Premier U-21 League 2014-15
             Hotspur Way, Bull Cross, Enfield
              Monday 2nd March 2015, 12 noon

                 SPURS     v      EVERTON
             (White/Blue)       (Blue/White)
                4-1-4-1            4-3-3

                  4(4)              0(0)

               Luke McGee  1 Russell Griffiths
             Alex McQueen  2 Gethin Jones
           Connor Ogilvie  3 Callum Connelly
            Aaron McEneff  4 Ryan Ledson
        Bongani Khumalo(C) 5 Jonjoe Kenny(C)
            Filip Lesniak  6 Brendan Galloway
           Ruben Lameiras  7 John Lundstram
              Harry Winks  8 Francisco Junior
      Shaquile Coulthirst  9 Keiran Dowell
               Grant Ward 10 Michael Donohue
           William Miller 11 David Henan

        Daniel Akindayini 12
                (6)77Mins
           Jonathan Miles 13
           Joseph Muscatt 14 Liam Walsh
         Christopher Paul 15 George Green
                             (9)59Mins
              Armani Daly 16 Curtis Langton
                             (3)46Mins
                          17 Callum Dyson
                             (4)46Mins
                          24 Conor Hunt

Scorers:-
        Coulthirst 5, 23
        Ogilvie 19
        Lameiras (pen) 32 
Booked:-
                             Langton 82(Foul*)

Coach:-
        U. Ehiogu            D. Unsworth

Referee:– W. Porter
Assistants:– M. Wardell & E. Clark

It was a cold and blustery morning for this Development game where both sides sat three points behind League leaders Manchester United. The winner would jump to second above Chelsea and Southampton, at least until Chelsea play Liverpool tonight. (Chelsea lost, so Spurs hold second place) Everton's last game was a 0-0 draw away at United while Spurs failed to score at St.Mary's in a 0-0 draw.

With the Youth Cup semi-final on Thursday evening, Spurs rested players who were eligible, such as Walker-Peters, Carter-Vickers, Onomah and Amos, so todays side looked a little patched up with U-18's from Saturday's game on the bench. McGee was in goal behind Khumalo and Lesniak with McQueen at right back and Ogilvie on the left. McEneff anchored the midfield with Winks and Ward ahead of him with Lameiras on the right and Miller on the left in support of Coulthirst up front.

Spurs defended the South end in the first half with the wind at their backs against an Everton side that tried to play the ball as well which led to an open game unlike past "Toffee" sides. Spurs started strongly and took an early lead. Coulthirst got down the right and whipped in a low cross that went across the six yard box with Miller stopping it from going out of play. He played it back into the middle where Ward played in Coulthirst for a low strike for the opening goal.

Ward took a free kick which was saved, before the visitors made a break and McGee saved from Dowell. McGee saved from Henan, whose shot took a deflection on the way.

Spurs increased their lead with a lovely flowing move that started with Coulthirst receiving the ball in the centre circle, playing it into the path of McQueen going down the line. His ball inside to Miller was played out to the left where Ogilvie had plenty of space to advance and fire low under the keeper.

It was soon three when a long ball up field was not controlled well by Galloway allowing Lameiras to rob him and play the ball left into the path of Coulthirst for a one on one with Griffiths. The Spurs striker made no mistake with his low finish.

The fourth goal was not long in coming as Spurs moved the ball around the area before it was played into the path of Lameiras, who got into the area, only to be stopped by Junior for a penalty. The midfielder took the kick himself, scoring inside the right post. Spurs eased up allowing Everton more of the ball with McGee having to make two saves from Henan in the space of a minute. Connelly headed over from a corner before Lesniak cleared a Henan effort off the line. Lundstram fired over when the ball was not cleared just before the half-time whistle.

Everton made two changes for the second half and a third not long into the half as Spurs sought to control the game instead of dropping off. Khumalo headed wide from a Lameiras short corner before the midfielder gave way to Akindayini who played on the left with Miller switching to the right.

There were few chances in the half with Winks firing wide from long range. Akindayini fired wide from a Winks free kick which dropped in front of him. After an Everton corner was cleared, Langton hit McEneff in the solar plexus which winded him for a couple of minutes. When he had recovered, the referee showed the Everton defender a yellow card when it should have been red. McGee almost presented Green with the ball twice before clearing to keep his goal intact. The last chance of the half fell to Green who hit his free kick well over.

Martinez has begun to influence the development of the young Everton side as they came to play football unlike last season when they were very defensive. Last season they scored a goal a game while this time they have a positive goal difference – it was better than Spurs.

The win moves Spurs up to second on the same points as Manchester United who are only one goal better than Spurs. Chelsea have a chance of going top if thay beat Liverpool this evening. (Chelsea lost, so Spurs hold second place) It sets up next week's visit to Old Trafford as a top of the table clash. The last time Spurs went to Old Trafford was for the first play-off final of the U-21 League when United overturned a two goal deficit to win 3-2. Hopefully Spurs will do better this time.

Ray

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