Premier U-21 League 2014-15
                 Lamex Stadium, Stevenage
               Monday 1st December 2014, 7pm

                SPURS      v  MANCHESTER CITY
             (White/Blue)    (All Light Blue)
                4-3-3             4-3-3

                 2(2)              1(0)

               Luke McGee  1  Angus Gunn
              Kyle Walker  2  Ashley Smith-Brown
           Connor Ogilvie  3  Pablo Maffeo
            Filip Lesniak  4  George Evans
             Dominic Ball  5  Angel Tasende
        Bongani Khumalo(C) 6  George Glendon(C)
              Harry Winks  7  Thierry Ambrose
            Joshua Onomah  8  Oliver Ntcham
     Shaquille Coulthirst  9  Jordy Hiwula
           William Miller 10  Sinan Bytygi
             Nathan Oduwa 11  Brandon Barker

   Cameron Carter-Vickers 12  Charlie Oliver
                (4)80Mins
               Harry Voss 13  Billy O'Brien
       Kyle Walker-Peters 14  James Horsfield
                (2)66Mins     (2)85Mins
          Emmanuel Sonupe 15  Jack Byrne
               (10)61Mins     (8)88Mins
        Daniel Akindayini 16  Bersant Celina
                              (9)46Mins

Scorers:-
        Coulthirst 27, 37     Celina 69 

Booked:-
                              Smith-Brown 83(Foul)

Coach:- 
        U. Ehiogu             P. Vieira

Attendance:- 680

Referee:– S. Plane
Assistants:– P. Staynings & S. Oakley
Fourth Official:– L. Grimsey

It was a chilly evening for Spurs to entertain joint leaders Manchester City at Stevenage. It had been a month since our last game which was away to Liverpool when we lost 2-1. City won their last game 3-1 at home to Everton.

Spurs lined up with McGee behind Khumalo and Ball at the back with Walker making a welcome return from injury at right back and Ogilvie on the left. Lesniak anchored the midfield with Winks and Onomah while Coulthirst (on loan at Southend) led the line, with Oduwa on his right and Miller on his left. Khumalo, the former South Africa captain, made his first appearance for us for a long time having been on loan for the last two seasons.

Spurs defended the North end in the first half which started with both sides trying to gain control in midfield producing few chances at either end. Onomah had a weak effort from outside the area early on. After a quarter of an hour Spurs began to get through, with Coulthirst laying the ball off for Winks to fire over. Oduwa got in the first real cross of the game when he put in a cross from the right which Coulthirst met at the far post with his head to convert and put Spurs in front.

Bytygi played a one-two off a Spurs defender to get into the area but McGee was out to save for a corner. Bytygi took the corner playing the ball to the Dee and getting into the area for the return only to shoot wide. Spurs got a second when Oduwa put over a cross which was half cleared to Winks in the right channel. His little short through ball was turned across the goalmouth by Onomah to give Coulthirst a simple tap in. Coulthirst had a chance to complete his hat trick when he headed Winks' corner into the hands of Gunn. A minute before the break Ntcham had an effort that was wide for a corner.

City replaced Hiwula with Celina for the second half. Celina, playing on the break, forced a corner off McGee. Barker switched wings and beat Ogilvie and then Khumalo before crossing for Celina. His effort was blocked on the line. City pinned Spurs back as they tried to get back into the game and Celina failed to get on the end of a cross from Bytygi.

Walker was played in on the right and advanced to the near post before his effort was deflected up and over to the far post where Coulthirst headed over. Sonupe came on for Miller going to the right flank allowing Oduwa to switch to the left.

Celina drew a save from McGee before Ntcham fired over. Walker-Peters came on for Walker just after the hour mark as he showed signs of tiring.

City pressure told when Bytygi got to the line and pulled the ball back for Celina to score with a low drive inside the near post. Ambrose won a corner with a low drive to the near post. The corner was played back to Tasende who fired wide.

Lesniak was replaced by Carter-Vickers as Spurs sought to defend their lead. He went into the back four in place of Ball who moved into midfield. Oduwa beat Smith-Brown on the left who then tripped him to go into the ref's book. City made another two changes as they looked for the equaliser in the dying minutes. In the last minute Bytygi got into the area and was tripped by Ogilvie to win a penalty. Evans stepped up and hit his kick low to McGee's right but the keeper guessed right and saved it. Spurs were able to hold out to the final whistle for the three points.

Having played well in the first half, Spurs lost some impetus allowing City to push them back. The Spurs midfield moved the ball well as they broke down the visitors' defence to score twice before they defended well in the second allowing City only one goal. McGee did save them in the end with his penalty heroics. Walker had a good outing having been out for so long, showing touches of good form.

The win moves Spurs up to sixth while City drop a place to Southampton who beat Manchester United who stay top. Spurs' next game is away to Fulham on the 13th December.

Ray

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