Premier U-21 League 2015-16
               Hotspur Way, Bulls Cross, Enfield
                 Monday 18th January 2016, 1pm

                  SPURS      v   MANCHESTER CITY
               (White/Blue)        (All Blue)
                 4-2-3-1             4-2-3-1

                   2(2)               2(2)

                 Luke McGee  1  Angus Gunn
         Kyle Walker-Peters  2  James Horsfield
           Anthony Georgiou  3  Cameron Humphreys-Grant
                  Luke Amos  4  Elias Plummer
         Milos Veljkovic(C)  5  Angel Tasende
              Filip Lesniak  6  George Glendon(C)
            Andros Townsend  7  Sinan Bytyqi
               Anton Walkes  8  Ashley Smith-Brown
        Shaquile Coulthirst  9  Bersent Celina
             William Miller 10  Aleix Garcia
            Emmanuel Sonupe 11  Brandon Barker

                 Cy Goddard 12  Tosin Adarabioyo
                 (10)77Mins     (8)78Mins
              Thomas Glover 13  Billy O'Brien
                  (1)46Mins
           Joseph Pritchard 14  Rodney Kongolo
                  (8)74Mins     (19)61Mins
          Christian Maghoma 15  Aaron Nemane
                                (7)61Mins
           Christopher Paul 16  David Faupala

Scorers:-
           Coulthirst 31        Celina 14
           Sonupe 34            Tasende 45

Booked:-
           Veljkovic 90+2(Time) Barker 90+1(Foul)

Coach:-
           U. Ehiogo            S. Davies

Referee:– C. O'Donnell
Assistants:– S. Cheek & D. Skipper
Fourth Official:– L. Grimsey

It was a cold afternoon for the visit of Manchester City to Hotspur Way. The match had originally been scheduled to be played at Stevenage in the evening but because of snow at the weekend it was moved to the training ground as it had under-soil heating. Earlier in the season Spurs drew 3-3 at the Etihad Development Stadium when Maghoma put Spurs in front on 90 minutes only for Celina to equalise in added time. McEvoy and Azzaoui got Spurs' other goals. Last season Spurs won the corresponding game at Stevenage 2-1 with Coulthirst scoring twice. Both sides lost their last League game. Spurs lost 5-4 in the last minute to Chelsea and City lost 1-0 to Everton.

Spurs welcomed back McGee from the first team squad as he needed some playing time and was given 45 minutes. He was behind Veljkovic and Lesniak with Walker-Peters at right back and Georgiou on the left. Amos anchored the midfield with Walkes while Miller played ahead of them with Townsend on the right flank and Sonupe on the left in support of Coulthirst up front.

Spurs kicked off the first half attacking the North end but found the visitors well organised, closing down quickly and breaking at pace. The "Blues" looked the better side early on with Walker-Peters having to clear off the line from Barker. Townsend had an effort that was wide for a corner as both sides battled it out in the middle third preventing many chances at goal.

City went in front when Horsfield got past Georgiou and crossed beyond the far post where Barker played it back to Tasende to strike. As the ball flew goalward, Celina diverted it into the left side of the goal. City pressed for a second but it was Spurs who got the next goal just after the half-hour mark when Coulthirst converted Walker-Peters' cross.

This spurred on the home side and when Townsend put over another cross that was too high for Coulthirst it found Sonupe beyond the far post. The winger controlled the ball and stepped inside to drive it low into the net to give Spurs the lead. Spurs now looked the better side but City were always dangerous on the break. Celina drew a save from McGee with Barker following up but Walker-Peters again cleared off the line.

Gunn saved from Sonupe before City were level. Tasende and Barker worked the ball down the left and the full back finished well. There was still time before the half-time whistle for Gunn to save from Coulthirst.

Glover replaced McGee for the second half which was played in a more open fashion with both sides getting forward. Walkes played in Townsend for a chance that was saved with Sonupe firing wide on the follow-up. Gunn saved a header by Coulthirst from a Townsend cross before City made a double change.

Tasende drew a save from Glover before Celina tried an audacious attempt from over 30 yards seeing Glover off his line. However, the keeper got back to tip the ball over the bar. Barker got through but hit the near post with his effort. Spurs made their second change replacing Walkes with Joe Pritchard.

Celina drew another save from Glover in what was turning into a personal duel between the two. Coulthirst headed over from a Sonupe cross before Spurs made their last change with Goddard replacing Miller. Glover saved from Celina before Amos got forward to fire wide from Townsend's pass inside, winning a corner. Glover saved from Celina as the game moved into the last minute. We then saw two bookings as Barker fouled Amos and Veljkovic held onto the ball after conceding a free kick. In added time the last chance fell to Celina who fired wide.

This was a good fast-paced game with both sides passing the ball in the middle of the pitch and pressing without it. Both sides had periods when they looked on top but they eventually cancelled each other out. With the game so tight in the first half the goals came from turnovers which caught out the defences. The second half was more open which allowed the defences more time to recover. Both Spurs' wingers were well supported by the full backs and Amos did a good job defending in front of the centre backs where much of the City threat originated.

The point keeps Spurs in third place in the table with a trip to Liverpool next Monday evening. That game was to have been at Anfield but has been moved to the Deva Stadium in Chester. On the Thursday evening they will play Chelsea in the Premier League International Cup at Stevenage where another goal fest could be in the offing.

Ray

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