Premier U-18 Southern group 2016-17
        Fulham Training Ground, Motspur Park,
          Saturday 5th November 2016, 11am.

             FULHAM      v     SPURS
         (White/Black)      (All Yellow)
             4-2-3-1           4-1-4-1

               0(0)             1(0)

     Taye Ashby-Hammond  1  Jonathan De Bie
          Marlon Fossey  2  Tariq Hinds
       Steven Sessegnon  3  Nicolas Tsaroulla
             Reece York  4  George Marsh(C)
            Moritz Jens  5  Japhet Tanganga
           Jose Garrido  6  Jonathan Dinzeyi
            Chris Kelly  7  Samuel Shashoua
          Jayden Harris  8  Dylan Duncan
        Cameron Tompson  9  Kazaiah Sterling
  Nicolas Santos-Classe 10  Jack Roles
Jon Dagur Thorsteinsson 11  Keanan Bennetts

              Joe Felix 12  Timothy Eyoma
              (7)78Mins     (2)80Mins
     Luka Ashby-Hammond 13  Brandon Austin
            Djed Spence 14  Aramide Oteh
                            (9)46Mins
        Michael Elstone 15  Phoenix Patterson
             (10)54Mins     (10)60Mins
          Atli Andrason 16
              (4)64Mins

Scorer:-
    Shashoua (pen),78 

Booked:-
     York 17(Holding)       Tanganga 55(Foul)
                            Marsh 90+2(Foul)

Coaches:-
              S. Wigley     N. Gibbs

Referee:– M. Heavey
Assistants:- D. Laing & A. Higgs

It was a cloudy overcast morning for Spurs' trip to Fulham's South London training ground. The rain thankfully held off. Spurs went into the game on a high, having put together a run of results including a first win in the UEFA Youth League for U-19 teams. Many of the players from that game were at Motspur Park. Fulham beat Southampton 3-0 away last week. Last season's game was also in November and resulted in a 5-3 victory for the home side.

Spurs lined up with De Bie in goal behind Tanganga and Dinzeyi with Hinds at right back and Tsaroulla on the left while Marsh sat in front of them. Duncan and Roles had attacking roles ahead of Marsh and were flanked by Shashoua on the right and Bennetts on the left in support of Sterling up front.

Spurs defended the South end in the first half. It was an open end to end game against a lively and aggressive Fulham side who closed down and tackled quickly while Spurs always looked to pass their way through the home defence. This gave the home side the early advantage as Spurs found little space in which to work. Spurs had the first chance of the game when Sterling headed a cross wide. York headed over a Fulham corner before Sterling got to the line and pulled the ball back to Roles who fired straight at the keeper.

De Bie made a diving save from Thompson to concede a corner from which Harris had his drive blocked. Jens' long ball found Santos-Classe but De Bie saved. Minutes later Garrido glanced his header wide from a free kick. York was first into the ref's book for holding onto Marsh in a tussle in midfield. Sterling crossed for Shashoua to fire over before he had an effort of his own blocked. The ball was picked up by Duncan at the far post only for his attempt to also be blocked before Marsh fired the rebound wide.

Thorsteinsson drew a good save from De Bie from his free kick that was pushed around the far post. The Spurs keeper also saved from Harris who drove through the Spurs midfield before letting fly. A Spurs corner to the far post landed at the feet of Dinzeyi but the big defender lifted the ball over the bar. Thorsteinsson drew another save from De Bie before the break.

Spurs made one change for the start of the second half with Oteh replacing Sterling up front. Inside two minutes Oteh turned in the area to make Ashby-Hammond save for a corner. Tompson was sent away but his effort was blocked with the rebound going to Kelly who fired wide. Spurs were beginning to find space with Shashoua playing in Bennetts for a chance that flew over.

Fulham made a change bringing on Elstone who immediately got stuck in, clattering one Spurs defender before drawing a foul on the edge of the area that saw Tanganga booked. The free kick by Thorsteinsson was saved by the keeper.

There was a free kick by Bennetts was just wide of the near post before Spurs made their second change replacing Roles with Patterson in midfield. Shashoua picked up a loose ball off the Fulham defence, winning a corner off the keeper. Kelly fired wide for Fulham before Spurs had a chance to score when Duncan was found in the area but his effort was blocked as was the follow up by Shashoua.

Shashoua was working well with Patterson and had another effort saved before Spurs were awarded a penalty for holding by York on Oteh as he was turned. Shashoua stepped up and scored to the keeper's right. Fossey got down the right to cross for Andrason to force a save from De Bie. Spurs made their last change replacing Hinds with the more defensive Eyoma at right back. However, Eyoma did get forward a lot in the final minutes.

Shashoua played in Oteh for a shot that was turned wide for a corner. Shashoua picked up a cross at the far post which he laid off to Eyoma to fire wide. Eyoma then set up Duncan for a chance that was saved. In the dying minutes Eyoma was caught by Elstone up-field who went on a run before he was stopped by Marsh covering for the full back. That tackle saw the Spurs captain go into the ref's book. Spurs saw out the game to make it back to back wins.

This was a tough game as Fulham made it hard for Spurs to pass the ball, closing down quickly and countering quickly. Spurs found it hard to break them down and it was only late into the game that they began to find space as the home side tired and Patterson linked with Shashoua in more central areas. The win closes the gap on Reading in fourth place who were thumped 9-2 by Norwich. West Ham drew with Arsenal 1-1. The draw allowed Chelsea to leap frog both clubs and go top. Next week, Spurs host Reading, with West Ham the visitors the following week, on the same day the Premier league teams meet at White Hart Lane.

Ray

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