Under-21s stage stunning comeback to reach Premier League Cup final

Stoppage-time goals from Damola Ajayi and Yago Santiago completed a remarkable turnaround as our Under-21s recovered from a 3-0 half-time deficit to beat Nottingham Forest 4-3 in Thursday's Premier League Cup semi-final, setting up a trip to Fulham in the final.

A dominant force in the competition throughout the season, a shock result seemed to be on the cards for us at Stevenage's Lamex Stadium after a below-par first period saw the visitors go three goals up inside 36 minutes.

But Dante Cassanova's deflected effort just prior to the hour mark, swiftly followed by Will Lankshear's penalty, got us right back into the game and after controlling much of the second half, we finally found an equaliser in the 91st minute when substitute Ajayi's floated effort from the right side flew over the head of defender Jamie McDonnell and inside the far post.

Not content to settle for extra time, we continued to press forward and after another Ajayi delivery, Santiago was on hand to blast home a low shot amid a crowded penalty box just nine seconds before the end of the five additional minutes to send players and fans alike into raptures.

Many of the players involved on the night tasted Premier League Cup success at Under-17 and Under-18 levels last season and some of that spirit was on show once more as we prevented the curtain from coming down on our maiden campaign in the Under-21 version of the competition, with a trip to face the Cottagers now on the horizon in the showpiece final later this month.

We simply couldn't get going in the first half. Forest almost went ahead on 10 minutes but Ateef Konate's angled shot was saved at his near post by Luca Gunter, the forward then hit the far post on the rebound before Jack Nadin volleyed over the bar in a great chance. But four minutes later, the visitors did take the lead when Detlef Esapa Osong latched onto a through ball and slotted low past Gunter. Goalscorer then turned provider as Forest's number nine squared for Konate, whose shot was partially blocked by Gunter with his legs, only for the ball to loop over him and into the net for 2-0 on 22 minutes.

Lankshear and Rio Kyerematen were both denied by routine stops from Aaron Bott in the Forest goal before the visitors further stretched their advantage on 36 minutes, McDonnell drilling low into the corner after a free-kick into our box was cleared to him just outside the area.

We were much more dynamic after the restart, though, with Cassanova in the thick of the action, making a vital interception at the back before firing off a low curling shot at the other end which Bott saved down to his left. And it was the same player who gave us hope on 58 minutes with a deflected shot that looped over the keeper and into the net after Jamie Donley's free-kick hit the defensive wall and Kyerematen's attempt on the follow-up was blocked. Nile John had a great chance to make it 3-2 but was left with his head in his hands after planting his shot wide from Santiago's cut-back, but on 64 minutes we made no mistake, Lankshear drilling home from the penalty spot after Maeson King's cross from the left was handled in the box by Forest right-back Jimmy Sinclair.

Then it was game on. But while Santiago glanced a header over the bar and then dragged a low shot across goal and wide of the far post, we couldn't quite do enough to get back on terms and Forest had a short spell of pressure themselves as the second period went on, Esapa Osong denied by a wonderful diving save from Gunter down to his right with 12 minutes remaining.

That save turned out to be match-winning as, with the clock ticking down, we found another gear to turn the tie fully round. Santiago fizzed a free-kick just over the bar but we didn't give up and when Ajayi - one of a number of substitutes who helped to change the game - collected possession on the right side with the match just entering stoppage time, he delivered a clever ball over towards the far post which sailed over McDonnell and all the way in.

But we weren't done. With 94 minutes and 51 seconds of the 95 played, Ajayi again delivered from the right, Santiago won a header in the box and the ball was knocked down to him to drill home from a central position before wheeling away in delight as we celebrated a memorable win which at half-time had seemed a world away.

Reaction on SPURSPLAY

'We're so pleased that we got the winner late on'

Senior Academy Coach Nigel Gibbs, who works alongside Under-21s Coach Wayne Burnett, told SPURSPLAY: "It was obviously a very tough start for us, then the way that the boys played in the second half and the character they showed... we played the football we've been used to playing, we got on top of it and once we got that first goal, we always felt we had a bit of a chance. That's what we said at half-time, we had to show character, we had to come back, start fast and we did that, but to win it so late on is so pleasing, especially for the players.

"I didn't think we showed the energy that we normally do in the first half, we didn't play forward enough and didn't get into a rhythm - that was credit to them a little bit - but the goals came at bad times for us as well. We were a little bit disappointed with the way we conceded but the players knew that at half-time, we said about showing some energy, playing forward a little bit more, running forward and we did that, and we blew them away a little bit in the second half once we got back into the game at 3-2, we showed some quality and we're so pleased that we got the winner late on."

Match data

Goals: Spurs - Cassanova 58, Lankshear 64 (pen), Ajayi 90+1, Santiago 90+5; Nottingham Forest - Esapa Osong 14, Konate 22, McDonnell 36.

Yellow cards: Nottingham Forest - Perry 82, Powell 86, Perkins 90+8.

Referee: Farai Hallam.

Venue: Lamex Stadium, Stevenage.

Weather: Rain, gentle breeze, 15 degrees.

Attendance: 518.