A goal in each half – including a late winner from Georges-Kevin Nkoudou – saw off a spirited Brentford side 2-1 in a behind-closed-doors friendly at Hotspur Way on Saturday evening.

In a useful contest against the Championship outfit, who fashioned a handful of chances over the course of the game and could have scored more than once, Fernando Llorente got the final touch on Victor Wanyama’s shot to give us the lead seven minutes before the interval.

The Bees were always a threat on the counter and shortly after half-time substitute Paulo Gazzaniga had saved Alan Judge’s fierce drive, Neal Maupay rammed home from the right side of the box to level the scores.

Dominating the game, we saw a lull in terms of shooting chances in the moments that followed, but business picked up in the last 15 minutes and after Heung-Min Son – on at the break for his first action of pre-season after returning from World Cup duty with South Korea – turned Nkoudou’s cross just over the bar, the roles were reversed as Son sent the Frenchman bursting down the left and the winger converted from a very tight angle in the 90th minute.

As in the midweek victory over Southend United, Mauricio Pochettino used the match to give minutes to many of our senior stars along with some younger players. Starting goalkeeper Michel Vorm had early efforts from Maupay and Judge covered as the Bees found themselves with some early opportunities, despite seeing much less of the ball.

Left winger Anthony Georgiou and right-back Serge Aurier provided some pacy attacking outlets down the flanks, but our best chance of the opening exchanges fell to Llorente, who was denied by a brilliant save from onrushing goalkeeper Daniel Bentley after a defence-splitting through ball from Erik Lamela.