Premier U-18 Southern League 2016-17
        Hotspur Way, Bulls Cross, Enfield
       Saturday 12th November 2016, 12 noon

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

             1(1)              2(1)

      Alfie Whiteman   1   Liam Driscoll
       Timothy Eyoma   2   Teddy Howe
  Nicholas Tsaroulla   3   Ramaani Medford-Smith
        Oliver Skipp   4   Ethan Coleman
          Joy Mukena   5   Akin Obimayo(C)
      George Marsh(C)  6   Jamal Balogon
     Samuel Shashoua   7   Joel Rollinson
Tashan Oakley-Boothe   8   Ade Shokunbi
    Kazaiah Sterling   9   Ben House
        Dylan Duncan  10   Danny Loader
     Keanan Bennetts  11   Jordan Holsgrove

      Paris Maghoma   12   Jack Nolan
         (11)79Mins
    Charlie Freeman   13   Jack Buchanan
  Phoenix Patterson   14   Joe Wilson
          (4)74Mins
       Aramide Oteh   15   Cameron Green
          (9)63Mins        (9)76Mins
                      16   Jack Denton

Scorers:-
          Duncan 45        o.g. Mukena 42, 57

Booked:-
    Eyoma 90+3(Foul)       Howe 48(Dissent)
                           Medford-Smith 84(Time)
                           Loader 85(Foul)

Coach:-
             N. Gibb       D. Dodds

Referee:– M. Robinson-Tant
Assistants:– M. Jarvis & M. Flectcher

On a wet chilly morning in Enfield Reading came to spoil the party for our Academy side. The "Royals" had suffered a crushing 9-2 defeat at Norwich last week but were still two points ahead of Spurs who could overtake them with a win. Last season the "Royals" won 4-1 at Hotspur Way and have already beaten Spurs 4-3 at their home ground this season.

With players away during the International break Spurs lined up with Whiteman in goal behind Mukena and Marsh with Eyoma at right back and Tsaroulla on the left. Skipp anchored the midfield with Oakley-Boothe and Duncan ahead of him. Shashoua was on the right flank and Bennetts on the left in support of Sterling up front.

Spurs attacked the North end in the first half and laid siege to the visitors' goal from the off. Duncan hit the near post early on, while a break saw Coleman play in House for a chance that was saved by Whiteman. Reading were defending strongly to hold off the Spurs players and they were also creating openings themselves. A Holsgrove free kick was over before Shashoua played in Duncan for header that was saved. The next Spurs Attack saw Sterling draw a save with the rebound played back to him as he was on the ground but Driscoll saved again with the next follow up hitting the near post.

Shokunbi crossed from the right for Loader to fire over. Shashoua saw his effort turned away for a corner from which the wideman played it in for Mukena to head wide. Another break saw House head against the far post with Loader hitting the loose ball over. As we were approaching half-time Howe got clear on the right and his low cross was turned in by the unlucky Mukena. Just after this Rollinson was played through for a one on one with Whiteman which the keeper won saving to his right. Spurs worked the ball down the left and the cross found Shashoua who laid it off to Duncan. The Spurs man dug it out of his feet to hit it on the turn to score to the keeper's right. There was just time for Reading to restart the game before the ref blew for half-time.

There were no changes for the start of the second half which saw the visitors come out of defence and make it a more open game. Howe was shown the yellow card for abuse to the ref having been warned in the first half. Rollinson fired wide before Reading went back in front. Shokunbi crossed from the right and Mukena added to his woe by heading it into the net for his second own goal.

Spurs made their first change replacing Sterling up front with Oteh. Shashoua fired across the goal for a corner before Spurs had a good chance for an equaliser when Oakley-Boothe found space on the right and his low cross almost reached Oteh at the far post. Whiteman saved a header from Odimayo at a corner before Spurs made their second cahnge. Patterson replaced Skipp with Oakley-Boothe dropping deep.

Eyoma drew a save as Spurs pressed for a goal making their last change sending on young Maghoma for Bennetts. Reading defended strongly to see out the game. Medford-Smith picked up a booking for delaying a throw in having been warned in the first half when kicking the ball away to give his defence time to re-group. He was followed into the ref's book by Loader for a foul on Marsh. Loader drew a save from Whiteman before Eyoma was booked for a foul on Green. Reading held out to do the double over Spurs.

The win takes Reading above Arsenal so that is some comfort, but Spurs had tried to out-play Reading and had the better of the game in the first half. However, the robust tackling of the visitors kept them out. Spurs remain in fifth place. With Wimmer scoring in the NLD and Mukena today we can at least say they opposition failed to score against our defence, but it is no consolation. Next week the visitors are West Ham who did not play today but held Arsenal to a 1-1 draw last week. The "Hammers" beat Spurs 1-0 at the beginning of the season and are second in the table.

Ray

Follow @spursodyssey