Premier U-18 League 2013-14,
                 Southern Group 
         Hotspur Way, Bulls Cross, Enfield
          Wednesday 5th February 2012, 1pm

              SPURS     v     READING
            (All Blue)      (Red/Black)
              4-3-3            4-5-1

               2(2)             0(0) 

            Harry Voss  1  Lewis Ward
      Joseph Pritchard  2  Jake Sheppard
    Kane Vincent-Young  3  Nana Owusu
         Filip Lesniak  4  Conor Shaughnessy
          Anton Walkes  5  Robert Dickie(C)
        Connor Ogilvie  6  Zac Jules
       Emmanuel Sonupe  7  Germaine Ofori
         Joshua Onomah  8  Noor Husin
       Shayon Harrison  9  Harry Cardwell
     William Miller(C) 10  Bogdan Vastsuk
          Nathan Oduwa 11  Hammad Lawal

Channing Campbell-Young12  Marc Ethelston
             (3)22Mins
            Luke McGee 13
            Cy Goddard 14  Lewis Collini
             (8)69Mins     (8)67Mins 
      Anthony Georgiou 15  George McLennan
            (11)66Mins     (9)60Mins.
                       16  Danny Williams
                       17  Tomas Urbancic

Scorers:-   
       Oduwa 11
       Harrison 36 

Booked:-  
       Goddard 76(Foul)    Sheppard 75(Foul) 

Coach:-  
       J. McDermott        D. Dodds

Referee:– C. Boyles

On a rainy afternoon with freezing winds blowing down the pitch Spurs entertained Reading at Hotspur Way in a re-arranged fixture. It was originally an away game but was changed because their pitch was waterlogged.

Spurs lined up with Voss in goal behind Walkes and Ogilvie with Vincent-Young at right back and Pritchard filling in on the left. Lesniak anchored the midfield with Onomah and Miller. Harrison led the line with Sonupe on his right and Oduwa on his left. The Reading keeper Ward had to wear the Spurs orange kit as his own light blue clashed with Spurs “Aqua” strip. Two Spurs players started the game with the wrong shirts on, Pritchard had 12 and Onomah 18, which were changed at the first substitution as Campbell-Young needed the 12.

Spurs kicked off attacking the North end with the wind behind them. Ogilvie had an early effort from long range saved. Good work on the right between Pritchard and Sonupe sent Onomah away to cross to Oduwa on the left side of the area. His low shot ended in the far corner for the opening goal.

Cardwell won the ball from Walkes and fired in a shot that hit the far post. In an effort to reach the ball Vincent-Young was injured and had to be substituted after a long break in play. He was replaced by Campbell-Young who went to right back with Pritchard moving to the left.

Dickie headed a free kick wide before Spurs had the ball in the net again. Ogilvie tried from distance again and when Ward could not hold it Harrison put it in but was flagged for off side. The striker was released by a through ball from Miller to score, lifting the ball over the keeper for 2-0.

Ogilvie had another attempt that was over before Harrison played in Oduwa for a chance that he put wide. Oduwa made a run down the left and pulled the ball back for Miller to fire wide.

There were no changes for the start of the second half with Spurs facing into the wind. Shaughnessy fired wide as an early warning and Voss saved from Owusu before Reading replaced their striker.

Onomah twice fired wide before Oduwa missed a great chance set-up for him by Harrison. Ofori drove over before both sides made changes. Georgiou came on for Oduwa on the left and put pressure on the full back which saw him booked for a tackle from behind as the winger got past him, and this followed a late challenge a minute earlier. Goddard replaced Onomah in the middle.

Ward saved from Georgiou before Goddard went into the ref's book for obstruction when he blocked Ofori's run. Shaughnessy hit the free kick wide of the left post. Spurs began to hold onto the ball to see out the game which in the conditions was not easy. Sonupe got to the line and whipped in a cross that just evaded two Spurs players in the six yard box. From a Reading corner Spurs broke through. Sonupe sent Georgiou away but he slowed to allow Harrison to get forward and the chance was gone. Sonupe got down the right and crossed for Georgiou to draw a save from Ward on ninety minutes.

This was a good win for Spurs in difficult conditions. Reading defended strongly for most of the time until they had to chase the game late on which gave Spurs chances towards the end.

The win moves Spurs up to second in the table three points behind leaders Fulham with a game in hand. The two sides meet for the third time this season on Saturday at Motspur Park where a win would put Spurs on top as the goal difference now is just one goal in Fulhams favour. Fulham drew 2-2 at Hotspur Way and knocked Spurs out of the Youth Cup 3-2 last week so it should be a good game.

Ray

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