Premier U-18 Southern League, 2016-17
                Landore, Swansea
       Saturday 24th September 2016, 11am.

         SWANSEA CITY   v      SPURS
         (All White)        (All Yellow)
           4-2-3-1             4-2-3-1

             2(1)               2(0)

           Ross Tracey  1  Brandon Austin
           Mael Davies  2  Tariq Hinds
         Matthew Blake  3  Jaden Brown
          Jordan Jones  4  Moroyin Omolabi
           Ben Cabango  5  Joy Mukena
         Dan Jefferies  6  Jonathan Dinzeyi
         Causso Darame  7  Samuel Shashoua
             Tom Price  8  Jack Roles
        Liam Cullen(C)  9  Aramide Oteh
         Cameron Berry 10  Dylan Duncan
          Kieran Evans 11  Nicholas Tsaroulla

      Rhydian Williams 12  Japhet Tanganga
            (10)76Mins     (5)87Mins
             Alex Lang 13  Charlie Freeman
           Marco Dulca 14  Matthew Lock
             (7)76Mins
         Oliver Cooper 15  Jamie Reynolds
                           (3)75Mins
          Liam Edwards 16  Juan-Pablo Gonzalez-Velasco
            (11)66Mins     (4)55Mins

Scorers:-
              Cullen 7     Roles 73, 80
             Darame 60 
Booked:-
         Darame 62(UGC)    Roles 62(UGC)
     Tracey 73(Dissent)

Coaches:-
E. Ramsey & C. Llewellyn   N. Gibbs 

Referee:– J. Roskelly
Assistants:- T. Staten & J. Brookland

It was a cloudy overcast morning in South Wales, thankfully with none of the rain that had been forecast. Spurs travelled to the valleys having drawn 2-2 the previous week with Norwich. The home side lost 3-1 at Brighton and remained without a win this season. We have not played the Welsh side before at this level as they have just improved their training facilities to qualify for the League.

Spurs lined up with Austin in goal behind Mukena and Dinzeyi with Hinds at right back and Brown on the left. Omolabi and Roles anchored the midfield with Duncan ahead of them flanked by Shashoua on the right and Tsaroulla on the left with Oteh up front.

Having gone to the wrong training ground I missed the first half of the game which saw Cullen closing down Austin quickly to block his attempted clearance to score. Tsaroulla was closest to scoring for Spurs with an effort that flew wide.

There were no changes for the start of the second half which saw an early chance for Oteh when his header from Tsaroulla's cross was saved. The ball was quickly moved upfield for Evans to win a corner. Spurs' first change saw Omolabi replaced by Gonzalez-Valasco on the right wing with Shashoua moving inside. Gonzalez-Valasco was soon into the action as he got down the right and crossed for Oteh to fire wide.

The dangerous Darame got down the right, crossing for Cullen to drive wide. The game was end to end with Spurs moving the ball through the midfield while the "Swans" were more direct. Hinds played the ball in for Gonzalez-Valasco to cut across the edge of the area before firing wide. Another mistake gave the home side their second goal. While Mukena was moving the ball around the back, Darame got a foot in to win it and get into the area to fire across Austin.

Roles had been niggling the Swansea players during the game and sparked a clash by knocking Darame into touch after the ball had gone. After other players got involved, the referee booked Roles and Darame. Spurs were now pushing for a goal with Tsaroulla providing the pace down the left. His cross was sent wide by Roles. Tsaroulla was lucky not to concede a penalty when the ball hit his hand in the box, but then a little later he was clearly pushed over in the other penalty area without getting one so it evened out.

Minutes after coming on Swansea's Liam Edwards had a shot blocked by Dinzeyi on the edge of the area. Gonzalez-Valasco got down the right and crossed for Oteh who just missed contact as the Spurs pressure increased. Darame fired wide before Spurs pulled a goal back. Roles put the ball across the goal and when Tsaroulla returned it, Roles smashed it in. Swansea protested – probably for off side – and the referee consulted his assistant before leting it stand. He then booked Tracey for continuing to protest. I did not realise that he had given the goal as it looke like he was pointing for a free kick and the Spurs players stopped celebrating.

Spurs and Swansea made more changes with Reynolds coming on for Brown going to the left side with Tsaroulla dropping to left back. It did not stop Tsaroulla from getting round the back and crossing for the second goal. Oteh laid it back for Roles to drive it through the crowd into the net. Oteh did well considering that Cabango would have had him in his pocket if he had had one, having tried so much to physically keep a hold of him throughout the game.

Blake got forward for a couple of efforts; the first was over the bar and the second wide. Spurs' last change saw Tanganga replace Mukena at the back. The last chance of the game fell to Reynolds who fired wide from the edge of the area.

Judging by the half I saw Spurs looked a little shaky due to the physical pressure from Cullen and Darame up front while Oteh was kept fairly quiet. With Darame closing down Hinds on the right the main pressure came from Tsaroulla on the left. This was a game that Spurs should have won on paper but for the slip-ups at the back. Swansea earned their draw by not letting up.

Next week is the big one as Arsenal are the visitors to Hotspur Way. The gooners beat Leicester 5-0 and are top of the Southern League having only lost once so far. Thanks to TV I am able to go to this game. (Ed:- Ray means the first team game v Man City moved for TV to Sunday)

Ray

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