Premier U-18 League Southern League 2015-16
                  Hogwood Park, Finchampstead
               Saturday 5th December 2015, 12 noon

                  READING      v      SPURS
                (Blue/White)       (All Purple)
                  4-2-3-1            4-2-3-1

                    0(0)               0(0)

               Luke Southwood  1  Brandon Austin
                Dan Akinwunmi  2  Joseph Muscatt
        Raharni Medford-Smith  3  Nicholas Tsaroulla
             Harrison Bennett  4  Charlie Owens(C)
              Gabriel Osho(C)  5  Jonathan Denzeyi
                Thomas Holmes  6  Jaden Brown
                  Tyler Frost  7  Marcus Edwards
                    Ryan East  8  George Marsh
                    Sam Smith  9  Ryan Loft
                Omar Richards 10  Zenon Stylianides
                 Josh Chattee 11  Keanan Bennetts

                 Ade Shokunbi 12  Dylan Duncan
                    (4)46Mins     (11)70Mins
                   Joe Tupper 13  Alfie Whiteman
               Joel Rollinson 14  Samuel Shashoua
                    (9)58Mins     (10)60Mins
                  Jack Denton 15  Kazaiah Sterling
                                  (9)46Mins
              Sindep Scheving 16 

Booked:-
                                  Marsh 78(Holding)

Coaches:-
              C. Plunkett         K. McKenna 

Ref:– C. Whay
Assistants:- C. Bullock & C.Boyles

Spurs travelled to Reading for their last league game of the year before jetting off to Florida next week. They will have better weather in the States than here where it was very windy. Reading were on a good run of four wins scoring eleven goals and sit second in the table. Spurs lost to the "Royals" 4-1 earlier in the season at Hotspur Way. Spurs have usually found it difficult to get a result here and were beaten 3-1 last season.

Spurs rotated their squad from Wednesday evening and lined up with Austin in goal behind Denzeyi and Brown with Muscatt at right back and Tsaroulla on the left. Owens anchored the midfield with Marsh alongside him while Stylianides played in front of them flanked by Edwards on the right and Bennetts on the left in support of Loft up front.

Spurs defended the North end playing into the wind and had the first chance after a minute when Sterling fired over. Smith headed wide from a long centre from the right before Edwards got down the right and whipped in a low cross which just eluded Sterling in the centre. Edwards had a shot himself which was saved by Southwood.

Medford-Smith fed Chattee down the left to drive wide of the far post. Medford-Smith then did the same before East fired wide of the left post from the right. Akinwunmi crossed for Smith to head over before Frost got in on the right to hit the near post. Edwards dribbled his way into the area but saw his rising shot hit the crossbar and when Marsh got onto the rebound his effort was blocked. As the half ended Loft got into the area holding off defenders until it was taken off his foot. Medford-Smith needed treatment for an elbow as indicated by the assistant ref on the far side.

Loft was replaced by Sterling up front for the start of the second half as Spurs began on top, pushing the home side back with the help of the wind. Stylianides played in Bennetts for an effort wide of the near post. Owens fired wide when Reading could not clear from their left corner and Edwards fired wide of the far post from the right.

Shashoua replaced Stylianides and went to the left side with Bennetts switching to the right to allow Edwards to move into the centre. Reading began to use the pace of their two wide players and threatened the Spurs goal when Frost fired over. Sterling played in Bennetts to draw a save from Southwood before Shashoua came in from the left to drive, only to see his effort headed over by a defender.

Spurs made their last change, taking off Bennetts for Duncan who went into the centre behind Sterling with Edwards moving back to the right flank. Chattee broke clear and played in Frost to fire wide before Shashoua saw his effort saved at the near post. Marsh was booked for pulling back Frost as he was about to get clear over the halfway line. The Spurs midfielder was lucky it was so far out and also later when he tripped Chattee on the right. Frost broke clear with a diagonal run but Austin made a good save at his near post to concede a corner. In added time Edwards cut in from the right but saw his effort saved at the near post.

This was an evenly fought game with Spurs doing well in the first half against the wind staying on top at the start of the second. Reading came back into the game later in the half when they switched to keeping the ball on the deck. Having drawn with the second placed side Spurs' next match will be against the leaders Chelsea in January, but before that the Academy will be taking a squad to Florida to defend the IMG Cup which they won last year.

Ray

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