Superb Foxes Edge Closer To PL2 Summit
While Keanan Bennetts handed Spurs an early advantage inside 11 minutes, Sam Hughes swiftly levelled the arrears before Steve Beaglehole’s side embarked on a blistering assault on the visitors’ goal.
In the second half, dismissals for Tottenham pair George Marsh and Oliver Skipp bookended a George Thomas strike in the 65th minute. Later on, efforts from Darnell Johnson and Josh Gordon (2), as well as another from Thomas in stoppage time, stretched City's unbeaten run to an outstanding 18 matches.
Beaglehole made just one enforced change to City’s starting XI from the 7-1 victory over Barnsley with experienced centre-back Robert Huth, continuing his recovery from an ankle operation, replacing the suspended Hamza Choudhury, who had amassed the maximum number of yellow cards permitted.
It was the guests from north London who struck first when Bennetts danced into the penalty area and picked his spot inside the far corner with a brilliant left-footed effort. First Layton Ndukwu and then Gordon both tried their luck, cutting inside from the left, but both failed to test Brandon Austin.
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In the 28th minute, Leicester’s pressure reaped its due reward. Ndukwu’s cross eventually fell to the feet of Hughes with City’s captain for the night slamming it into the far corner. While their pursuit of another before the break was ultimately unsuccessful, Beaglehole’s talented young side were unrelenting in the final third.
Gordon clattered the post from a tight angle and Hughes went within inches from heading his second of the night, but the visitors dug deep at the back to keep them at bay. Beaglehole’s men emerged from the changing rooms with the same hunger for goals, though.
They almost got one when Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall rattled the bar from outside the area. In the aftermath, Marsh was adjudged by the referee to have elbowed Gordon on the flank, resulting in the young defender’s second yellow card. It was ultimately the first of two damaging dismissals.
The numerical advantage gave the Foxes more room to manoeuvre and, when it landed to Thomas in the area just after the hour-mark, he slotted it in with aplomb.
Once Skipp had joined Marsh in the away changing room, earning a straight red for a late tackle on Gordon, it got even better in Whetstone as Johnson bundled it in from close range and Gordon added a refined brace with two excellent finishes.
Late on, there was also an Under-23s debut for Luke Thomas, a left-back who was a ballboy on the day the Club lifted the Premier League trophy in May 2016.
In stoppage time, after substitute Josh Eppiah had been denied on the line, a flick from Thomas was glanced in off Timothy Eyoma to make it 13 goals in two matches for the youthful Foxes.
Major moment…
While Leicester will have been happy with their display beforehand, George Marsh’s red card undoubtedly tipped the scales even further in their favour in the second period.
The hosts swiftly advanced and made it count with George Thomas adding their second of the night before another red – and four more goals – added a touch of gloss to the scoreline.
Who impressed?
Yet again, the name on everybody’s lips was that of Sam Hughes. The 20-year-old defender, playing in a more advanced position in midfield, operated as the spine of City’s attacking stratagem.
After adding a seventh goal of his maiden campaign at the Club, the ex-Chester man, an assured figure with the captain’s armband, is now the Under-23s' joint top goalscorer of the season.
Where does it leave us?
The Foxes remain second in PL2, two points adrift of leaders Liverpool and five ahead of third-placed Arsenal, although they have played an extra game.
Coming up…
City’s league campaign will be parked momentarily for a Checkatrade Trophy tie at Oldham Athletic on Tuesday night (7:30pm kick-off).
The following Friday, Steve Beaglehole’s men will then travel to Chigwell Construction Stadium to tackle West Ham United in PL2 (7pm kick-off).
The details…
City: Iversen, Johnson, Wood (L. Thomas 83), Hughes (c), Knight, Huth, Kaba Sherif (Eppiah 64), Dewsbury-Hall, Gordon, G. Thomas, Ndukwu (Martis 67).
Subs not used: Debayo, Bramley.
Goals: Hughes 28, Thomas 65, 93, Johnson 75, Gordon 82, 88.
Spurs: Austin, Marsh, Brown, Amos (c), Maghoma, Eyoma, Bennetts (Roles 73), Skipp, Sterling, Harrison (Pritchard 78), Georgiou (Tracey 71).
Subs not used: Whiteman.
Goal: Bennetts 11.
Attendance: 497
Referee: Christopher O’Donnel