Premier U-21 League 2015-16
                  Lamex Stadium, Stevenage
                Monday 7th December 2015, 7pm

                  SPURS      v  SOUTHAMPTON
               (White/Blue)     (Green/Blue)
                 4-2-3-1          4-2-3-1

                   0(0)             2(1)

              Thomas Glover  1  Paulo Gazzaniga
         Kyle Walker-Peters  2  Dominic Gape(C)
                  Luke Amos  3  Matt Targett
              Filip Lesniak  4  Harry Reed
     Cameron Carter-Vickers  5  Ollie Cook
          Milos Veljkovic(C) 6  Will Wood
            Andros Townsend  7  Sam McQueen
                Harry Winks  8  Armani Little
        Shaquile Coulthirst  9  Ryan Seager
               Anton Walkes 10  Jake Hesketh
           Anthony Georgiou 11  Josh Sims

            Emmanuel Sonupe 12  Alfie Jones
                  (7)63Mins
                 Harry Voss 13  Harry Lewis
             William Miller 14  Callum Slattery
                  (4)74Mins     (10)80Mins
            Japhet Tanganga 15  Tyreke Johnson
                  (8)63Mins     (7)74Mins
                            16  Josh Debayo

Scorers:-
                                Targett 45+1
                                Sims 71 

Booked:-
                                Gape 79(Foul)
                                Reed 84(Foul)
                                Slattery 90+1(10 Yds)

Coach:-
            U. Ehiogu           M. Hunter

Referee:– P. Kelly
Assistants:– L. Brennan & W. Cartmel
Fourth Official:– L. Hantea

It was a chilly evening at the Lamex Stadium as Spurs entertained Southampton Town in their quest to close the gap on leaders Sunderland. Spurs were on a run of five games unbeaten while the visitors came on a losing three game streak. Spurs have not registered a win at the Lamex yet but did beat Southampton 3-2 last season.

Spurs lined up with Glover in goal behind Carter-Vickers and Veljkovic with Walker-Peters at right back and Amos on the left. Lesniak anchored the midfield with Winks while Walkes was ahead of them flanked by Townsend on the right and Georgiou on the left in surpport of Coulthirst up front. Like Spurs the visitors also had players in their ranks who have had first team experience as Mauricio Pochettino promoted youth at both clubs.

Spurs kicked off attacking the South end with both sides playing at pace and also pressing high. The visitors always looked just that bit quicker than Spurs which enabled them to get in tackles and blocks at important moments. The first chance fell to the visitors when Seager headed over from a free kick before Townsend came inside hitting his effort just over the bar.McQueen had an effort blocked before a"Saints" corner resulted in Walkes clearing off the line from Little.

Townsend came inside before chipping the ball over the defenders for Walkes to run onto but he was forced to pull it back for Coulthirst to draw a save from Gazzaniga. When Carter-Vickers blocked Hesketh's effort the ball spun up and Seager hit an overhead effort onto the crossbar. Seager had another effort blocked by Amos for a corner.

Spurs went close when Georgiou got down the left and whipped in a cross that hit Coulthirst at the near post and bounced wide. In the last minute of the half the visitors took the lead when Targett scored from a free kick out on the right that went in at the far post.

There were no changes for the start of the second half which began as the first finished. Townsend fired wide after his first effort was blocked and then played in Coulthirst who also fired wide. Coulthirst was also wide with another effort. Townsend put in a centre which was met by Winks who drew a save from the keeper. However, he was ruled off side anyway.

Spurs made a double change with Sonupe replacing Townsend on the right flank and Tanganga coming on for Winks to play at left back with Amos moving into midfield. Hesketh saw his effort deflected for a corner before the visitors increased their lead. Southampton won the ball in the middle and Gape played a ball inside Tanganga for Sims to run onto and score one on one with Glover.

Spurs took off Lesniak for the attacking Miller as they went looking for a goal. Glover saved a free kick by Targett before Carter-Vickers drew a save from the keeper following a corner. Gape was booked for a foul on Miller as he got past him. Miller could not apply the finishing touch to a cross by Sonupe which came out to Georgiou whose effort was blocked.

As Spurs increased the pressure on the visitors Reed went into the ref's book and in added time Slattery was booked for not retreating 10 yards at a free kick but they held out to the final whistle.

Spurs didn't play that badly but Southampton were just that bit better. Both Townsend and Georgiou did well on the flanks and Carter-Vickers with Veljkovic held the line well.

Next week Spurs travel to Southport to play Everton who they beat 4-1 at Hotspur Way in August. They did lose to Everton at Goodison in the PL International Cup by the same score.

Ray

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