Premier League 2, 2016-17
              St. Mary's, Southampton
          Friday 23rd September 2016, 7pm.

            SOUTHAMPTON   v     SPURS
            (Red/White)      (All Yellow)
              4-2-3-1          4-2-3-1

                1(1)             0(0)

             Harry Lewis  1  Thomas Glover
         Richard Barkary  2  Kyle Walker-Peters
             Sam McQueen  3  Joseph Muscatt
             Alfie Jones  4  George Marsh
              Ollie Cook  5  Christian Maghoma
         Jack Stephens(C) 6  Anton Walkes(C)
               Josh Sims  7  Shilow Tracey
         Thomas O'Connor  8  Zenon Stylianides
         Olufela Olomola  9  Ryan Loft
         Callum Slattery 10  Tashan Oakley-Boothe
          Harley Willard 11  Reo Griffiths

               Will Wood 12  Joe Pritchard
                             (10)77Mins
             Adam Parkes 13  Thomas McDermott
          Tyreke Johnson 14  Timothy Eyoma
              (10)83Mins     (3)90Mins
          Will Smallbone 15  Charlie Owens
           Siph Mdlalose 16  Keenan Bennetts
                             (9)62Mins

Scorer:-
             Stephens 38 

Booked:-
          Jones 36(Trip)     Marsh 34(encroaching)
        Willard 55(Foul)     Maghoma 59(Late)
        Omomola 74(Foul)

Red Card:-
  Willard 75(2nd Yellow)     Marsh 74(2nd Yellow) 

Coaches:-
               M. Hunter     U. Ehiogu 

Attendance:– 509

Referee:– A. Coggins
Assistants:- G. Jerden & C. Smith
Fourth Official:– M. Bloor

Spurs traveled to Southampton four days after suffering a 6-2 beating at the hands Liverpool . Southampton drew their last game 2-2 at home to Leicester. Last season the "Saints" beat Spurs 1-0 also at St. Mary's.

Spurs lined up with Glover in goal behind Maghoma and Walkes who made an appearance at WHL on Wednesday evening from the subs' bench against Gillingham. Walker-Peters was at right back and Muscatt on the left. Marsh anchored the midfield along with Stylianides. Ahead of them Oakley-Boothe got a start, flanked by Tracey on his right and Griffiths on the left in support of Loft up front.

Spurs kicked off the first half attacking the South end in what was an open end to end game. Spurs had the first chance when Tracey fired over. Sims drew a save from Glover before Tracey made Lewis save his effort. Glover came out of his area to meet a through ball but lost out to Olomola who hit the ball wide of an empty net. Griffiths saw his curling effort saved before Cook headed a free kick wide.

Tracey headed wide from a Stylianides free kick before Oakley-Boothe saw his drive saved. Marsh was booked for coming out of the wall at a free kick. Two minutes later, Jones was booked for tripping Griffiths as he was getting away for a two on one chance. The home side took the lead from another right side free kick by Slattery which was headed home by Stephens.

Southampton began to play better having gone in front with Willard drawing a save before the break.

There were no changes for the start of the second half which saw Spurs work the ball down the right in the first minute but Stylianides headed wide when Tracey crossed. Walker-Peters began to make runs with the ball and Willard was booked for a foul on him, the third time he was fouled in a short space of time. Willard just missed connecting with a cross at the far post. Maghoma was booked for a foul on Slattery before Glover gave the ball to Sims but made amends by saving his shot.

Spurs made their first change, taking off Loft for Bennetts who went to the left side so that Griffiths could lead the line. McQueen fired over from a corner before Walker-Peters drew a save from Lewis. A foul on Walker-Peters saw Bennetts hit the free kick wide of the near post. The game was then spoiled when Olomola had a go at Walker-Peters which drew in most of the other players with a lot of pushing and shoving. When it had quieted down Marsh was shown a second yellow and Olomola was booked. Willard must have said something as he was then shown a second yellow moments later.

Spurs made their second change with Pritchard replacing Oakley-Boothe as they mounted a charge for a goal. Maghoma headed over from a corner and Bennetts crossed for Griffiths to draw a save. Eyoma replaced Muscatt going to right back to allow Walker-Peters an attacking midfield role and Pritchard dropped to left back. In added time as Southampton were trying to see out the game Walker-Peters put in a cross that Bennetts failed to reach which was the last chance of the game.

This was a narrow defeat after some good play in an open game. Spurs were marginally the better side in the first half until they conceded but could not get the goal they needed to spur them on to more. The success that Walker-Peters had running at their defence does show that Edwards was missed. The win moves the "Saints" to the top of the table. The development squad have a break now until the 14th October when they will play at WHL. The visitors will be Manchester City who drew tonight to go second in the table.

Ray

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