Premier U-18 League Cup, Group A, 2018-19
      Hotspur Way, Whitewebbs Lane, Enfield
        Saturday 10th November 2018, 11am

              SPURS    v   SWANSEA
          (White/Blue)   (Orange/Grey)
             4-1-4-1        4-5-1

               3(1)          1(0)

      Jonathan De Bie  1  Scott Reed
       Maximus Tainio  2  Ryan Bevan
      Dilan Markanday  3  Jacob Jones
    Phoenix Patterson  4  Bailey Owen
      Maxwell Statham  5  Cameron Evans
       Jibril Okedina  6  Ben Erickson(C)
  Maurizio Pochettino  7  Tivonge Rushesha
   Armando Shashoua(C) 8  Daniel Williams
       Rodel Richards  9  Josh Thomas
       Elliott Thorpe 10  Mason Jones-Thomas
         Rayan Clarke 11  Jayden Reid

         Harvey White 12  Owen Evans
                          (3)65Mins
    Kacper Kurylowicz 13  Nathan Shepperd
         Troy Parrott 14  Mark Walsh
           (10)70Mins     (9)81Mins
      Jeremie Mukendi 15  Shaquille Wynter-Coles
            (3)79Mins     (11)64Mins
                      16  Charlie Clancy

Scorers:-
       Clarke 38          Jones-Thomas 68
       Parrott 74
       Markanday 77

Coach:-
           Matt Wells     Anthony Wright

It was a cool morning with a low sun for the second group match of the U-18 Premier League Cup. Spurs won their opening game 2-1 over Wolverhampton Wanderers while Swansea were beaten 6-1 by Middlesbrough. Middlesbrough went on to beat Wolves 4-0 to lead the group. Spurs have already beaten Swansea in the League 5-1 away.

Spurs lined up with De Bie in goal behind Statham and Okedina with Tainio at right back and Markanday on the left. Patterson anchored the midfield with Shashoua and Thorpe ahead of him. They were flanked by Pochettino on the right and Clarke on the left behind Richards up front. With the Checkatrade Trophy game against Portsmouth on Tuesday there was a short bench, having already rotated players following the Eindhoven game.

There was a minute's silence for Remembrance Day which added to the delay before the start. Spurs defended the South end in the first half which saw them try to get forward but the vistors closed down quickly and defended strongly. They kept the game tight with few chances at either end. They had the first chance with an effort by Williams.

Markanday got forward to clip a post when played in by Shashoua. After both Clarke and Markanday had got behind on the left to cross, it was from that side that the opening goal came. A long diagonal ball found Clarke in space and he got down the line before scoring from a tight angle. Thorpe had a chance that he hit over from a ball by Richards before the break.

There were no changes for the start of the second half which was delayed by Spurs coming out late. Thomas won a corner from an effort that was wide. Richards had a chance blocked before Jones-Thomas drew a save from De Bie. Spurs looked to have moved Markanday into midfield and left three at the back.

Swansea made two changes, one of which was enforced as Jones injured his ankle. Swansea got back into the game when Jones-Thomas got down the left before coming inside and firing low inside the near post.

Spurs responded with Clarke firing wide before making their first change bringing Parrott on for Thorpe. It did not take long for Parrott to get on the scoresheet with a tap-in at the near post from Clarke who had been played in by Markanday. Markanday then played in Richards for a chance that was saved before getting on the scoresheet himself. Pochettino got down the right and pulled the ball back for Shashoua who slipped it into the path of Markanday who took it inside before finishing with a low shot inside the near post.

Now with daylight between the teams Spurs replaced Markanday with Mukendi. With Shashoua and Patterson controlling the midfield, Spurs were able to see out the game with only a long range effort by Evans that went wide from the visitors before the final whistle.

Spurs now match Middlesbrough with two wins but are behind on goal difference. They meet at Rockcliffe Park for the final game with the top team going through to the knockout stage. The loser will have to see if they are one of the two best runners-up. Spurs qualified as one of the two second placed teams last season going all the way to the final before losing to Chelsea, beating Liverpool and Arsenal on the way.

               P  W  D  L  F-A  Pts.
Middlesbrough  2  2  0  0 10-1   6
Tottenham      2  2  0  0  5-2   6
Wolverhampton  2  0  0  2  1-6   0
Swansea City   2  0  0  2  2-12  0

Ray

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