Premier U-18 League Inter group 2013-4
       Aon Training Complex, Carrington
       Saturday 12th April 2014, 11 am.

     MANCHESTER UNITED  v   SPURS
         (Red/White)     (White/Blue)
            4-4-2           4-3-3

             1(0)            0(0)

       Joel Pereira     1     Harry Voss
          Joe Riley     2     Channing Campbell-Young
         Ben Barber     3     Luke Amos
     Ryan McConnell     4     Anton Walkes(C)
   Nicholas Ioannou     5     Christian Maghoma
          Sean Goss     6     Cameron Carter-Vickers
   Demetri Mitchell     7     Kyle Walker-Peters
    Matthew Willock     8     Cy Goddard
    Ashley Fletcher     9     Shayon Harrison
    Ruairi Croskery    10     William Miller
    Jordan Thompson    11     Anthony Georgiou

  Cameron
  Borthwick-Jackson    12     Charlie Hayford
         (11)86Mins           (8)78Mins
     Dean Henderson    13     Liam Priestley
       Callum Evans    14     Lloyd Ross
         (10)63Mins           (3)46Mins
    Marcus Rashford    15     Daniel Akindayini
          (7)86Mins           (2)62Mins
      Tosin Kehinde    16

Scorer:-
      Fletcher 58 

Booked:- 
                              Goddard 66(Foul)
                              Maghoma 89(Foul)

Coaches:-
      P. McGuiness            J. McDermott 

Referee:– G. Kearney
Assistants- N. Storey & J. McAuley

On a chilly cloudy morning, Spurs travelled to the "Reds'" training centre for an Inter-Group game. The hosts were mid-table on a run of five matches without a win, while table-toppers Spurs left many of their regulars behind and included Charlie Hayford for his first Academy call-up. United provided a team-sheet for their team but only listed the Spurs squad. United bussed in three coach-loads of people to provide a crowd along with visiting youth teams.

Spurs lined up with Voss in goal behind Maghoma and Carter-Vickers with Campbell-Young at right back and Amos on the left. Walkes anchored the midfield with Miller and Goddard while Walker-Peters started on the right of the front three with Georgiou returning on the left in support of Harrison. The home side lined up with two strikers in a 4-4-2 formation which is an out-dated one for most academies.

Spurs kicked off the first half attacking the South end with Georgiou showing his skills from the start, but both defences were solid and it was ten minutes before the first chance, which fell to the visitors. Amos combined with Georgiou down the left and fired wide for a corner.

Georgiou was next with a low drive which Pereira could not hold. The goalkeeper then had to block Harrison's follow-up. Georgiou then played a one-two with Harrison in the left corner before whipping the ball across the goal just out of reach of Goddard at the far post. Miller played in Walker-Peters for a chance that was wide of the far post.

The United strikers combined to set up the "Reds'" first chance when Fletcher played in Croskery for a one on one against Voss which the keeper won at the expense of a corner. Walkes fired high and wide when Walker-Peters squared the ball to him from a corner.

Having dived to get a free kick earlier, Mitchell stayed on his feet to fire wide for a corner. McConnell played in Thompson for an effort that was wide. McConnell conceded a free kick when he took out Walkes from behind when the Spurs captain looked to have got away following a United corner. Campbell-Young got down the right and crossed for Harrison to turn wide. In added time, Voss saved from Mitchell for a corner. McConnell headed the corner wide of the near post.

Spurs made one change for the second half replacing Campbell-Young with Ross who went to the right wing with Walker-Peters moving to left back. Spurs continued to dominate the play with Georgiou playing in Harrison for an effort that Pereira saved conceding a corner. From the corner Miller found Ross who advanced and forced a save from the keeper.

Harrison received the ball in the area and saw his shot half-blocked. The ball spun up and was cleared off the line just as the ref blew up for an earlier infringement(I personally think the ref thought the ball was going in). The home side then scored against the run of play when Riley got down the right with Spurs committed forward and crossed for Fletcher, who was unmarked in the area, to finish.

Spurs replaced Campbell-Young with Akindayini which meant another change at the back. Walker-Peters moved to right back and Georgiou dropped to left back. Spurs now had both wingers playing at full back which was not a problem as they were so advanced that they were like wingers for most of the rest of the game.

United replaced one of their strikers with a midfielder but pushed Mitchell up. Akindayini fired over before Goddard lost the ball in the middle and fouled the player as he got away. The ref booked him for a tackle from behind. United tried to capitalise on their goal with McConnell drawing a save and Mitchell firing over.

Spurs soon regained control with Miller hitting a shot on the turn that Pereira got a hand to for a corner. From the corner Maghoma headed wide at the near post. Barber cleared Georgiou's effort off the line before Spurs made their last change. Young Hayford came on in midfield in place of Goddard.

Georgiou drew a save before a counter by United saw Thompson play in Mitchell for a shot that Walker-Peters cleared off the line. Pereira saved from Miller at the expense of a corner before the home side made a double change to protect their lead. With Spurs committing players forward, United looked to break and Fletcher drew a save from Voss.

Harrison squared up to Barber after he was taken out on the right side line. The ref spoke to both players and when Spurs took the free kick he blew up for it to be retaken. Maghoma said something to him and was promptly booked (I was told after the game that the booking was for an earlier foul but it did not look like it to me). The ref only added two minutes before calling time which seemed very short for all the breaks in play(Salford rules I expect).

Spurs were hard done by in a game that they dominated from beginning to end. It did not help that the ref was harder on Spurs than the home side but with the more experienced players absent it showed good strength in depth. It was good to see young Amos has had a growth spurt and now needs to add muscle to his bigger frame. Georgiou was good on his return to fitness causing United problems all game. Riley tried pushing him off the pitch before they doubled up on him without any great success. Better finishing and Spurs would have won with ease.

Next week the Academy are sending a squad to Düsseldorf for a U-19 tournament when they will play BV04 Düsseldorf, Vfl Wolfsburg, Bayer 04 Leverkusen and Dinamo Zagreb in Group B on Saturday and Sunday before the finals on Monday.

West Ham failed to close the gap on Spurs losing to Northern group leaders Manchester City and Fulham did not play so Spurs remain six points clear at the top. Spurs next Academy game is on the 26th when second placed Everton visit Hotspur Way. It is likely to be a cagey affair as if Spurs finish top of the group they will meet Everton again in the semi-final play-off next month.

Ray

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