Premier League 2, First Division, 2017-18
     Lamex Stadium, Broadhall Way, Stevenage
          Friday 25th August 2017, 7pm

            SPURS      v    MANCHESTER UTD
        (White/Blue)         (Red/White)
           4-1-4-1             4-2-3-1

             3(3)               0(0)

       Brandon Austin  1  Theo Richardson
        Timothy Eyoma  2  Matthew Olosunde
      Keanan Bennetts  3  Luke Shaw
         Oliver Skipp  4  Tyrell Warren
          Jaden Brown  5  Axel Tuanzebe
      Japhet Tanganga  6  Ethan Hamilton
       Marcus Edwards  7  Josh Bouli
   Joseph Pritchard(C) 8  Scott McTominay(C)
     Kazaiah Sterling  9  James Wilson
            Luke Amos 10  Indy Boonen
        Shilow Tracey 11  Demetri Mitchell

            Ryan Loft 12  Tom Sang
            (9)77Mins
        Luke O'Reilly 13  Max Johnstone
         Dylan Duncan 14  Callum Whelan
           (10)63Mins
      Samuel Shashoua 15  DJ Buffonge
           (11)86Mins     (9)77Mins
         George Marsh 16  Charlie Scott

Scorers:-
         Edwards 9 
         Tanganga 11
         Pritchard 23

Booked:-
      Pritchard 58(Foul)   Shaw 86(Foul)
      Amos 63(UGC)
      Skipp 82(Foul)

Coach:-
      Wayne Barrett        Ricky Sbragia

Attendance:– 1,193

Referee:– Daniel Middleton
Assistants:– Paul Lister & Shaun Farrer
Fourth Official:– Tom Fell

It was a warm evening for Spurs' second home game of the week with Manchester United the visitors to Stevenage. Spurs lost on Monday 3-2 to West Ham, having gone two up in the first half, while United drew 1-1 with Swansea thanks to a late equaliser. Last season Spurs drew 1-1 with United at Hotspur Way.

Spurs lined up with Austin behind Brown and Tanganga with Eyoma at right back and Bennetts on the left. Skipp anchored the midfield with Pritchard and Amos ahead of him with Edwards on the right and Tracey on the left in support of Sterling up front. United gave Shaw a start on his continuing comeback trail while Tuanzebe, Olosunde and Wilson also made starts, having featured last season in the United first team when Mourinho was saving his best players for the Europa League.

Spurs kicked off the first half attacking the South end with both sides passing the ball. Eary United pressure saw Boonen draw a save from Austin before Edwards slipped in Pritchard on the left for a chance that he missed. However, United failed to clear the ball and Edwards cut in from the right and curled the ball past Richardson into the far side of the net for the opening goal.

Spurs pressed the United back line causing them to give the ball away and when they won a corner on the left Pritchard found the head of Tanganga to increase their lead. Spurs continued to press so that United hardly got out of their own half and the pressure told when Pritchard played a one two with Eyoma to slip the ball under Richardson from a tight angle for number three inside 25 minutes.

A storming run by Brown out from the back was ended by an unfair blocking tackle to win a free kick which was hit well over by Edwards. United raised their game in an attempt to reduce the arrears before half-time with Hamilton drawing a save from Boonen's cross. Mitchell hit a free kick wide and Wilson also fired wide when Boonen played him in as the visitors failed to find the net before the break.

There were no changes for the start of the second half which saw Spurs open up the United defence in the opening minute when Sterling crossed for Tracey to draw Richardson before shooting wide. Minutes later Tracey had another chance but curled it wide of the near post. Bouli forced a good save from Austin in front of the aptly named Austin Stand. The ball was quickly moved upfield with Bennetts playing in Edwards to fire wide.

Tracey robbed Warren and played in Sterling to net but he was ruled offside. Skipp blocked a drive by Boonen before Amos headed wide from a cross by Eyoma. The referee booked Pritchard for a collection of niggly fouls and then Amos went into his book for holding on to the ball after Tracey had conceded a foul and the United skipper complained. Amos was replaced shortly after by Duncan which had more to do with him having just come back from injury than the threat of a second card.

It looked like Spurs had settled for the three goals and were just going to see the game out which allowed United to begin to put pressure on them. McTominay headed wide from a corner and Wilson shot well wide from Shaw's cross. Austin had to save from Wilson when his effort was deflected. Mitchell fired over and then Wilson saw his shot saved and Mitchell's follow up blocked for a corner.

Austin saved from Wilson and then Boonen before both sides made a change. Loft replaced Sterling up front and Spurs began to hit long balls for him to chase. Skipp was the next to be booked. Again the referee indicated it was for a number of fouls that added up. Shaw was the only United player to be booked as he stopped Duncan going clear. Spurs made their last change with Shashoua replacing Tracey. Mitchell got to the line on the right and pulled the ball back for Olosunde to crash a shot onto the near post and Hamilton drove the loose ball wide. Spurs held out for the final whistle to keep a clean sheet and pick up their first points of the season.

This was a good attacking performance by Spurs and they could have scored more than the three goals if they had continued to attack as well as they did in the early stages. Thinking the game was won they allowed United to attempt to stage one of their comebacks that the youngsters had suffered many times before. We all remember the game at WHL when Spurs were 3-0 up at half-time only to lose 5-3. This United side were not that good and Spurs were able to see the game out. The whole side played well and made few mistakes and young Skipp continues to impress in front of the back four.

The next game for the U-23's is away to Everton on Monday 11th September. I still do not know if this will be at Goodison or Southport, but I will be in Liverpool for the weekend as the first team will be at Goodison on the Saturday.

Ray

Follow @spursodyssey