FA Youth Cup Semi-Final 1st Leg 2016-17
           White Hart Lane, Tottenham N17
          Tuesday 13th March 2017, 7.15pm

              SPURS     v     CHELSEA
          (White/Blue)       (All Blue)
             4-1-4-1          4-2-3-1

               1(0)            2(2)

        Brandon Austin  1  Jamie Cumming
         Timothy Eyoma  2  Reece James
    Nicholas Tsaroulla  3  Trevoh Chalobah
        George Marsh(C) 4  Joshua Grant
      Jonathan Dinzeyi  5  Juan Castillo
       Japhet Tanganga  6  Tariq Uwakwe
       Samuel Shashoua  7  Dujon Sterling
          Oliver Skipp  8  Jacob Maddox
      Kazaiah Sterling  9  Ike Ugbo
  Tashan Oakley-Boothe 10  Mason Mount(C)
       Keanan Bennetts 11  Callum Hudson-Odoi

            Jack Roles 12  Marc Guehi
             (4)74Mins
        Alfie Whiteman 13  Marcin Bulka
          Dylan Duncan 14  Luke McCormick
             (7)46Mins     (6)71Mins
         Reo Griffiths 15  George McEachran
             (8)67Mins     (11)61Mins
           Tariq Hinds 16  Harvey St.Clair
                           (9)82Mins.

Scorers:-
           Sterling 87     James 34
                           Ugbo 40

Booked:-
      Marsh 47(Holding)

Coach:-
           J. McDermott    J. Morris

Referee:– L. Swabey
Assistants:– R.Smith & A. Da Costa
Fourth Official:– A. Dale

It was a cool evening in North London for this cup tie. Spurs took on West London side Chelsea who had won the first phase of the Premier Academy League topping the Southern League by 11 points. During the season they beat Spurs at Cobham 3-2 and held them 1-1 at Hotspur Way. This semi-final was a repeat of two years ago when Spurs won 2-0 at White Hart Lane but lost 5-4 on aggregate. The winners will meet Manchester City in the final as they hold a 6-0 lead over Stoke City after the first leg.

Spurs lined up with Austin in goal behind Dinzeyi and Tanganga with Eyoma at right back and Tsaroulla on the left. Marsh anchored the midfield with Skipp and Oakley-Boothe ahead of him flanked by Shashoua on the right and Bennetts on the left in support of Sterling up front.

Spurs attacked the Paxton Road in the first half which saw both defences on top but Spurs were pushed back as the visitors put them under pressure until they cracked. Uwakwe had an early chance fly over before Mount's free kick hit the near post. Hudson-Odoi had an effort deflected wide for a corner and Uwakwe fired wide again before Austin was called on to make a save from a header by Chelsea's Dujon Sterling's after thirty minutes.

Chelsea went ahead from a corner when James attacked the near post to head in via a deflection. They increased their lead when a left sided cross beyond the far post was played back in by Dujon Sterling for Ugbo to head home. Spurs did not have a single shot in the first half and with the pressure from the"Blues" Skipp dropped back to help Marsh. Bennetts had made some good runs beating defenders but Chelsea found ways to stop him as the half wore on.

Spurs made a change for the start of the second half replacing Shashoua with Duncan. Chelsea continued to press and Marsh was booked for holding Maddox. The visitors were getting through more and Austin was having to work hard to keep them out saving from Mount, Hudson-Odoi, Ugbo and James in the space of eight minutes.

Ugbo fired wide and Grant headed a corner wide before Spurs made their second change. Griffiths came on for Skipp to help Sterling up front. Roles came on soon after in place of Marsh to help Spurs push forward. The change quickly saw Spurs have a shot on target when Sterling had an effort saved. Austin still had to save from Ugbo and McEachran before a header from Duncan went wide.

After Castillo fired wide Spurs pulled a goal back when Duncan played in Sterling who finished low into the far corner. Mount won a penalty tangling with Oakley-Boothe just inside the box as we enetered added time. The spot-kick was delayed when a scuffle occurred between Eyoma and St.Clair that had most of the players getting involved. When the penalty kick was finally taken by McCormick it struck the left post. Spurs pushed for an equalizer but only managed a back-heel by Roles that was saved by Cumming right at the end.

This was a powerfull performance by Chelsea that should have seen them build a big lead but dogged defending by Spurs kept them in touch so that they go to Stamford Bridge on Saturday still with a chance to turn it around and prevent Chelsea from making it seven finals in eight years.

Ray

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