Courtesy of:- Ray Lo, and the Spurs List.
Premier Academy League South
Spurs Lodge, Chigwell, Essex
Saturday 23rd August 2008, 11am
Spurs U-18s 3 (1) Man City U-18s 3 (0)
Spurs scorers:-
Mason, 2 (pen)
Rose, 49, 69
City scorers:-
Not known
Referee:- Mr. I. Fissenden
Teams:-
Spurs(4-4-2):-Jansson; Smith, Caulker(Capt.), Butcher, Mtandari; M'Puku (sub Townsend, 70), Kasim, Mason, Obika; Rose, Fraser-Allen (sub Bostock, 81)
Subs not used:- Dalton; Ekim, Byrne
Booked:- Butcher, Rose, M'Puku, Fraser-Allen
No details known of City side
It was a sunny morning with the wind blowing clouds over the pitch which dropped the warm temperature in places to a chill. There was a small crowd gathered for the opening match of the new Academy season. Spurs were entertaining Manchester City from the Northern league who won the Youth cup and were runners up in the final League standings losing to our group winners Villa. Unfortunately They declined to allow their team sheet to be printed so I have had to leave them out and apart from one player will have to refer to them by their shirt number.
Spurs lined up with Caulker and Butcher at the back with Smith at right back and Mtandari on the left. Kasim and Mason were in centre midfield with M単uku on the right and Obika on the left. Rose played in support of Fraser-Allen up front.
Spurs kicked off attacking the South end and were awarded a penalty for hand-ball in the second minute. Mason put the ball high to the keeper's left to put the home side in front. Spurs settled the quicker and the pace up front caused the visitors problems but most of the game was played out in the middle third.
City had a good pair of strikers who had to make most of their own chances early on before the midfield got into the game. After Rose fired over the City No.9 forced a save from Jansson. M単uku headed over at a corner and Mason was just wide from a 25 yard free kick. Rose then had a shot saved before Mak went wide for the visitors. They nearly equalised when the centre back connected with a corner at the far post only to see his effort cross the goal mouth and hit the far post before being cleared.
Butcher went into the ref's book for what looked like a 50:50 challenge. Rose soon followed when he kept on complaining to the ref after he was fouled and the official let it go. Someone needs to remind him of the "respect the ref" initiative. City are a physical side but Rose in particular should be used to this.
City made one change for the second half and started with an effort that was blocked. The follow up was put wide. Smith won the ball deep in his own half and made a strong run into the visitors' half before passing to Rose on the edge of the area to his left. Rose lost the defender by moving the ball to his left and drove it low passed the keeper's right hand.
The City keeper had to save from Fraser-Allen as the home side sought to keep the pressure on. The visitors pulled a goal back from a corner when the centre back again found space at the far post and had a simple header.
M単uku was booked tackling back and Obika fired wide. Fraser-Allen got booked for kicking the ball away to delay a free kick. The visitors equalised when the No.12 got behind Caulker and pulled the ball back for Mak to head home despite Jansson getting a hand to it.
M単uku cut inside and curled the ball just wide of the far post before Rose was played through the middle. He switched the ball to his left and drove it low across the keeper to put Spurs back in front.
City had another two chances either side of the introduction of Townsend for M単uku. Another run by Smith ended with his shot being saved by the keeper. Fraser-Allen made way for Bostock who played on the left with Obika moving up front. With five minutes left the City No.6 struck the crossbar from a free kick. After City put another effort over Rose got into the box but saw his attempt saved.
With time running out, City got down the right and when the ball was driven in Jansson failed to hold it and it went through his hands it was left for the No.12 to tap it in. City almost stole it when Mak put his chance wide in stoppage time.
You have to say that it was points lost as Spurs were just the better side but City kept going and got stronger as the game went on. Spurs showed the better midfield play with good one touch passing just lacking that cutting edge up front. Most of the visitors' chances had to be created by the front two. Inglethorpe will not be happy that the centre back was allowed to find space at the far post twice at corners. Next week Spurs go to Nottingham Forest before entertaining Ipswich the following Saturday.
Ray
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