Mason Melia marked his Spurs debut with a goal to help our Under-21s come back from behind to beat West Ham United 3-2 at Hotspur Way on Saturday.
The 18-year-old striker, who joined us from St Patrick’s Athletic at the turn of the year, stepped off the bench in the second half for his long-awaited first appearance in our colours and took less than three minutes to find the net, converting Calum Logan’s excellent delivery to make it 2-2, with a subsequent own goal from West Ham defender Callum Leacock completing the turnaround in a scrappy, wind-swept encounter with our London rivals.
Another mid-season arrival, James Wilson, had fired us ahead in the opening stages but the visitors turned the scoreline on its head through Josh Ajala and Dan Cummings to lead at the break, and had a number of chances to extend their lead without punishing us, Preston Fearon rattling the crossbar and goalkeeper Carey Bloedorn pulling off a string of brave stops.
We rode our luck at times, but ultimately made a welcome return to winning ways after three straight defeats in the Premier League 2, the result boosting our hopes of finishing in the top 16 and securing an end-of-season play-off berth.
Blustery winds were always going to be a factor in our first game back after the international break but after a couple of near misses from Tynan Thompson, we forged ahead on 18 minutes when Dante Cassanova stepped in to win the ball with West Ham passing it around at the back, in doing so sending Wilson through to convert beyond Hooper one-v-one.
Wilson could have had a second moments later but saw Hooper beat away his angled drive, with the visitors subsequently beginning to threaten more as we struggled to take a firm grip on the game. Bloedorn dived at the feet of Cummings and left-back Maeson King blocked Fearson’s effort, but King couldn’t prevent Ajala from firing in from the right angle to equalise on 33 minutes, Bloedorn also getting a touch but unable to keep it out.
The keeper made a good stop on his line to deny Ajala a second after a sloppy mistake at the back, but two minutes before the break the Hammers were in front as their goalscorer turned provider, Ajala getting away from the sliding challenge of Luca Furnell-Gill down their left side before cutting back for Cummings to plant home inside the near post.
A tactical change at the break for us saw Logan introduced in place of Pele Arganese-McDermott but the visitors continued to have chances, Lewis Orford’s looping effort saved by Bloedorn, Fearon hitting the bar from the edge of the box, substitute Gabriel Caliste flashing a good chance wide and the persistent Orford being thwarted by a combination of King and Bloedorn. The keeper later denied Cummings and Fearson at the back post before seeing a long-range effort from Rayan Oyebade just over the top.
The introduction of Melia gave us more of a physical presence up front, the striker bringing a large amount of experience after netting 25 goals in 98 senior games in Ireland prior to his move to north London. Having been sidelined through injury since his arrival, he made an immediate impact off the bench, going through in the right channel in his first action of the game but firing over from distance. However, on 70 minutes he hauled us back level, arriving in the middle of the box to bundle home Logan’s fine low delivery from the left flank.
Eight minutes later, we were ahead once more as Reiss Russell-Denny did brilliantly to get away from danger down the right side and cut in along the byline before his low ball into the centre went in off Leacock, with Malachi Hardy in close proximity. Melia could have doubled his tally when he combined with Russell-Denny down the right side but Hooper was equal to the striker’s fierce effort, while West Ham almost snatched another leveller in the sixth minute of added time when the ball landed kindly for Joshua Briggs in the box, but he could only find the side-netting as we escaped with maximum points.
‘We allowed West Ham too many opportunities’
Under-21s Coach Wayne Burnett was disappointed with the team’s display, in spite of the final outcome: “The performance wasn’t very good at all,” he told SPURSPLAY. “I thought we struggled to gain any real control and they had too many opportunities. The result was a good one, we showed character and personality, but from a performance perspective I didn’t think it was good enough today. We didn’t play in the way in which I know we can, we allowed West Ham too many opportunities, I didn’t think we created enough opportunities and I thought we were a little bit fortunate to come away with the win if I’m being honest. I didn’t think we played with any rhythm or fluidity, so from a performance point of view it’s very disappointing. From a result point of view, yes, we showed character and we showed some personality, so I can’t be displeased with that.”
On Melia’s goalscoring debut, Wayne added: “It’s very positive. He’s come in and worked incredibly hard, he had a bit of a setback when he first arrived so it’s his first minutes today, we’re really pleased, we know he can score goals, he’s got a record for scoring goals and I think he’s going to help this team.”
