Premier U-18 Southern League 2017-18
       Hotspur Way, Bulls Cross, Enfield
       Saturday 14th October 2017, 11am

           SPURS      v   WEST HAM UTD
        (White/Blue)      (All Black)
          4-1-4-1           4-2-3-1

            3(1)              1(0)

   Jonathan De Bie(C) 1  Rihards Matrevics
       Matthew Lock   2  Jeremy Ngakia
     Jamie Reynolds   3  Rosarie Longelo
        Tariq Hinds   4  Jade Jay Mingi
Brooklyn Lyons-Foster 5  Joshua Okotcha
    Moroyin Omolabi   6  Ben Wells(C)
    Jeremie Mukendi   7  Anouar El Mhassani
      Paris Maghoma   8  Ben Johnson
      Reo Griffiths   9  Emmanuel Longelo
   Armande Shashoua  10  Bernardo Costa Da Rosa
  Phoenix Patterson  11  Ros Harvey

Maurizio Pochettino  12  Kevin Dalipi
          (7)73Mins      (11)46Mins
    Charlie Freeman  13  Tyler Forde
    Maxwell Statham  14  Louis Watson
                         (4)69Mins
     Maximus Tainio  15  Sean Adarkwa
          (8)46Mins      (7)46Mins
     Rodel Richards  16  Yiannis Constantinou
         (10)65Mins

Scorers:-
    Griffiths 27, 51     Da Rosa 71
    Omolabi 72

Coach:-
        Scott Parker     Steve Potts

Referee:– Gavin Muge
Assistants:– Mark Stevens & Jack Scott

It was a warm morning with the sun breaking through the clouds. There was a southern wind which held up the ball at times. West Ham came to Hotspur Way bottom of the table with a single point which they gained from their last match against Norwich City. Spurs were only a couple of places above them having lost at Reading last time out. Last season Spurs won an entertaining game 2-1 thanks to an injury time penalty by Sterling.

Spurs lined up with De Bie in goal behind Omolabi and Lyons-Foster with Lock at right back and Reynolds on the left. Hinds was given the job of defensive midfield in front of them with Maghoma and Shashoua ahead of him flanked by Mukendi on the right and Patterson on the left in support of Griffths up front.

Spurs defended the North end in the first half and quickly got into their stride with Maghoma drawing a save from Matrevics in the first minute. The visitors sought to get forward as well and Harvey hit the bar with a dipping long range effort. West Ham were beginning to get on top with De Bie saving from Da Rosa and then Emmanuel Longelo but Spurs scored when Mukendi got down the right and crossed for Griffiths. The striker tried to hit it first time but had time for a second effort which beat the keeper.

The "Hammers" responded with El Mhassani hitting the far post from the edge of the area. Reynolds played in Griffiths for a chance that was saved before Spurs hit the woodwork twice before the break. First Reynolds' deep cross from the left bounced off the crossbar and a free kick by Maghoma hit the near post.

Both sides made changes for the start of the second half with Spurs giving Tainio his first appearance at this level in place of Maghoma. He went to left back allowing Reynolds to move into midfield. In the opening minute West Ham had a corner which De Bie caught and threw out quickly for Patterson who beat the last man and advanced on the keeper but shot striaght at him.

It wasn't long before Spurs were two up as Griffiths was found in the area and his shot took a deflection to beat the keeper. De Bie saved from Ngakia before Patterson had a free kick saved low to the keeper's left for a corner.

Spurs made their second change with Richards coming on, wearing the No.17 shirt, to replace Shashoua. West Ham got back into the game thanks to a poor pass by Reynolds that was picked up by Da Rosa who turned a drive past the exposed De Bie. Spurs needed to respond quickly to stop any comeback by the visitors and duly scored a third to restore the two goal lead. It came from a Patterson cornor on the right which was met by Omolabi with a thumping half-volley.

Spurs' last change saw Pochettino replace Mukendi on the right flank. A cross by Da Rosa was turned wide by Okotcha and Ngakia drove across the goal from the right. Johnston fired wide before laying the ball wide for Ngakia to fire wide of the far post again as the"Hammers" pushed for a goal. Spurs were happy to play the ball around to see out time but the visitors kept trying with Emmanuel Longelo hitting the bar and Watson having the last effort which went over the bar.

This was a good win for Spurs who were not at their best giving the ball away too many times. It was just as well that West Ham were not good enough to take full advantage. Shashoua is like a clone of his elder brother and did most of the prompting from midfield as well as tigerishly tackling and chasing back. The young Taino looks to need time to settle in while the other player of interest - Maurizio - was not quite up to the pace of the game when he came on. Next week Fulham are the visitors. They lost at home to Aston Villa 3-0 and slipped to third in the table.

Ray

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