Checkatrade Trophy Southern Group A: Crawley Town 1 Tottenham Hotspur U21s 1 (Reds won 5-3 on penalties)

Crawley Town held a talented Tottenham Hotspur to a 1-1 draw at home in the Checkatrade Trophy.
Crawley FC v Bury FC. 
Pic Steve Robards SR1822562 SUS-180827-152130001Crawley FC v Bury FC. 
Pic Steve Robards SR1822562 SUS-180827-152130001
Crawley FC v Bury FC. Pic Steve Robards SR1822562 SUS-180827-152130001

They went behind in the 59th minute through Shayan Harrison’s strike off the post.

But new signing Bonz N’gala levelled for the home side with a 59th minute goal which crowned a man of the match display and a superb home debut.

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Reds then gained an extra point by winning a penalty shoot-out 5-3 when Lewis Young, Dom Poleon, Mark Randall, Ollie Palmer and David Seasy all found the net while ‘keeper Yusuf Mersin saved Paris Maghoma’s spot-kick.

Caretaker manager Filipe Morais completed his second game in charge of the team following head coach Harry Kewell’s departure to Notts County.

Fellow caretaker Jimmy Smith was not at the game as he was away having a scan on an injury.

The match start was put back 15 minutes to 8pm due to the accident on the M23 which had caused delays to both the Spurs team and the referee.

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They made eight changes to the starting line-up which lost 2-1 at Oldham Athletic on Saturday.

New signing Joe Maguire made his debut having signed on loan from Fleetwood Town, while another new signing, Bondz N’Gala was handed his first start while Joe McNerney made his first start this season.

Spurs included two players who have played for their first team in the league cup: Shayon Harrison and Tashan Oakley-Boothe, while George Austin went on their summer tour to the USA.

N’Gala went close to taking the lead for Reds in the fourth minute when he headed against the post before the ball was cleared off the line.

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Getting in an unusual position for a centre-back, McNerney played a fine cross from the left wing which Panutche Camara headed narrowly off-target.

At the other end Harrison fired a dangerous low shot on target from just inside the area, but ‘keeper Mersin, who was making a rare appearance in preference to Glenn Morris, dived and turned the ball around for a corner.

Spurs’ keeper Brandon Austin similarly denied Tarryn Allarakhia who struck powerfully at the other end.

Spurs took the lead early in the second half when after pressure by Crawley, Harrison drove a shot in to the net off the far post.

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Reds equalised just nine minutes later when Lewis Young, who was wearing the captain’s armband, curled a well-taken free-kick into the penalty area and N’Gala stretched out his toe to score his first goal for the club.

David Sesay replaced Dannie Bulman after 70 minutes to make his Crawley debut.

Ollie Palmer came off the bench instead of Allarakhia as Reds went in search of the winner.

Crawley Town: Mersin, Young (capt), McNerney, Poleon, Nathaniel-George, Maguire, Allarakhi(Palmer 80), Bulman (Sesay 70), Randall, Camara, N’Gala

Unused subs: Morris, Doherty, Connolly, Morais, Galach

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Spurs: Austin, Marsh (capt), Brown, Fagan-Walcott, Dinzeyi, Binks, Maghoma, Bowden, Harrison (Parrott 78), Roses, Oakley-Boothe (Bennett, 82)

Unused subs: De Bie, Duncan, Shashoua, White

Referee: Tim Robinson (Sussex)

Attendance: 1,403

Man of the Match: Bonz N’Gala