FA Youth Cup 2016-17, 6th Round 
           St.James Park, Newcastle
        Monday 27th, February 2017, 7pm

    NEWCASTLE UTD    V   TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
    (Black/White)          (All Yellow)
       4-2-3-1               4-1-4-1

         3(0)                  5(2)

      Nathan Harker  1  Brandon Austin
        Ben Kitchen  2  Timothy Eyoma
       Kieran Aplin  3  Nicholas Tsaroulla
    Matty Longstaff  4  George Marsh(C)
        Owen Bailey  5  Jonathan Dinzeyi
       Lewis Gibson  6  Japhat Tanganga
     Owen Gallacher  7  Samuel Shashoua
     Mace Goodridge  8  Oliver Skipp
       Lewis McNall  9  Reo Griffiths
       Thomas Allan 10  Tashan Oakley-Boothe
        Adam Wilson 11  Keanan Bennetts

       Callum Smith 12  Tariq Hinds
         (10)67Mins
     Otto Huuhtanen 13  Alfie Whiteman
   Mackenzie Heaney 14  Dylan Duncan
          (8)77Mins     (9)72Mins
         Lewis Cass 15  Jack Roles
      Kelland Watts 16  Kazaiah Sterling
                        (11)28Mins

Scorers:-
McNall 49pen, 83 Bennetts 2
Gallacher 86            Griffiths 6
                        Sterling 64
                        Tanganga 85
                        Duncan 90+1

Booked:-
  Longstaff 81(Foul)

Coaches:-
           D. Watson    J. McDermott

Attendance:– 2847

Referee:– D. Webb
Assistants:– G.Fyvie & R. Wootton
Fourth Official:– G. Hart

Spurs travelled to Newcastle on a cold rainy evening for the sixth round of the FA Youth Cup knowing that the winners would face Chelsea in the two legged semi-final next month. Newcastle got here by beating local rivals Sunderland 4-3 while Spurs beat Norwich City 2-0.

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 and Shashoua on the right flank with Bennetts on the left in support of Griffiths up front. Two-goal full back Hinds was on the bench along with Sterling who has scored in every round with an impressive seven goals.

Spurs kicked off the first half attacking the Gallowgate end and soon had the home side in trouble as the could not hold the Spurs widemen. Spurs won a corner in the first minute when an Oakley-Boothe effort was deflected for a corner. Bennetts went across to take the right sided corner which came to nothing but the wideman was still on th right side when he was played in. He advanced coming inside to hit a shot that beat Harker at his near post for an early lead.

It was soon 2-0 when Bennetts got down the left and crossed to the near post. Harker could not hold it and it fell to Griffiths. His first attempt was blocked but he had a second chance which he put away. Spurs were well on top during this half with Newcastle having little possession. Wilson did get down the left but his shot went across goal not troubling Austin. Shashoua just failed to connect with another Bennetts cross before he drew a save with a deflected effort.

Bennetts was caught by Aplin on the right and had to be replaced by Sterling who went up front with Griffiths moving to the left. Dinzeyi headed wide from a corner before Newcastle rallied towards the end of the half. McNall fire wide and Gibson headed wide from a corner but the half finished with Sterling firing wide from a Shashoua cross.

There were no changes for the start of the second half but the home side came out all fired up closing down Spurs quickly and getting challenges in. Four minutes in and they won a penalty when Gallacher beat two defenders on the left before Tanganga fouled him in the area. McNall took the spot kick sending Austin the wrong way firing into the bottom right corner.

Spurs responded with Tanganga heading over from a corner before Griffiths had an effort blocked on the edge of the area and Sterling fired in the loose ball on the turn to regain the two goal lead.

As both sides contemplated changes Dinzeyi headed wide from a free kick. Duncan replaced Griffiths in midfield before the only booking of the match was given to Longstaff as he stopped Sterling getting away from him. McNall ran onto a long ball from Heaney between Dinzeyi and Tanganga but Austin was out quickly to block. Newcastle pulled another goal back when McNall scored from Heaney's free kick.

Shashoua advanced to play the ball to Oakley-Boothe who played in Sterling to fire wide. From a corner Dinzeyi saw his effort cleared off the line but Tanganga followed up to put the ball in the net for 4-2. Amazingly Newcastle replied within seconds as they put the ball into the area for Gallacher to head in to renew the home side's hope of turning the game round.

Austin saved from McNall and the following corner was headed wide. Spurs made the game safe in added time when Sterling advanced through the middle before playing Duncan in on the left to fire in for number five. There was no coming back for the young"Magpies" who had the last chance of the game when Gibson got forward to fire wide.

This was a good win for Spurs who dominated the early exchanges with Bennetts and Shashoua causing the problems until Bennetts had to go off. The gulf between the two sides was more than the two goal margin, but the home side made a spirited fightback. Spurs now face Chelsea (who have already won the Southern Academy League) in the two legged semi-final. The first leg will be at home. The last time these two met in the semi-final was in 2015 when Harrison gave Spurs a two goal advantage going into the return at Stamford Bridge. The "Blues" were able to turn it around winning 5-4 on aggregate going on to lift the Cup.

Ray

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