Premier U-18 League 2014-15
           Staplewood, Marchwood, Hants
         Saturday 23rd August 2014, 12 noon

          SOUTHAMPTON   v    SPURS
          (Red/White)     (All Black)
             4-3-3           4-3-3

              1(1)            1(1)

          Harry Isted   1  Thomas Glover
       Richard Bakary   2  Lloyd Ross
         Kyle Clinton   3  Kyle Walker-Peters
      Armani Little(C)  4  Luke Amos
           Ollie Cook   5  Christian Maghoma
      Ukasyah Wallace   6  Zenon Stylianidies
           Dan Demkiv   7  Armani Daly
    Christopher Regis   8  Joseph Pritchard(C)
        Marcus Barnes   9  Ryan Loft
      Callum Slattery  10  Shayon Harrison
       Harley Willard  11  Anthony Georgiou

          Alfie Jones  12  Christopher Paul
                           (7)81Mins
          Neal Osborn  13  Harry Voss
            (1)46Mins
           Colm Deasy  14  Joseph Muscatt
            (2)74Mins      (2)72Mins
           Joseph Lea  15  Charlie Hayford
                           (8)84Mins
        Carel Kayembe  16  Charlie Owens
            (9)57Mins

Scorers:- 
          Slattery 26      Georgiou 32 

Booked:-  
                           Harrison 71(Foul)

Coaches:- 
          A. Limbrick      K. McKenna 

Referee:– C. Smith
Assistants:- A. Hillier & S. Williams

It seems that it was a Bank Holiday weekend as there was so much traffic on the road that I missed most of the match. I arrived after the second half had started with the score already 1-1. I have used the official site for the first half that I missed.

Spurs lined up with Glover in goal behind Maghoma and Stylianidies again alongside him. Ross was at right back and Walker-Peters at left back. Amos anchored the midfield with Pritchard and Harrison behind Loft leading the line. Daly started on the right and Georgiou on the left.

The home side started strongly pushing Spurs back but could not find a way through due to good defending. Willard picked up a poor clearance from Glover who redeemed himself with a point blank save. Southampton took the lead when Willard crossed from the right for Slattery to sweep home.

Spurs responded well with the two wingers combining well to open up the Saints' defence to create a chance for Loft. The Southampton defence cleared but when Daly found Georgiou with a cross field ball the wide man finished with a low drive across the keeper into the far corner for the equaliser. Harrison drove wide of the far post with two Spurs players failing to reach it.

Southampton replaced their keeper for the second half as both sides went in search of a winner. Glover saved a header from Barnes who injured himself and had to be replaced. Georgiou broke down the left and his low effort came back off the far post for Loft to tee up Harrison to fire over.

Daly got down the right but drove wide of the far post as the game moved from end to end. Glover saved from Slattery, who put in a cross a minute later for Kayembe to fire wide. Harrison picked up a yellow for persistent fouling.

Muscatt replaced Ross at right back as Spurs began to pressurise the home defence. Slattery took advantage of a mistake by Amos but shot over. Spurs replaced Daly with Paul who went to right back with Muscatt switching to left back to allow Walker-Peters to move forward while Georgiou moved to the right wing.

Walker-Peters got down the left and cut inside to shoot wide. Spurs' last change was Pritchard being replaced by Hayford in midfield who was presented with a chance set up by Georgiou. Stylianidies, who was up for a corner, drew a save from Osborn winning another corner. Hayford hit a ball to the far post where Loft met it hitting the ball into the ground with Osborn turning the ball over for a corner.

Amos fired over from the edge of the area as Spurs tried to get the winner. Paul won a free kick just outside the area in added time which was taken by Harrison. The striker was denied by Osborn, who tipped the ball over the bar to keep the scores level.

From what I saw of the game both sides were fairly even early in the second half but Spurs finished the stronger and could have won. Good wing play from Georgiou and Daly seemed to be Spurs strongest weapon while Loft made his presence felt up front.

Spurs' next game will be away to West Ham next Saturday. The Hammers were held 0-0 today by Leicester City and have the same points as Spurs. Last season Spurs won 1-0 to dent their championship hopes and of course we will be looking to emulate the U-21 and first team who have already recorded wins over the East London side

Ray

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