Premier Academy League
       Spurs Lodge, Chigwell, Essex
     Saturday 20th February 2010, 12am

        SPURS      v     BRISTOL CITY
    (White/Blue)         (Red/White)
        4-4-2               4-4-2

         4(2)                0(0)

    Jordan Archer  1  Tom Bradley
  Anton Blackwood  2  Tom Andrews
          Sam Cox  3  Henry Muggeridge
   Jake Nicholson  4  Dan Ball
Olumude Durojaiye  5  Douglas Layham
    Calum Butcher  6  Daryn Hennessey
     Nathan Byrne  7  Joe Lennox
      Tom Carroll  8  Ryan Brunt
    Kudus Oyenuga  9  Harry Rubbins
    Harry Kane(C) 10  Nathan Livings
Paul-Jose M’Poku  11  Pat Sayce

    Jamie Butler  12  Bobby Reid
                      (9)69Mins.
    Zaine
   Francis-Angol  13 
      (4)67Mins.
    Paul McBride  14  Lee Stripp
      (9)67Mins.
  Callum Tapping  15  Zac Andrews
                      (7)52Mins.
  Alex Pritchard  16 
      (8)79Mins.

Coaches:-
   A.Inglethorpe      J. Clayton

Scorers:-
  Carroll 18, 39
  Oyenuga 47 
  Blackwood 76 pen

Booked:-
                      Brunt 32(Late) 

Referee:- A. Gillett

Spurs lined up with Butcher and Durojaiye in front of Archer in goal with Blackwood on the right and Cox at left back. Nicholson and Carroll started in the center of midfield with Byrne on the right and M'Poku on the left. Kane returned to support Oyenuga up front.

Spurs kicked off the first half attacking the South End and soon had the visitors on the back foot. M'Poku got away on the left and his effort beat the keeper but was cleared off the line. Two minutes later, Byrne played in Carroll in the right channel who saw his low drive saved for a corner. M'Poku found Kane at the far post from the corner who headed back into the centre for Oyenuga to volley goalwards, but the ball was blocked on the goal line.

Muggeridge got down the left to fire wide before a good diagonal ball from Nicholson found M'Poku in space on the left. Cox up in support played a one two before playing the ball into the feet of Oyenuga running in to the near post. Unfortunately Kudus did not have time to set his sights and the ball went wide. Oyenuga got his foot to the ball in a crowded area in the next attack but could not get it on target.

Kane took a free kick on the left but fired it wide of the far post and when Byrne played him in on the right he was wide again.The goal finally came from a low centre from the right when Oyenuga's volley on the turn was blocked by Bradley and Carroll was in the right place to fire in the rebound.

Bristol responded well and the game opened up and Archer saved a header by Rubbins from Hennessey's free kick. Sayce then drove over before M'Poku worked a shooting opportunity on the left that the keeper saved at his near post for a corner. Cox saw his effort go wide of the far post before Oyenuga got the ball in the net but was ruled offside. The Robins came close when Durojaiye cleared off the line following a corner.

Brunt was booked for a late challenge on Cox and from the free kick taken by M'Poku Bradley turned it away for a corner. Durojaiye headed over from the corner. Archer had an easy save from Lennox before Carroll played Oyenuga in on the right but the keeper saved his effort for a corner. Muggeridge saw his free kick saved before Spurs increased their lead. When the ball was played square from the left Carroll hit a dipping volley that hit the underside of the bar and according to the linesman crossed the line before coming out and being put behind. There was a slight delay before the referee gave the goal and pointed to the centre circle. Carroll fired over and Layham headed over following a short corner as the half ended.

There were no changes for the start of the second half and Oyenuga made the game safe after only two minutes. Butcher lofted a forward pass that Ball failed to deal with and Oyenuga got away to fire past the keeper's right hand into the far corner of the net. Oyenuga then hit the post with another attempt two minutes later. Brunt had his effort saved as the visitors continued to look for a goal. Nicholson drove wide from a corner before Archer saved from Sayce. Oyenuga combined with Blackwood on the right before crossing for Kane to hit the ball over the bar. Hennessey fired over before first Layham and then Lennox had efforts saved.

Inglethorpe made two changes with Francis-Angol coming on for Nicholson and McBride in place of Oyenuga. Carroll saw his effort saved and Byrne fired into the side netting from a Kane pass. When Kane chased the ball across the area he was caught from behind by Ball to win a penalty. Carroll stepped up to take it, as he did at Cardiff for his hat-trick, but the keeper saved diving to his right. The linesman flagged to indicate the keeper had moved so the kick was retaken. This time Blackwood stepped up and scored low to the keeper's right with Bradley almost there.

Hennessey had his effort saved and Layham headed against the bar from a free kick with Sayce heading the rebound over. Pritchard came on for Carroll and shot over within a minute of coming on. Archer saved from Sayce before McBride fired wide from an M'Poku cross for the last goal action.

It was a good result with a good all round performance by Spurs against a physical but open-playing Bristol City. After the game last week it was good to see a team come and play instead of sitting behind the ball. City tried to use the long throw into the area without any great effect. It did not help that Rubbins took the throws and he was the tallest player on the pitch. Durojaiye again played well alongside Butcher and Archer did well despite not being as tall as some of the players he was jumping against. The midfield with Kane played good passing football, showing good close control and vision.

Leicester dropped points last week so the gap closed, but Spurs have to keep winning and hope they continue to drop points. Next week the Academy go to Watford who drew both their games against Leicester so keeping us in the chase for the Group title, which gives entry to the end of season play-offs.

Ray

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