Amid sweltering heat nearing 40 degrees and in front of a partisan home crowd in Andalusia, we recovered from conceding a wide free-kick from Javier Cortes to get back into the game, levelling through substitute Miracle Adewole a quarter-of-an-hour from time before going on to win in dramatic fashion on spot-kicks, 17-year-old goalkeeper Farren Doran saving three of Algeciras’ attempts on his first appearance at Under-21 level before Cameron Thomas blasted home to complete an 8-7 triumph.
The outcome against our senior opponents from the Spanish third tier – which saw skipper Alfie Dorrington collect the Virgen de la Palma Trophy – brought to an end an excellent week’s training camp in nearby Cadiz, as our Academy’s preparations for the new season continued on a positive trajectory.
We pressed well in the opening stages, Max McFadden firing over the bar with George Feeney, Maeson King and the retreating Oliver Boast all coming up with some key defensive actions at the other end and although the hosts won a handful of set-pieces, they only really threatened with Diego Almeida’s header which was straight at Sam Archer in goal.
A scrappy spell followed in the lead-up to half-time with players from both sides going into the book and that affected our rhythm, with Algeciras taking the upper hand at the start of the second period with Joseca and Raul just missing the target, the latter subsequently sending a low shot towards goal that was hacked away by retreating defender Maxwell Adedeji at the last moment before Javier Cortes curled a shot all the way into the far top corner from out wide in our right-back position to give his side the lead on the hour mark.
Dorrington was mere inches away from an equaliser when he nodded wide for us, while JJ Riley’s deflected close-range effort from a cut-back was gathered by Archer on his line as the home side sought to put the match out of our reach. However, we upped our game once more and moments after Oli Irow and substitute Cole Ramsey saw respective efforts saved and blocked in the same attack, we equalised with a quarter-of-an-hour remaining as Irow’s delivery from the left was swept home in the middle by the arriving Adewole.
Raul tried to respond straight away for the hosts as he went through on goal, only to be denied by an excellent tackle from behind by defender Cayon Hanson, before we had a second goal ruled out for offside, Reiss Elliott-Parris flagged as he converted the rebound from an Irow shot from distance that was spilled by goalkeeper Ivan Moreno.
Doran and Thomas – both Under-18s players – were introduced off the bench in the last few minutes and after helping us see out the final minutes to draw 1-1, they ended up being key figures in an epic penalty shootout that saw us emerge victorious. Doran saved the hosts’ opening attempt from Oscar Castro and later denied Diego Almeida before brilliantly pushing Savi Bentitez’s effort onto the post and away, allowing Thomas to fire emphatically into the top corner to seal an 8-7 success.
Line-ups
Algeciras CF: Paradowski, F Carmona, Aleix Coch, Oscar Castro, Juanma, Tomas, J Cortes, D Iglesias, J Alamo, Toni Ramon, Paris Adot. Substitutes: Ivan Moreno, Joseca, Angel Gomez, Ivan Turillo, Raul, Dani Garrido, Diego Almeida, Victor Ruiz, JJ Riley, Perea, Gutierez, Benitez.
Spurs: Archer (Doran 84), Feeney (Thomas 84), King (Ramsey 56), Adedeji (Hanson 63), Dorrington (c), McFadden, Boast (Moncur 43), Sowunmi, Lehane (Adewole 67), Elliott-Parris, O Irow. Substitutes (not used): Jack, Rowswell, Furnell-Gill.
Match data
Goals: Algeciras CF – J Cortes 60; Spurs – Adewole 75.
Yellow cards: Algeciras CF – D Iglesias 33; Spurs – Sowunmi 29, Boast 41, Feeney 59, Dorrington 86.
Venue: Estadio Nuevo Mirador.
Weather: Sunny, humid, 36 degrees.
Attendance: 900.
Penalty shootout
