Development Squad 8-1 Peterborough: Pritchard grabs four in superb win

Posted 15 January 2013 5:43pm

Alex Pritchard stole the show with four goals in 20 minutes in a relentless second-half performance as the Development Squad beat 8-1 against a Peterborough United side on Tuesday afternoon at Hotspur Way.

A Cristian Ceballos goal gave us a slender lead at the break despite dominating proceedings, but the lads showed the gulf in quality between the two sides with a superb second period that saw us hit the back of the net seven times.

Our high-pressing tactics saw Peterborough’s defence crumble as Pritchard grabbed an impressive four goals in quick succession and Ceballos completed his brace.

Peterborough managed a consolation before Luongo and Coulthirst completed the rout late on.

We took the lead in the 11th minute when Pritchard's shot from 25-yards forced a sprawling save from Peterborough’s keeper, with the onrushing Ceballos on hand to tuck home the rebound.

But despite dominating proceedings, that was as good as it got for Spurs before the break. Massimo Luongo controlled the midfield well, while Tomislav Gomelt and Dean Parrett linked up to good effect, repeatedly driving towards the opposition defence.

But a reinvigorated side emerged for the second-half and got straight in the faces of their opponents who subsequently retreated to the edge of their box.

The added space in midfield allowed Pritchard to take the game by the scruff of the neck in a sublime period of play.

Firstly, Gomelt worked some space on the left to send a looping ball onto Pritchard’s foot which the 19-year-old guided into the back of the net, and the diminutive winger grabbed his second just a few minutes later, lashing home after good work by Ceballos from the right-flank.

Pritchard, who joined our Academy in 2009, then grabbed his hat-trick by bending a right-footed free-kick around the wall into the bottom right corner from 20-yards.

And he did not stop there as he completed his personal tally with a brilliant fourth for 5-0 on 69 minutes.

A good spell of Spurs possession culminated in a mazy run from the left before he whipped home from the edge of the area.

'Boro grabbed a consolation goal three minutes later via Jonson Clarke-Harris' superb finish from 30-yards beating substitute goalkeeper Liam Priestley.

But soon after, a great save by our young 'keeper began the breakaway move which ended with Ceballos bending in his second goal of the day into the top left corner from 12-yards to re-establish the five-goal lead.

Luongo then added the seventh by prodding home after some neat interplay through the middle on 84 minutes and Coulthirst bundled home a Pritchard pull-back shortly before full-time to complete the scoring.

SPURS TEAM: Miles (Priestley, 63); Byrne; Barthram; Gallifuoco; Stewart; Luongo; Parrett (Bentaleb, 70); Gomelt; Coulibaly (Coulthirst, 82); Ceballos; Pritchard.