Premier U-18 League, 
                 Southern Group 2015-16
            Hotspur Way, Bulls Cross, Enfield
          Saturday 28th November 2015, 12 noon

                SPURS     v   ASTON VILLA
             (White/Blue)    (Claret/Blue)
               4-2-3-1          4-2-3-1

                 2(0)            3(0) 

          Alfie Whiteman  1  Matija Sarkic
            Dylan Duncan  2  Joseph Linley
      Nicholas Tsaroulla  3  Mitch Clark
         Charlie Owens(C) 4  Jake Humphries
          Japhet Tangana  5  Easah Suliman(C)
             Jaden Brown  6  Anes Omerovic
         Keanan Bennetts  7  Moustafa Zeidan
            George Marsh  8  Jake Hayes
        Kazaiah Sterling  9  Kianan Davies
          Marcus Edwards 10  Callum O'Hare
         Samuel Shashoua 11  Corey Taylor

              Jack Roles 12  Alex Prosser
               (2)71Mins     (8)90Mins
          Brandon Austin 13  Emmanuel Idem
            Aramide Oteh 14  Jack Clarke
               (9)78Mins     (4)61Mins
              Joy Mukena 15  Kelsey Moores
                             (9)84Mins
           Reo Griffiths 16  Harvey Knibbs

Scorers:-
        o.g. Omerovic 55     Omerovic 63
             Oteh 87 pen     Davies 80
                             O'Hare 90

Booked:-
         Tangana 9(Foul)     Omerovic 25(Foul)
         Marsh 79(10Yds)     Suliman 73(Foul)
                             Zeidan 75(Foul)

Coach:-
         K. McKenna          T. McAndrew

Ref:– C. Chittenden

It was a cold windy morning for the visit of Aston Villa to Hotspur Way. The wind was not as bad as in previous games but it was enough to affect some high balls to make the game interesting. There was some rain in the second half. Villa's form has been up and down, a bit like Spurs. They lost last week having drawn with Chelsea the week before and sit just above Spurs in the table. Earlier in the season Spurs drew 2-2 at their place having taken a two goal lead. Last season here Villa won 2-1 and followed that up with a 3-2 win in the play-offs.

Spurs lined up with Whiteman in goal behind Tangana and Brown (now that Maghoma has gone to Yeovil on loan), with Duncan filling in at right back and Tsaroulla on the left. Owens anchored the midfield with Marsh alongside him. Edwards played behind Sterling with Bennetts on the right flank and Shashoua on the left.

Spurs kicked off the first half attacking the North end but took a while to settle into a rhythm with too many passes going astray. The visitors were quick to take advantage, with Davies heading over a cross from Zeidan and Humphries playing in O'Hare for a chance that was saved. Tangana was booked early for a clash with Davies who missed a golden chance to score when Whiteman dropped a cross under pressure, firing wide.

Owens fired over just before the half hour mark for Spurs' first chance at goal as they began to get more into the game. Taylor fired wide before Sterling saw his effort saved by Sarkic. It was then Sarkic's turn to drop a cross but his defenders blocked efforts from Sterling and then Shashoua. Omerovic was then booked for a foul on Edwards as he dribbled past him. Shashoua saw his shot saved and first Edwards and then Shashoua hit free kicks well over the goal. Edwards worked his way through the right channel and crossed for Shashoua at the far post but his effort was blocked. Bennetts drew a save before, in added time, Whiteman saved Hayes' effort.

There were no changes for the start of the second half which saw early efforts from Zeidan at one end and Owens at the other fly over the goals. Spurs took the lead when the ball was worked across from the left by Sterling and Edwards to Bennetts on the right who fired in a shot which was deflected in off the unlucky Omerovic. It looked on target so may be awarded to Bennetts later.

The game began to open up with Hayes firing over and Duncan meeting a cross from Bennetts in the area but his effort was blocked. O'Hare headed wide before playing in Zeidan who hit wide. The visitors equalised when a free kick by Omerovic went in at the far post without anyone getting a touch. With the game now end to end, Davies drew a save from Whiteman before Sarkic made a save at the other end from Edwards which was followed by Whiteman saving from Taylor.

Spurs made their first change, replacing Duncan with Roles who went into midfield with Marsh moving to right back. Whiteman saved a free kick from Omerovic before the "Villans" picked up two bookings in quick succession. The second was by Zeidan stopping Tsaroulla right on the edge of the area. Spurs' second change saw Oteh come on for Sterling up front. Marsh picked up a yellow card for not being ten yards away at a free kick taken by Hayes. He had blocked the kick which was retaken. This time the ball struck the crossbar and dropped for Davies to score.

Davies had another attempt which was saved before he was replaced. Spurs were awarded a penalty when Bennetts' forward pass saw Oteh get to it just before Sarkic. The striker took the kick himself and scored low to the keeper's right. Clark crossed for Moores to head over before Villa got the winner in the last minute when O'hare exchanged passes with Moores to score at the near post. Spurs just had one last chance when Owens free kick was saved in added time.

This was a hard fought match with little between the two sides. Having got the points in their last two home games having weathered a lot of pressure, Spurs came up short this time. They remain in eighth place with a trip to second placed Reading next Saturday. Before that they have a 3rd round FA Youth Cup match to play against Rotherham United at Stevenage on Wednesday evening. After that they have a break until the new year. Before Christmas the Spurs Academy will be sending a squad to Florida to defend their IMG Cup win of last year with a possible second tournament in the Far East in the New Year.

Ray

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