Premier U-18 League
         Southern Group 2013-4
      Little Heath, Romford, Essex
     Saturday 21st March 2014, 11am.

       WEST HAM     v     SPURS
    (Claret/Blue)      (White/Blue)
        4-3-3             4-3-3

         0(0)              1(0)

Scorer:- Walkes 80

West Ham:– Unknown due to no team sheet.

Coach:– S. Potts

Spurs:– McGee; Walker-Peters, Georgiou, Walkes, Maghoma(Vincent-Young 68), Carter-Vickers, Ross (Campbell-Young 68), Pritchard, Akindayini, Harrison, Goddard (Stylianides 80)

Unused Sub:– Priestley

Coach:– J. McDermott

Referee:– R. Carter

It was a cold morning with a wind blowing towards the east end goal. Spurs arrived at the group leaders' needing a win to close the gap. Spurs lost the home match 3-2 back in October and lost on penalties in the semi-final at Eurofoot in August. Both sides fielded players from those matches but I could not put names to their players. The players that went to Portugal were left out.

Spurs lined up with McGee in goal replacing the injured Voss behind Carter-Vickers and Maghoma with Walker-Peters at right back and the winger, Georgiou, on the left. Walkes anchored the midfield trio with Pritchard and Ross while Akindayini led the line up front with Harrison and Goddard. U-16 player Zenon Stylianides made his first appearance on the bench.

Spurs defended the east end in the first half with McGee having to face the wind which caused him a few problems. Both sides started with caution defending deeply so as not to concede chances. Spurs had the first chance when Harrison had an effort saved by Howes after five minutes. The next chance arrived after half an hour when Pritchard played in Akindayini but a defender made the block. Walker-Peters played in Harrison for a shot that flew over the bar before the home side got down the right and whipped in a cross that Parfitt-Williams failed to reach at the far post. A repeat move saw Parfitt-Williams fire wide before Bailey drove over just before the break.

Both sides opened up in the second half with Carter-Vickers heading a corner off the outside of the far post. The "Hammers" made an early change replacing Bailey with Martins up front. Goddard played a short corner with Pritchard before his low drive was saved at the near post.

Spurs passing game through the centre began to make chances with Akindayini drawing a save and Harrison having his effort saved. Ross played in Akindayini for a chance that was saved before Spurs made a double change. Maghoma went off having done well in his return from a long injury lay-off to be replaced by Vincent-Young. Ross was replaced by Campbell-Young who went to right back with Walker-Peters moving to left back and Georgiou moving to wide left. This allowed Goddard to move inside behind the front three where his vision for the pass was better used.

West Ham made their second change soon after, with Borg coming on, on the left. He had an early chance with a header that he put wide at the far post. Martins drew a save from McGee having been played in by Makasi.

When a Spurs corner was not cleared the ball came to Carter-Vickers about 30 yards out with his back to goal. The defender hit the ball on the turn forcing a good save from Howes who could not hold it. Harrison sent Pritchard through for an effort that was saved. Bywaters curled in a free kick that Martins turned over the bar.

Campbell-Young fired over before Spurs scored. Harrison had played in Walkes on the right and the midfielder was able to come inside and have a shot that deflected off the back of a defender and into the net at the near post.

Spurs replaced Goddard with the young Stylianides to defend their lead as the home side responded by pushing players forward. McGee saved twice from Martins; the first a low drive, and then a close range flicked header. In the 90th minute West Ham had a free kick on the left conceded by Walkes. Bywater played it into the near post where it was flicked goalwards by one of the centre backs but McGee was there to save. West Ham had the last chance that was put wide.

This was a good result by Spurs who had to rely on some of the squad players in the absence of Winks, Ogilvie and the others that went to Lisbon. Maghoma, who was back from injury, did well as did the young Stylianides when he came on. This, like the previous two meetings, was a close game and ends the "Hammers"' run of seven wins that had propelled them to the top of the group. Spurs join Fulham, who did not play today, on 49 points just three behind West Ham with games in hand. Fulham play Chelsea on Tuesday with the chance of going top. Next Saturday Spurs travel to Liverpool, the day before the first teams clash.

Ray

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