Premier U-18 League 2013-4, Southern Group 
          Hotspur Way, Bulls Cross, Enfield
         Saturday 1st February 2014, 12 noon

             SPURS     v  NORWICH CITY
          (White/Blue)   (Yellow/Green)

             4-3-3           4-5-1

              3(0)            1(1) 

           Harry Voss  1  Ben Killip
   Kane Vincent-Young  2  Michee Efete
        Joseph Muscat  3  Ben Wyatt
            Luke Amos  4  Ray Grant
         Anton Walkes  5  Ben Burgess
     Cameron
     Carter-Vickers(C) 6  Reiss Awuah
           Lloyd Ross  7  Harrison Heath
     Joseph Pritchard  8  Henry Randall
    Daniel Akindayini  9  Oliver Cole
           Cy Goddard 10  Lewis Byrne-Hewitt
     Anthony Georgiou 11  Rhys Browne

        Filip Lesniak 12  Christian Scales
           (10)65Mins
           Luke McGee 13  Aston Oxborough
      Emmanuel Sonupe 14  Robbie Sweeney
            (7)54Mins
        Kash  Wallace 15  Jake Simpson
            (3)73Mins     (9)58Mins
                      16  Kofi Boateng

Scorers:-  
       Goddard 53         Byrne-Hewitt 45+1
       Sonupe 59
       Georgiou 73 

Booked:-  
       Goddard 44(Late)   Wyatt 51(Late)
       Wallace 86(Late)   Randall 74(Abuse)

Coach:-
       J. McDermott       N. Adams

Referee:– D. Gainsford

It was a sunny morning but with a biting wind from the south that made it a problem for the keepers. Because of the Youth Cup game on Thursday McDermott made plenty of changes bringing in some inexperienced players but keeping first team regulars on the bench. Spurs beat City 4-2 away in October very easily.

Spurs lined up with Voss in goal behind Carter-Vickers and Walkes with Vincent-Young at right back and Muscat on the left. Pritchard anchored the midfield with Amos and Goddard alongside him with Akindayini leading the attack. On his right was Ross and Georgiou was on his left.

Spurs defended the North end in the first half kicking into the wind and took a while to settle. Both sides sought to play passing football on the deck which meant most of the play was in the middle of the pitch with few goal chances.

Killip saved from Georgiou early on and Carter-Vickers got forward to fire wide before Browne fired over following a corner. It was nearly twenty minutes before the next chance which fell to Ross but Killip saved it. Goddard was booked for a late tackle after losing the ball. It was a totting up card as he was penalised for twice committing a professional foul to prevent the visitors breaking through on goal. Pritchard played in Georgiou for an effort that he put wide. Byrne-Hewitt was played through and beat Voss with a low finish to put the visitors in front before half-time.

There were no changes for the start of the second half as the young Spurs players were beginning to gel and had the wind behind them to help keep the play in the Norwich half.

Georgiou was just wide with a free kick from the right in the first minute of the half. When Georgiou won a free kick in the left corner the referee booked Wyatt for what looked like arguing.

Muscat had begun to get forward and he set up the equaliser when he took the ball to the edge of the area and played in Goddard with a little forward pass that led to the little midfielder beating the keeper to the ball.

Sonupe replaced Ross as Spurs went for the win and he was only on for five minutes when he scored with a drive that the keeper could not hold. The ball spun into the net. Lesniak replaced Goddard to anchor the midfield as the "Canaries" tried to get back into the game.

Efete had a free header at the far post which he put wide. He then set up Randall for a chance which he put wide. Simpson was the next City player to have a go. His effort was also wide.

Spurs settled the game with a third goal created by Sonupe on the right who sent the ball across the area where Georgiou (on the penalty spot) had space to finish. Spurs sent on Wallace for Muscat with Amos dropping to left back. Randall went into the ref's book when he swore at him after conceding a free kick. Sonupe cut in from the right but fired into the side netting. Wallace had showed some nice touches but was booked for a late tackle from behind. The last chance of the game fell to Randall who fired wide.

It was a good game of football with both sides looking to play the ball. Spurs were able to rest players for the mid-week game at Reading and still had a team that was too good for City. The inexperience of the Spurs players showed as they should have done better and it was only as the game progressed that they began to find their feet.

Spurs have two tough games next week with a visit to Reading on Wednesday,where you get few decisions going your way and then a trip to table-toppers Fulham. Fulham won today to increase their lead at the top while Spurs move to a point behind second placed West Ham with two games in hand. A win at Reading would put Spurs three points behind Fulham when they meet.

Ray

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