Premier U-18 Southern League 2016-17
          Hotspur Way, Bulls Cross, Enfield
          Saturday 21st October 2016, 11am

               SPURS     v     CHELSEA
            (White/Blue)      (All Blue)
              4-1-4-1           4-4-2

                1(1)             1(1)

        Jonathan De Bie  1  Jamie Cumming
            Tariq Hinds  2  Reece James
     Nicholas Tsaroulla  3  Joseph Colley
           Oliver Skipp  4  Marc Guehi
        George Marsh(C)  5  Cole Da Silva
        Japhet Tanganga  6  Luke McCormick(C)
        Samual Shashoua  7  Conor Gallagher
           Dylan Duncan  8  Tariq Uwakwe
          Reo Griffiths  9  Martell Taylor-Crossdale
             Jack Roles 10  Juan Castillo
        Keanan Bennetts 11  Harvey St Clair

       Kazaiah Sterling 12  Richard Nartey
         Brandon Austin 13  Jared Thompson
         Jamie Reynolds 14  Charlie Brown
                            (7)70Mins
       Jonathan Dinzeyi 15  Tariq Lamprey
           Matthew Lock 16  Jon Russell
              (2)73Mins

Scorers:-
            Shashoua 28     Guehi 25

Booked:-
Tanganga 72(Obstruction)    Taylor-Crossdale 79(UGC)
Roles 85(Foul)              St Clair 83(Foul)

Coach:-
               N. Gibbs     J. Morris

Referee:– S. Bates

Back from the disappointment in Germany, Spurs entertained Chelsea at Hotspur Way. Third-placed Chelsea came to the game having beaten Reading 2-0 last week, while Spurs won at Leicester 2-0 with two very late goals. Last season Chelsea went home with the points following a 4-3 victory.

Spurs lined up with De Bie in goal behind Tanganga and Marsh with Hinds at right back and Tsaroulla on the left. Skipp anchored the midfield with Duncan pushed up with Roles ahead of him. They were flanked by Shashoua on the right and Bennetts on the left in support of Griffiths up front.

Spurs kicked off the first half attacking the North end moving the ball quickly through the midfield while Chelsea packed the midfield and hit the ball long for Taylor-Crossdale and St Clair to chase. The tactic worked as Spurs pushed players forward with Chelsea winning an early free kick that was hit well over by St Clair who then picked up a loose ball to fire wide. Taylor-Crossdale ran onto a long ball for a one on one with De Bie. The Spurs keeper came out to the edge of his area to save at his feet and hold onto the loose ball. Castillo then hit a long ball for St Clair but De Bie saved again.

James got down the right and put in a good cross that was met at the far post by Taylor-Crossdale who could not get it on target. The visitors went in front from a corner that was headed back at the far post for Guehi to head home.

Spurs responded well. Tanganga played the ball to Bennetts to play in Griffiths for a chance that was saved. St Clair played in Uwakwe to hit over. Spurs equalised when Shashoua laid the ball off to Duncan and then went for the return to score across the keeper. A minute later Roles' shot on the turn was heading for the top left corner until Cumming tipped it over for a corner.

Gallagher found St Clair who fired wide. Tsaroulla played in Griffiths who set up Shashoua but this time he hit the ball wide of the far post. Roles then played in Shashoua who again fired wide of the far post. The last chance of the first half came from a Chelsea free kick that Uwakwe hit over.

There were no changes for the start of the second half which saw Spurs continue to press the visitors. Duncan played in Griffiths for a chance that was wide. The ball was quickly sent downfield for Taylor-Crossdale to hit wide. A defensive block saw the ball fall to Taylor-Crossdale who could not beat De Bie.

Bennetts crossed for Roles to draw a save from Cumming who then saved from Griffiths at the expense of a corner. Chelsea then won a penalty when St Clair got past Tsaroulla who pulled him back. Taylor-Crossdale stepped up and put the ball wide of the left post.

Spurs then made their first change with Sterling replacing Griffiths up front. Spurs picked up the first booking of the match when Tanganga was shown the yellow card for preventing Cumming from releasing the ball quickly following a corner. Spurs made their second change with Lock replacing Hinds at right back.

St Clair hit a free kick over the wall towards the top corner but De Bie got across to push it over for a corner. Taylor-Crossdale was booked for delaying a Spurs free kick by running off with the ball. Brown put the ball over the bar from a James cross before McCormick fired wide. St Clair was booked for a foul on Marsh before Shashoua got the ball in the area but was inches wide of the far post.

Roles went into the ref's book for a foul on Colley. Sterling had a clear run on goal but he hesitated before laying the ball off to Duncan who missed a chance to score. Tsaroulla got forward to fire wide before Castillo headed wide at the other end. St Clair had a header at the far post saved by De Bie with the ball dropping onto the line. There was a scramble as De Bie and Lock kept the ball out. The last chance fell to Tanganga following a corner but he hit wide on the turn.

This was a good performance from Spurs who had to adapt to the long ball game of the visitors. It was unusual for Chelsea to rely on such tactics as they have usually such good ball players. Spurs do push players forward and can get caught short at the back. Spurs had the better ball players and played the better football where over the past few years it had been the other way round. Having said that Chelsea did have the chances to win with the long ball and a penalty.

Next week Spurs entertain Brighton at Hotspur Way but with an 11.30am kick off. Brighton drew with Fulham today 1-1 and are tenth in the table while Spurs slip a place to sixth due to this draw.

Ray

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