Premier League 2, First Division, 2017-18
       Lamex Stadium, Broadhall Way, Stevenage
           Monday 18th September 2017, 7pm

              SPURS     v   SWANSEA CITY
          (White/Blue)       (All Red)
             4-1-4-1           4-4-2

               2(0)             2(0)

        Alfie Whiteman  1  Gregor Zabret
         Timothy Eyoma  2  Tyler Reid
           Jaden Brown  3  Aaron Lewis
             Luke Amos  4  Jack Evans
     Christian Maghoma  5  Cian Harries
       Japhet Tanganga  6  Joe Rodon (C)
        Marcus Edwards  7  Adam King
          Oliver Skipp  8  Adrian Maric
      Kazaiah Sterling  9  Ollie McBurnie
   Joseph Pritchard(C) 10  George Byers
      Anthony Georgiou 11  Courtney Baker-Richardson

         Shilow Tracey 12  Liam Cullen
             (9)73Mins
         Luke O'Reilly 13  Lewis Thomas
       Samuel Shashoua 14  Jordan Garrick
             (8)87Mins     (11)87Mins
       Keanan Bennetts 15  Brandon Cooper
            (11)67Mins
             Ryan Loft 16  Jack Bainbridge

Scorers:-
         Sterling 56       Tanganga (o.g.) 52
         Bennetts 80       McBurnie 76

Booked:-
         Amos 71(Foul)     King 30(Holding)
         Skipp 71(KBA)     Baker-Richardson 57(Talking)
                           Evans 70(Holding)

Coach:-
       Wayne Burnnett      Cameron Toshack

Attendance:– 494

Referee:– Christopher O'Donnell
Assistants:– Scott Williams & Lee Grimsey
Fourth Official:– Andreas Anastasiou

It was a could and cool September evening for the visit of Swansea City to Stevenage for the Development side. Swansea won their first game last week beating Derby County 5-2 having won promotion from Division 2. Spurs themselves have only won once this season losing their last game 4-1 at Everton.

Spurs lined up with Whiteman in goal behind Maghoma and Tanganga with Eyoma at right back and Brown on the left. Amos anchored the midfield with Skipp and Pritchard ahead of him flanked by Edwards on the right and Georgiou on the left in support of Sterling up front. Swansea set up like their first team at wWmbley with two banks of four and two strikers to press Spurs back line and prepared to be released on the break.

Spurs kicked off the first half attacking the North end and found the "Swans" defence hard to shake off. Pritchard fired wide having been played in by Edwards early on. Brown played in Sterling to draw a save from Zabret. The visitors found Baker-Richardson with a long ball and his effort was deflected up in the air for McBurnie to head over the advancing Whiteman, but Maghoma got back to head off the line.

Pritchard saw an effort blocked for a corner. McBurnie got past Whiteman but fired over from another ball over the top. King picked up the first booking when he pulled back Edwards to stop him going on a run. McBurnie was back to clear off his own goal line when Tanganga headed for goal from a corner. Near the break, Edwards hit a free kick into the wall after Pritchard was fouled on the edge of the area.

There were no changes for the start of the second half which began in the same fashion as the first. Swansea took the lead from a corner when Tanganga headed into his own goal. McBurnie drew a save from another corner before a long ball from Brown dropped nicely for Sterling to get clear of his marker and score at the near post for the equaliser.

Baker-Richardson, who had already been spoken to by the referee, had a go at one of his assistants which got him booked for violence of the tongue. Edwards played in Sterling who fired wide of the near post. Spurs' first change saw Bennetts replace Georgiou on the left flank.

Evans was booked for a foul on Edwards as the visitors tried to shackle him. The referee then evened the booking count by booking Amos for a foul and then Skipp for kicking the ball away as he got his card out. Spurs then made their second change with Tracey replacing Sterling up front.

Spurs were caught on the break with King finding McBurnie with a cross from the left. The striker drove low back into the far post to put the visitors back in front. Edwards came inside to fire over before Spurs equalised for a second time. Bennetts got the ball back from Brown on the left and beat one man and then a second before drilling the ball inside the far post.

Tracey fed Edwards who fired over before both sides made a substitution which confused the announcer as both fourteens came on. Shashoua replaced Skipp as they went for a winner while Swansea freshened up their attack. With Spurs pushing for a winner the "Swans" played long balls out for their strikers. McBurnie fired over from a corner and also had a shot saved at the end of added time.

Spurs came up against a strong defence who were well drilled to prevent Spurs breaking through keeping a high line and countering when they could. Spurs could not break them down and had to come from behind twice when they countered. As on Saturday Swansea deserved their point due to the solid defending which held Spurs at bay. The next game for the Development side will be on Friday when they return to Merseyside to play Liverpool at Anfield. Liverpool top the table after beating West Ham 2-0 away this evening.

Ray

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