominating in all areas of the pitch and were playing some lovely attacking football which was matched by good pressing and strong defending.
Sowunmi thought he’d added a third on the half-hour when he rose at the back post to head in from a corner, but the assistant referee adjudged that the ball had swung out of play from the kick.
Town made a host of substitutions at half-time while the visitors started the second half with their starting eleven.
The changes didn’t affect the way Town were playing and they did add a third on 53 minutes. Ed Ellis’s cut-back from the right found Thompson, who calmly stroked the ball past Voss.
Ellis’s corner from the right was headed inches wide by Matt Clarke, before Johnny Smith’s cross from the right was missed by a Spurs defender and Irish U16 international striker McLoughlin tapped in from close range.
Joe Robinson fired a long-range effort just wide, before sub keeper Sam McDermid produced a fine block late on to prevent the visitors from pulling one back.
Overall, it was a very impressive performance from Town who were on top throughout. Bishop stood out in midfield, while new first-year scholars Smith and McLoughlin looked lively.
The Blues youngsters are in action again tomorrow in their traditional game against Southwold Town, a game which is played on the Common (KO 6.30pm).
Meanwhile, later in the day the U16s lost 5-2 to Colchester United. Former Blue Jermaine Wright was present watching his younger son in action for the U's.
U18s: Crowe (McDermid 60), Emmanuel (Phipps 40), Walton Owen (Robinson 60), Robinson (Thompson 40), Fowler (Willbye 60), Sowunmi (Emmanuel 60), Willbye (Ellis 40), Bishop (McLaughlin 40), G Clarke (Smith 40), Fagbohan (Ramadan 40), M Clarke (Bishop 60).
Report: James Ager