Courtesy of:- Ray Lo, and the Spurs List.
Premier Academy U-18 League 2012-3, Group 2
Hotspur Way, Bulls Cross, Enfield
Saturday 24th November 2012, 12am
SPURS v ASTON VILLA
(All White) (Claret/Blue)
4-4-2 4-4-2
1(0) 2(1)
Luke McGee 1 Craig Hill
Roman Michael-Percil 2 Daniel Williams
Connor Ogilvie(C) 3 Lewis Kinsella
Laste Dombaxe 4 Malcolm Melvin(C)
Dominic Ball 5 Liam Bateman
Alex McQueen 6 Josh Webb
Ruben Lameiras 7 Jordan Graham
Joshua Onomah 8 Daniel Crowley
Souleymane Coulibaly 9 Umit Eminoglu
Shaquile Coulthirst 10 Charlie Ward
Kenneth McEvoy 11 Jack Grealish
Grant Ward 12 Alfie Crooks
(2)85Mins.
Liam Priestley 13 Calum Barrett
William Miller 14 Michael Nelson
(7)71Mins.
Harry Winks 15 Jordan Lyden
(8)83Mins.
Scorers:-
Coulibaly 85 Eminoglu 9
McQueen o.g. 71
Coach:-
K. McKenna T. McAndrews
Referee:- M. Chisholm
It was a cold rainy morning for this the penultimate group game. The rain makes it difficult to make notes which I use to help me recall what happens during the game so hopefully I will not make to many mistakes. There were so many people there that I found myself parking in the main car park. Villa asked Spurs to play an U-17 game alongside the U-16 and U-18 Academy matches which increased the number of cars. It also spread the players.
Spurs lined up with McGee in goal behind Ball and McQueen with Michael-Percil at right back and Ogilvie on the left. Dombaxe and Onomah started in the centre of midfield with Lameiras on the right and McEvoy on the left flank in support of Coulthirst and Coulibaly up front.
Spurs kicked off attacking the West end in the first half and had some early pressure with Coulibaly setting up Lameiras for a low drive from outside the area that was wide. Coulibaly also laid the ball off for Onomah for an effort that aso flew wide. Spurs then lost the ball at the back to Crowley who switched it out to Graham on the right. His cross was met by Eminoglu at the far post with a diving header to put the visitors in front.
McEvoy was released down the left and he fired into the side netting. A chip over the defence allowed Coulthirst to get behind but his effort was saved by Hill for a corner. The Villa defence began to push up and keep a high line to squeeze the play while the midfield closed down the Spurs midfield giving few options for the defenders.
McGee made a save when Eminoglu got on the end of a free kick. Dombaxe played in Coulibaly for an effort that went wide before Hill saved from Lameiras. Crowley got down the right and cut the ball back for Graham to fire wide. Dombaxe fired wide from Lameiras's corner and the Portuguese drove wide as well. Coulthirst crossed from the right for Coulibaly to head over. The referee did not add any time at the end of the half.
Villa came out late for the second half which saw no changes to either team. Coulibaly fired over from an early free kick and Ogilvie headed over from one taken by Lameiras. Onomah drove wide from a cross by McEvoy before Ward fired over. McEvoy provided a chance that Coulibaly could not control, but the striker did get in a shot straight after that which went over.
McGee saved from Eminoglu before he was beaten for a second time. McQueen intercepted a cross only to divert it past his own keeper. Spurs made their first change replacing Lameiras with Miller as they looked to get back into the game. They made their second change sending on Winks for Onomah. Winks' first touch was to receive a free kick and cross it to the far post where Coulibaly headed in to cut the deficit.
Spurs now pushed for a second making their last change with Ward replacing Michael-Percil on the right. Villa held out for the victory which sees Spurs remain fourth in the group.
This was not a great performance from Spurs who started well especially down the flanks until the Villa defence pushed up compressing the play into the middle third. As Spurs play out from the back this cut down the options available increasing the chances of a turnover. From the first turnover they scored and more chances followed. Better finishing would have seen Spurs take the points.
Spurs' last group match is in two weeks when they play Sunderland at Hotspur Way. If they win they will finish in third place with a slim chance of taking the last place in the Elite group for the next stage.
Ray
