Ugo Ehiogu’s U21s were denied three points by an injury-time equaliser as they were held by Manchester City in a thriller on Friday afternoon.
Bersant Celina’s 92nd minute goal salvaged a point for The Citizens after Christian Maghoma’s header three minutes previous looked to have given Spurs the win.
Patrick Vieira’s men had already fought back from a goal down previously in the game when Theirry Ambrose and Manu Alonso goals cancelled out Kenny McEvoy’s opener.
But Ismail Azzaoui’s effort levelled things before late drama at The Academy Stadium.
Mourning the departures of Dominic Ball and Nathan Oduwa, and without Alex Pritchard who is assumingly on first-team duty, Ehiogu could’ve perhaps been forgiven for thinking the worst would happen here.
His side struck first though as McEvoy thumped a finish past Angus Gunn on five minutes after good chasing down by Azzaoui, before the City Stopper saved well from Shayon Harrison to deny a second soon after.
The team in blue would’ve been grateful for their goalkeeper’s efforts, for it was they who ended up striking next as Ambrose finished coolly on 25 minutes after latching onto the end of Celina’s square ball.
Gunn was then forced into heroics again eight minutes from the break as he saved well from Mcevoy, but the scores remained level going into half-time.
It took just two second-half minutes for City to take the ascendancy, though, as Garcia smashed an unstoppable volley into the front post beyond Spurs’ stopper Tom Glover, but their lead wasn’t to last long.
Four minutes later, Ehiogu’s side were level once more and this time it was Azzaoui on hand to apply the finishing touch – a looping header over the helpless Gunn.
For the remainder of the half it looked like City would be the most likely to earn a winner, but it was instead the visitors’ that seemed to steal it with just one minute of normal time to go.
Maghoma’s header bounced in off the inside of the post much to the dismay of the few hundred fans in attendance, but it was not over there.
The hosts claimed a dramatic equaliser in the third minute of injury time, Celina applying the killer touch after superb work by Brandon Barker, and this time there would be no time for a response.
