TEENAGE Bulgarian striker Georg Iliev staked his claim for a first-team opportunity with a stunning five-minute hat-trick as Wanderers Under-21s came from behind to win 5-2 at Tottenham yesterday.
The 19-year-old, who signed his first professional contract at the club last month, came off the bench at Spurs’ North London training centre to turn the FA U21 Premier League clash on its head with a late treble against a home side down to 10 men.
Jamie Fullarton’s team soon found themselves on the back foot against a Tottenham side that included Brazilian international Sandro, as well as first-team youngsters Danny Rose and Harry Kane.
Spurs took the lead through Souleymane Coulibaly’s 23rd-minute header. It was 2-0 eight minutes before half time when Shaq Coulthirst converted Alex McQueen’s cross.
Wanderers halved the deficit after the restart when Rob Hall won a penalty and Tom Youngs converted, Spurs losing Dominic Ball to a red card at the same time.
Substitute Chris Lester levelled on 75 minutes when he headed home Andy Kellett’s cross before Iliev’s one-man show began on 79 minutes.
Two minutes later the former CSKA Sofia youngster had doubled his account and he completed his hat-trick on 84 minutes to lead the whites to victory.
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