Premier U-18 League, play-offs 2015-16
               Hotspur Way, Bulls Cross, Enfield
               Saturday 19th March 2016, 12 noon

                   SPURS     v     WOLVES
                (White/Blue)    (All Light Blue)
                  4-2-3-1          4-2-3-1

                    7(3)             3(1)

             Alfie Whiteman  1 Harry Beasley
             Joseph Muscatt  2 Josh Hesson
         Nicholas Tsaroulla  3 Brandon Ball
             George Marsh(C) 4 Ross Finnie(C)
                 Joy Mukena  5 Dion Sanderson
                  T J Eyoma  6 Connor Johnson
              Shilow Tracey  7 Nico Carnat
                 Jack Roles  8 Akeal Rehman
                  Ryan Loft  9 Jordan Allan
          Zenon Stylianides 10 Owen Eggington
       Tashan Oakley-Boothe 11 Brad Carr

               Dylan Duncan 12 Nyeko Sinclair
                 (10)61Mins    (2)54Mins
             Brandon Austin 13 Michael Sibley
            Keanan Bennetts 14 Ryan Gilet
                 (11)61Mins
               Aramide Oteh 15 Austin Samuels
                  (9)61Mins    (11)62Mins.
                            16 Sam Phillips(8)71Mins

Scorers:- 
          Roles 15             Allan 10,37(pen)
          Oakley-Boothe 18     Carnat 75
          Loft 26, 52
          Oteh 65
          Muscatt 74
          Duncan 89

Coach:-
          K. McKenna           J. Gill

Referee:– M. Ball

It was a cold overcast morning for the visit of Wolverhampton Wanderers to Hotspur Way as we reach the halfway point in the play-offs. Spurs have one win from three while Wolves have a single point from their three games. They were hammered 7-2 in their first play-off game against Leicester City. Spurs gave a first start to Eyoma in defence in a side that had both experience and youth.

Spurs lined up with Whiteman in goal behind Mukena and Eyoma with Muscatt at right back and Tsaroulla on the left. Marsh anchored the midfield with Stylianides alongside him while Roles was ahead of them flanked by Tracey on the right and Oakley-Boothe on the left in support of Loft up front. Austin was on the bench having been there last night at the King Power Stadium with the U-21's.

Spurs defended the South end in the first half but were soon on the attack with Roles firing wide from a pass by Tracey on the right. With Spurs on top it was the visitors who took the lead from their first corner. The corner was taken short and Allan headed home from close range.

Spurs responded immediately when Tracey saw his effort deflected for a corner. Spurs were soon level as Tracey crossed from the right with Oakley-Boothe at the far post playing the ball back for Roles to score.

Spurs were in front minutes later when Roles played in Oakley-Boothe on the left. The wideman rode a tackle as he got to the near post and beat Beasley at his near post. It was all Spurs as they pushed for more and it was not long before it was three as Oakley-Boothe crossed from the left for Loft to fire in.

Stylianides effort was blocked for a corner before Wolves won a few corners. From the first, Finnie fired over. The second was won when Whiteman saved from Allan with Finnie shooting wide when it was only half cleared. Oakley-Boothe drove wide as the half neared the end and Carnat headed wide in the last minute. (Half-time score 3-1)

There were no changes for the start of the second half with Stylianides continuing, despite having taken a heavy knock late in the first half. Spurs continued where they left off and extended their lead when Loft scored at the far post from Tracey's cross.(4-1)

Allan ran onto a through ball and beat Whiteman but the ball hit the far post and into the arms of a relieved keeper. Muscatt fired over from a half-cleared corner. Spurs made a triple change just after the hour mark as the game looked as it had been won. Stylianides gave way to Duncan; Bennetts replaced Oakley-Boothe on the left, and Oteh took over from Loft up front.

Mukena headed wide following a corner before Spurs got a fifth when Duncan was played in down the right and his cross was put in at the far post by Oteh. Bennetts made a run cutting inside but his effort was blocked for a corner. After good work on the right Muscatt put in a high hanging cross that beat the keeper and went in off the far post for 6-1.

Wolves responded when the battling Allan won a free kick and Carnet curled it over the wall into the near post to reduce the deficit.(6-2) Allan made a strong run into the area winning a penalty when Eyoma challenged. Allan sent Whiteman the wrong way to make it 6-3. Spurs did not stop attacking and Muscatt found Tsaroulla with a cross-field pass which was driven wide by the full back.

Carnat fired wide before Spurs' pressure produced another goal as Muscatt found Duncan in the middle of the area. The substitute controlled the ball before firing home. Bennetts played in Oteh for a chance that he put wide. In added time Whiteman saved from Carnat who had been played in by Ball for the game to finish 7-3.

This was a good all round performance from Spurs with a side made up of experienced and inexperienced players. The tough Allan gave Eyoma a rough welcome to the seniors and had a hand in all the Wolves goals. Apart from that Mukena and Eyoma with less than ten appearances between them did well. Oakley-Boothe and Tracey were always a threat down the flanks supported by the full backs. Marsh was able to get forward in support of Stylianides and Roles as they pressed the visitors for most of the game.

Spurs now have a break before the next game when they have to travel to Middlesbrough on the 9th April. Middlesbrough knocked Spurs out of the Youth Cup with a very strong performance at Stevenage. Over Easter Spurs are sending an U-19 squad to Dusseldorf to take part in the U-19 International Trophy.

Ray

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