Shaquile Coulthirst struck twice in the first half to put the home side in a commanding position and, despite an improved second half performance and a goal back from Bersant Celina, the Londoners held on to claim their fifth successive win.
However, Ugo Ehiogu’s men would owe goalkeeper Luke McGee a huge debt for the victory as he saved a last minute George Evans penalty to deny the away side a share of the spoils.
Stevenage Borough’s Lamex Stadium played host to City’s final league game of the calendar year on the first day of the final month.
Patrick Vieira’s EDS came into the game knowing that a win could put them back on top of the Barclays u21 Premier League, depending on results in the night’s other games up and down the country, so the incentive was there to carry on the team’s excellent run of form.
City had won five of their last six under-21 fixtures and were looking to string together three consecutive victories at this level.
The EDS boss made four changes to the line-up which started the 3-1 win over Benfica ten days previously, drafting in Angus Gunn and Ashley Smith-Brown, as well as Jordy Hiwula, who had recently returned from his first-ever loan spell at Yeovil.
Ugo Ehiogu’s in-form Spurs u21s were buoyed by the inclusion of returning first-team Kyle Walker in the XI, who had been out of action for eight months with a long-term injury.
It was a fairly even start to a fragmented match which took its time to find any kind of fluency as the referee’s whistle punctuated brief bursts of action as a result of a series of niggly fouls in the midfield third.
Spurs were able to grab the initiative after 27 minutes when Coulthirst rose highest to head a cross from the right past Gunn to give his side a 1-0 lead.
Ten minutes later, the advantage was doubled through the same player as Coulthirst arrived onto a whipped-in centre from Harry Winks at the back post.
2-0 was how it stayed until the break although Sinan Bytyqi fired a warning shot into the sidenetting to remind the North Londoners of the threat City could pose after the restart.
City were rejuvenated after the break and began to assert some pressure on the Spurs goal, with second half substitute Celina unfortunate not to halve the deficit on two occasions.
Walker cleared one effort from the Kosovan off the line before the youngster missed a presentable opportunity from ten yards out.
However, Bersant made no mistake on 70 minutes when Bytyqi’s cross fell invitingly for the youngster to halve the deficit on the volley.
City pushed men on in the final minutes in search of an equaliser and they had a golden chance to get it when Ogilvie felled Bytyqi in the area.
The referee pointed to the spot and Evans assumed responsibility but McGee saved the strike from 12 yards, meaning Spurs held on for the win.
Vieira’s men stay joint-top of the league as Southampton defeated Manchester United 1-0 on the south coast.
Vieira’s side are next in action at Spotland on Friday night when Sunderland are the visitors in the U21 Premier League Cup.
