Pre-Season Friendly
           Paul McCarthy Testimonial
           Ebbsfleet United Stadium
       Stonebridge Road, Northfleet, Kent
          Saturday 15th July 2017, 3pm

Ebbsfleet United  3(1) – 1(0)   Tottenham Hotspur
    (Red/White)                   (White/Blue)

"The Fleet"(4-4-2):– Ashmore; Connors(Mambo 71), Winfield(C), Clark(Graham 71), Powell(Rance 64); Drury(Coulson 46), Weston(Cook 51), Payne, McQueen(McLean71); Mills(Kedwell 64), Magri(Shields 71)

Unused Sub:– Miles

Scorers:– McQueen 16, Coulson 52, Kedwell pen 88.

Spurs(4-1-4-1):- De Bie(Freeman 71); Eyoma(Lock 71), Maghoma(C), Tanganga, Bennetts; Amos; Harrison, Shashoua(Duncan 46), Pritchard(Roles 60, Tracey; Loft(Hinds 69)

Scorer:– Harrison 56

Attendance:– 2,130

Referee:– Jack Packman
Assistants:– Jack Mottram & Ricky Adams
Fourth Official:– Lee Dyson

Spurs have long links to Ebbsfleet, using it as a nursery club back when it was called Northfleet. I have been to a couple of friendly games there before, and Shilow Tracey was signed from them less than two years ago. "The Fleet" as they are known had two former young Spurs in their squad today. Darren McQueen, a lively striker who was blighted by injury at Spurs and keeper Jonathan Miles on the bench. They have recently been taken over and money has been put into the club with a new almost completed south stand and plans for another in the pipeline. I am not sure how welcomed the new owners are as a number of smoke bombs were thrown onto the pitch at half-time.

Spurs lined up with De Bie in goal behind Maghoma and Tanganga with Eyoma at right back and Bennetts on the left with Amos screening them. Shashoua and Pritchard were central midfield with Harrison on the right flank and Tracey on the left in support of Loft up front. New development coach Wayne Burnett was looking to use all the players in the squad and there were a lot of the training staff with John McDermott in the stand. (Ed:- Recently appointed academy coach Scott Parker was also in the stand)

Spurs defended the East end (where most of the Spurs fans were) in the first half and De Bie was called on to save from Payne in the first minute when he was set up by McQueen. Harrison's ball into Loft was blocked with Tracey firing the loose ball wide for a corner. The corner was short before finding Harrison at the far post to hit wide.

A long ball was not cut out by Maghoma and fell kindly for McQueen but Eyoma got back to tackle in time. Seconds later Harrison played the ball into Loft but his effort was blocked. Powell fired over from a corner before the home side took the lead. Connors ran onto a diagonal pass out to the wing and his deep cross was turned in off via the far post by McQueen for a goal he enjoyed.

When Payne fouled Bennetts on the edge of the area Shashoua took the free kick hitting it over. Weston crossed from the right for McQueen who could not make contact as it went for a corner. When Amos conceded a free kick on the edge of the area Powell curled it into the near side hitting the post. Spurs continued to attack with Pritchard firing wide and Ashmore tipping Bennetts' effort wide of the far post for a corner. Loft fired wide before the last chance of the half was headed over by Weston from Mills' cross.

Both sides made one change for the second half with Spurs replacing Shashoua with Duncan and Ebbsfleet bringing on Coulson.

Spurs were caught out by a long ball over the top in the first minute which reached McQueen, but De Bie saved with a strong left hand. Bennetts continued to get forward from his left back position and drew another save from Ashmore. Weston fired over just before he was replaced and Ebbsfleet got a second goal. It came from a cross from the right that was headed out but fell to Coulson outside the area and his low drive beat the unsighted De Bie.

Spurs pulled a goal back in almost identical circumstances four minutes later. Bennetts' cross from the left was headed out to Harrison on the edge of the area and his low strike beat Ashmore to nestle in the corner of the net. Duncan crossed for Tracey to win a corner when his header was saved.

Roles replaced Pritchard in midfield as Duncan began to play some lovely balls into the danger area. Duncan slipped Loft in on the right of the area but the striker fired wide. McQueen headed wide from Magri's ball before Spurs made another change. Loft came off with Hinds coming on at left back allowing Bennetts to move forward into midfield and Tracey going up front.

Tanganga hit a long range effort over before the last of the substitutions were made as Ebbsfleet made four and Spurs two at the same time – too many for the fourth official to indicate with his board. Freeman took over in goal from De Bie and Lock replaced Eyoma at right back.

As the game restarted Coulson hit a long ball to McLean catching out the Spurs defence but he hit it over the bar. Kedwell headed wide from a corner before Spurs found the net again. Amos won the ball in his own half and fed Bennetts who struck a fierce drive that Ashmore could not hold. Tracey hit the loose ball that Ashmore got a touch on for Roles to turn in at the far post but the flag was raised on the far side for offside. The game was settled when Rance hit the ball into Tanganga's midriff and the defender handled it to concede a penalty. Kedwell stepped up to beat Freeman diving to his right. There was still time for Coulson to try and beat Freeman from forty yards but the keeper managed to tip the ball wide as he back-peddled furiously.

Spurs showed some nice touches but lacked sharpness and slow reactions to quick balls played past them. Both sides played entertaining football in good spirit without any bad tackles. Bennetts, Pritchard and Duncan did well and I am sure the squad will be better at Cambridge United in their next game.

Ray

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