Premier U – 21 League 2014-15
            City Football Academy, Manchester
                Monday 4th May 2015, 2pm.

               MAN. CITY     v      SPURS
           (All Light Blue)      (All Black)
                4-2-3-1            4-2-3-1

                  3(0)               3(2)

             Billy O'Brien   1  Luke McGee
                Adam Drury   2  Kyle Walker-Peters
              Pablo Maffeo   3  Connor Ogilvie
          Tosin Adarabioyo   4  Filip Lesniak
             Angel Tasende   5  Milos Veljkovic
           James Horsfield   6  Christian Maghoma
              Jorge Intima   7  Kenneth McEvoy
          George Glendon(C)  8  Harry Winks(C)
         Kelechi Iheanacho   9  Shayon Harrison
               Manu Garcia  10  Joshua Onomah
              Aaron Nemane  11  Nathan Oduwa

         Cameron Humphreys  12  Cameron Carter-Vickers
                 (4)46Mins
                Angus Gunn  13  Jonathan Miles
                Jack Byrne  14  Aaron McEneff
                 (2)46Mins      (4)73Mins
            Bersant Celina  15  Anthony Georgiou
                                (11)61Mins
                 Jose Poro  16
                 (6)67Mins

Scorers:-
       Maffeo 51                Oduwa 15, 42
       Byrne 52                 Winks 53
       Intima 78 

Coaches:- 
       P. Vieira                U. Ehiogu

Attendance:- 537

Referee:– M. Salisbury
Assistants:- M. Crompton & D. Fisher
Fourth Official:– D. Brannick

Spurs travelled to Manchester to play City at their new mini stadium over the road from The Etihad. The game had been moved twice due to the Premier League fixture at WHL between Spurs and City being moved for live TV. Both sides had lost their previous games so were looking to change their fortunes.

Spurs lined up with McGee in goal behind Veljkovic and Maghoma with Walker-Peters at right back and Ogilvie on the left. Winks and Lesniak protected the back four while Onomah flanked by McEvoy on the right and Oduwa on the left supported Harrison up front.

Spurs defended the west end in the first half as City started strongly pushing back the Spurs midfield but not causing McGee many problems before Oduwa had the first chance with a shot over the bar. Lesniak fired wide following a corner before Iheanacho was played through by Garcia only to be denied by the advancing McGee.

O'Brien saved from Onomah before Spurs took the lead. Lesniak released McEvoy down the right and his cross was met at the far post by Oduwa. Maghoma headed over from a Winks free kick from the left. Oduwa fired wide from the edge of the area before a long diagonal pass freed Intima on the right. His cross was laid off by Iheanacho for Garcia to draw a save from McGee.

Adarabioyo headed over from a corner and Iheanacho turned a cross from Drury wide at the near post when he should have done better. That miss was punished when McEvoy got down the right and crossed for the attacking Oduwa to score at the far post despite being pulled back. Tasende curled an effort wide before Harrison drew a save from O'Brien and in the last minute of the half Drury whipped in a cross which Nemane failed to reach.

City made two changes for the start of the second half and pushed forward looking for a goal to get back into the game. Iheanacho fired in a shot from the edge of the area which McGee saved, diving to his right to turn the ball round the post. From the corner Harrison headed the ball clear, but it fell to Garcia on the edge of the area and he drove the ball in. Again McGee saved, but Maffeo netted the rebound.

Before the cheers from the home fans had died down, Intima got down the right and pulled the ball back to Byrne on the edge of the area and his low drive beat McGee for the equaliser. Spurs struck back immediately when Veljkovic played the ball throught to Winks who drew the keeper before going round him to slot the ball into an empty net.

The game became end to end with Intima forcing a save from McGee before O'Brien had to save from Harrison. Garcia played a cross for Intima but his effort was blocked by McEvoy. Spurs made their first change with Oduwa giving way to Georgiou. City kept looking to shoot from the edge of the area following their success for their goals, and Tasende fired wide.

After Spurs made their second change with McEneff replacing Lesniak in midfield, Horsfield fired over from long range. Byrne drove in a shot from the edge of the area, but it was pushed round the post by McGee. From the corner the ball was moved across the area to Intima at the far post to score City's second equaliser.

McGee saved again from Byrne for another corner, while the last chance of the game fell to the visitors when Onomah played in Winks to set up Harrison who fired wide of the far post.

This was a good open game of football with both sides contributing to an entertaining match. Spurs had the better of the first half while City upped their game in the second. It did seem that City made it their policy to shoot from around the edge of the area as they were not getting into the box. This gave McGee more to do than his opposite number.

It was good to see Spurs being allowed to play as they are a good passing side, but as with the first team, they find it hard to break down ten man defences. The Academy stadium that City have built is quite a good place. It holds 7000 and has standing terraces at each end. It is better than playing at non league grounds as the pitch is so much better. It must be worth a couple of players under the FFP rules.

The point moves Spurs above Southampton who lost to leaders United. We are a point behind Leicester who also lost today. Spurs have another game on Friday to improve their position. They play Fulham at WHL. The "Cottagers" lost to Chelsea today and are two places below Spurs.

Ray

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