FA Youth Cup, 4th Round
   Loftus Road Stadium. South Africa Rd.
      Tuesday 10th January 2017, 7pm.

         Q.P.R.    v      SPURS
      (White/Blue)     (All Yellow)
        4-2-3-1          4-1-4-1

          1(1)             4(2)

Marcin Brzozowski  1  Brandon Austin
   Brandon Barzey  2  Timothy Eyoma
   Caden Genovesi  3  Nicholas Tsaroulla
    Michael Klass  4  George Marsh(C)
       Jake Eales  5  Jonathan Dinzeyi
   Charlie Fox(C)  6  Japhat Tanganga
 Jardel
 Francis-Adeyinka  7  Samuel Shashoua
        AJ Folkes  8  Jack Roles
   Kingsley Eshun  9  Kazaiah Sterling
    Romeo Akinola 10  Dylan Duncan
    Joshua Bowler 11  Reo Griffiths

  Rhys
  Springer-Downes 12  Jamie Reynolds
        (2)67Mins     (8)82Mins
     Myles Bowman 13  Alfie Whiteman
     Aiden Mesias 14  Oliver Skipp
        (4)59Mins
      Mikel Platt 15  Tashan Oakley-Boothe
        (9)59Mins     (10)67Mins
  Leandro Ribeiro 16  Keanan Bennetts
                      (11)74Mins

Scorers:-   
         Eshun 45     Roles 24, 46
                      Griffiths 37
                      Marsh 73

Booked:-
  Folkes 25(Late)
 Akinola 44(Late)

Coaches:-
       P. Furlong     N. Gibbs

Attendance:– 647

Referee:– L. Wood
Assistants:- T. Bishop & T. Danaher
Fourth Official:– N. Morrison

Spurs travelled to Loftus Road on a cool evening for the fourth round tie which had to be settled on the day. Rangers beat Swindon 3-1 in the last round while Spurs beat Stevenage 10-1. This was Spurs U-18s' first game since they won the IMG Cup in Florida before Christmas as Saturday's league match at Aston Villa had been moved. The crowd was boosted by the vocal 1882 group who were in good voice.

Spurs lined up with Austin behind Dinzeyi and Tanganga with Eyoma at right back and Tsaroulla on the left. Marsh anchored the midfield with Roles and Duncan ahead of him flanked by Shashoua on the right and Griffiths on the left in support of Sterling up front. It was good to see Shashoua on the pitch as he had ended the IMG Cup with a protective boot due to injury in the game against the US U-17 national team. Also injured in the same game had been Bennetts who was fit enough for the subs' bench.

Spurs made a strong start to the first half, showing pace and passing quickly. They were cutting through the Rangers' midfield and putting their defence under pressure. From an early corner Tanganga drew a save from his header. Shashoua crossed for Griffiths to fire wide at the far post. Bowler got forward to fire wide for the home side. Eyoma got down the right and put the ball into the middle where three Spurs players all had touches but Sterling's effort was blocked.

Chances kept coming with Roles having a shot blocked having been played in by Sterling, and then drawing a save when getting on the end of a pass from Shashoua. Tanganga had another header over the bar from a corner. Griffiths had a header saved from an Eyoma cross and Roles played in Sterling for an effort that was saved. Pressure finally told when Sterling played in Roles to open the scoring.

Rangers lost the ball from the kick-off leading to a booking but they did respond to the Spurs goal with Fox heading wide from a corner while Akinola saw his free kick deflected for a corner. When Brzozowski came out quickly to clear a through ball it fell to Tsaroulla who tried to lift it over the stranded keeper but his shot was off target. A flowing move saw Shashoua pass to Roles who played in Sterling for an effort that was wide. Another move down the right saw Duncan pass inside the full back for Sterling to cross for Griffiths to score at the far post for 2-0.

Spurs were so much in so much control, but they gave away a goal in the last minute of the half. It actually came from a Spurs free kick when Akinola was booked for a late tackle on Roles just inside the Spurs half. With players pushing forward on the edge of the Rangers' area Roles hit the kick square which was picked up by Francis-Adeyinka who released Ehun for a one-on-one with Austin to give the home fans something to cheer. Spurs quickly responded when Duncan drew a save fom Brzozowski before the break.

There were no changes for the start of the second half which saw Spurs quickly regain their two-goal lead. It was timed at 23 seconds when Sterling was blocked on the right with the ball picked up by Shashoua who played in Roles making a late run to the far post for a simple finish.

Francis-Adeyinka hit a free kick wide before Duncan hit a cross-field ball to Shashoua who was in the clear on the right. The wide-man advanced and cut inside before forcing a save from Brzozowski. Marsh had a 25 yard effort fly over before Rangers made a double change. One of the new players, Mesias, fired over at the far post before Spurs made their first change with Oakley-Boothe replacing Duncan in midfield.

Francis-Adeyinka headed over from a free kick before Platt fired wide from Bowler's cross. Tsaroulla played in Sterling on the left but Brzozowski saved and when the ball came back to the full back his shot was blocked with the ball looping up into the six yard box. Marsh got to it first to head in number four.

With the tie settled Spurs made more changes with Bennetts replacing Griffiths on the left and Roles making way for Reynolds in midfield. Shashoua saw his deflected effort saved before Reynolds failed to reach a cross from Sterling. A good run by Bowler finished with a shot wide. Tsaroulla got down the left before playing in Reynolds to draw a save. An Oakley-Boothe effort won a corner as Spurs kept going to the end with Tanganga having the last chance heading over a Bennetts cross following that corner.

Another good performance from Spurs saw them progress into the next round where they have a home tie against Norwich City who beat Burnley 3-1. This should provide a better test for Spurs as they beat them 3-2 earlier in the season. Spurs have been inproving as the season has progressed with only the lack of goals from Sterling being the missing ingredient. If he starts hitting the net regularly to add to his assists Spurs should add to the IMG Cup this season. With the Swansea home game also moved for this cup-tie the next game is the NLD against Arsenal at London Colney. This will be behind closed doors with limited access, hopefully I will be able to get in.

Ray

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