Premier U-18 League 2013-14
             Hotspur Way, Enfield
      Saturday 13th September 2014, 12 noon

           SPURS      v   WEST BROM
       (White/Blue)       (All Red)

           4-3-3            4-3-3

            2(2)             2(0) 

       Thomas Glover  1  Alex Palmer
           Luke Amos  2  Joshua Ezewele
      Joseph Muscatt  3  Jack Hallahan
        Anton Walkes  4  Philip Gannon(C)
   Christian Maghoma  5  Robbie McCourt
Cameron Carter-Vickers6  Daniel Barbir
          Lloyd Ross  7  Chay Scrivens
  Joseph Pritchard(C) 8  Brad Sweeney
           Ryan Loft  9  Andre Wright
          Cy Goddard 10  James Smith
    Anthony Georgiou 11  Tahvon Campbell

    Christopher Paul 12  Ben Miller
           (8)69Mins     (4)81Mins
          Harry Voss 13  Evan Moran
     Charlie Hayford 14  Tyler Roberts 
          (10)81Mins
     Shayon Harrison 15  James Gregory
           (9)45Mins
                     16  Calum Pritchatt

Scorers:-
        Ross 21          Campbell 50
        Goddard 22       Wright 54 

Booked:- 
                         McCourt 26(Holding)
                         Ezewele 90+5(Time wasting)

Coach:- 
        K. McKenna       A. Danks

Referee:– A. Donaldson
Assistants:– J. Ogunba & A. Mannion

Spurs entertained high flying West Bromwich Albion at Hotspur Way as they returned to league action. The "Baggies" have won their last two games including a 6-0 thrashing of local rivals Aston Villa while Spurs won the Premier League Champions Cup. Spurs were without player of the tournament winner Kyle Walker-Peters who was rewarded with a start in yesterdays U-21 game at White Hart Lane and a call up by England. It was a sunny morning with a breeze from the west end that affected high balls.

Spurs lined up with Glover in goal behind Maghoma and Carter-Vickers with Amos at right back and Muscatt on the left. Walkes anchored the midfield with Goddard and Pritchard in support of Loft flanked by Ross and Georgiou.

Spurs kicked off the first half attacking the East end. The game soon developed into an end to end attacking affair. West Brom were happy to sit and counter-attack at pace which caused Spurs defence problems.

Ross fired over early before Wright drove wide. Spurs went in front from a right wing corner when Loft challenged Palmer for the ball which dropped at the far post where Ross was lurking to score. They were two up a minute later when Palmer saved Georgiou's effort but could not hold it and it fell for Goddard to poke home.

The "Baggies" responded by pushing forward and Wright fired wide but McCourt had to pull back Georgiou to stop him having a clear run at Palmer. McCourt received a yellow card from the referee. Pritchard took the free kick which Loft just failed to convert at the far post. Sweeney and Wright both fired wide before Campbell dribbled through the Spurs defence on the left cutting inside to draw a save from Glover.

Campbell drove wide before Barbir headed a free kick over the bar. Wright was even closer when his header hit the top of the crossbar. Loft pulled up and had to go off and Spurs had to play for two minutes before Harrison took his place. Gannon put a free kick over the bar in the last minute of the half.

There were no changes for the second half which saw the visitors continue to push back Spurs. Campbell got free on the right and drove forward to beat Glover with a rising shot into the far side. Four minutes later West Brom were level when Spurs failed to clear a corner and Wright smashed the ball home.

Spurs were rocking and took a while to recover. Harrison hit his free kick over before Glover saved a pile-driver from Hallahan, pushing it over the bar, and then saving Barbir's header from the corner. Scrivens' weak effort was easier for the Spurs keeper moments later.

Spurs had a goal disallowed when Carter-Vickers headed home a free kick by Pritchard only to be ruled offside. Palmer saved from Goddard before Spurs made their second change. Pritchard was replaced by Paul who went to right back allowing Amos to move into midfield.

Goddard hit a free kick wide before he was replaced by Hayford. His first duty was to take a left side corner kick which was put into the six yard box with no Spurs player making contact. Harrison saw his effort deflected wide before he headed a good cross from Georgiou over the bar. Georgiou had a weak effort saved in added time as Spurs went for the win. Ezewele was booked right at the death preventing Spurs from taking a quick throw-in.

Having lost a two goal lead Spurs rode their luck in the second half following an evenly contested first period. Spurs had started well but the visitors closed down quickly and stopped the runs of Georgiou and threatened with the pace of Campbell and Wright. In the end I think Spurs will be happiest with the point.

The draw puts West Brom into second place in the table with Spurs fourth. Next week Spurs travel to Leicester which is usually a tough place before entertaining Chelsea the following week.

Ray

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