Stevenage lost 4-3 to Spurs U21 at the Lamex on Tuesday evening, writes Stefan Frost.

Stevenage opened their hunt for the EFL Trophy against Tottenham's U21s this Tuesday evening. Drama ensued even before the starting whistle as Romaine Mundle suffered a muscle injury in the pre-match warmup and was swiftly stretchered off. Marcel Lavinier filled the vacant spot in the young Spurs line-up.

The game began in a frenetic style with both sides spreading the ball quickly down field. Brad Barry managed to break away down the right flank, fizzing in a low cross to the near post which was dealt with well by Omole.

Tottenham broke the deadlock in the 8th minute when Jack Clarke found himself in plenty of space down the left flank and calmly delivered a cross into the box which was met by the late run of Harvey White who thundered the ball into the back of the net.

White, having started the game so strongly, then committed a late foul on Jack Smith and was given a yellow card for his efforts. Following the goal, the tempo of the match dropped as Tottenham took control of the ball. Stevenage however, were not bereft of chances. Numerous crosses were delivered into the box by Brad Barry and Bruno Andrade but Norris and Daly struggled to get close to the ball.

Stevenage's night got worse in the 23rd minute when Yago Alonso drove across the edge of the box before hitting a well-placed shot into the bottom left corner, past Bastien's outstretched hand, giving Tottenham a 2-0 lead.

Alonso then tried to replicate his earlier goal but this time his shot to the left corner was saved by Bastien. Chris Lines was booked around the 30 minute mark for a push on Markanday.

In the final 10 minutes of the half the game livened up. In the 38th minute Daly beat his man and his subsequent cross was only narrowly missed by Norris. Daly's determination continued as minutes later he fired in a wonderful shot from outside the box, which soared into the top left corner. Stevenage remained on top until the close of the half as Andrade attempted two long range shots which both drifted wide.

The first clear cut chance of the second half arrived in the 48th minute as a defensive error gave Alonso the ball deep in Stevenage's box. Alonso set the ball up for White who, faced with an almost open goal, sent the ball over the crossbar. White quickly made amends by finishing off a well worked Tottenham move which began with Alonso and Markanday exchanging a cute one-two at the edge of the box. White's goal gave the visitors a 3-1 advantage and put them back in the driving seat.

In response to the goal, Luther James-Wildin and Jake Taylor were brought on for Brad Barry and Bruno Andrade.

In the 60th minute referee Carl Brooke ignored calls for a handball after an Alonso cross seemed to ricochet off Cuthbert's head onto his arm in the box. Minutes later, Stevenage managed to pull back a goal from a corner when Smith, finding himself unmarked, headed the ball into the net. Stevenage continued to press after the goal and in the 64th minute Daly found himself one on one with the keeper. Oluwayemi was quick off his line and made a smart stop.

In the 71st minute Alonso found himself in acres of space running towards goal, only to be taken down outside the box by Coker, who received a yellow for the challenge. White took the freekick, hit the wall but on the follow up dinked the ball over a crowd of players to Omole who squared it to Lyons-Foster who then scored with ease.

With Tottenham leading 4-2, Norris was replaced by Jamie Reid for Stevenage. In the 83rd minute tensions rose a little after Lyons-Foster took out Lines from behind, getting himself into the referee's book for the challenge.

Stevenage managed to bag another goal when Coker delivered a loopy cross to the far side of the box. Reid met the cross and hammered the ball on the half volley into the back of the net, leaving the score 4-3 in favour of the visitors.

As the official raised the board to display 6 additional minutes, Stevenage hopes lingered on but the side failed convert again, leaving Tottenham with a 4-3 victory.