Premier League U-18 Cup, Group E, 2017-18
         Hotspur Way, Bulls Cross, Enfield
        Saturday 2nd November 2017, 12 noon

            SPURS      v    ASTON VILLA
         (White/Blue)      (Claret/Blue)
           4-1-4-1            4-2-3-1

             4(2)               1(1) 

    Jonathan De Bie(C) 1  Emmanuel Idem
       Rayan Clarke    2  Jake Walker(C)
     Jamie Reynolds    3  Mungo Bridge
       Jamie Bowden    4  Jack Birch
    Maxwell Statham    5  Ethan Patterson
        Tariq Hinds    6  Isaiah Granham
     Rodel Richards    7  Colin Otutayo
  Phoenix Patterson    8  Lewis Brunt
      Reo Griffiths    9  Dimitri Sea
   Armando Shashoua   10  Michael Tait
J'neil Lloyd-Bennett  11  Indiana Vasillev

     Maximus Tainio   12  Callum Stretch
                          (5)65Mins
   Joshua Oluwayemi   13  Kieran Boucher
          (1)75Mins
    Jeremie Mukendi   14  Ben Guy
                          (9)75Mins
    Dilan Markanday   15  Luke Ige
          (7)84Mins
Maurizio Pochettino   16  Jacob Ramsey
          (9)75Mins       (11)82Mins

Scorers:-
 Richards 9, 66, 72       Vasillev 5
 Lloyd-Bennett 37

Booked:-
    Bowden 49(Foul)       Birch 68(Foul)
                          Walker 69(Foul) 

Coach:-
       Scott Parker       David Hughes 

Referee:– Simon Parbery
Assistants:- Jack Oxenham & Ahmad Rafique

It was a chilly bright morning for the last group game in the new Premier League Cup with Spurs in with a chance of progressing to the knockout stage. Spurs have one win against Leicester City who also have a win which was against the visitors who have lost both games. Villa have had the better of results against Spurs in recent seasons beating the home side earlier in the season 1-0 in the league game.

Spurs lined up with De Bie in goal behind Statham and Hinds with Clarke at right back and Reynolds on the left. Bowden was the defensive midfielder behind Patterson and Shashoua with Richards on the right and Lloyd-Bennett on the left in support of Griffiths up front. With no other game for a week it seemed a weak side to put out for an important game.

Spurs kicked off the first half attacking the South end and pushed players forward in search of goals and were caught out when a break by Otutayo down the left saw Vasillev score at the far post. That lead did not last long as Griffiths played in Richards to turn and hit a low drive into the net.

Spurs kept pressing and Lloyd-Bennett crossed from the left for Clarke to head weakly at goal. Otutayo got forward to draw a save before a blocked shot by Lloyd-Bennett was met by Richards but Idem saved. Sea got past Staham but shot wide. A cross by Patterson was headed over by Clarke.

Griffiths started a move passing on to Richards who laid it off to Shashoua who played in Griffths to shoot wide with the striker firing wide minutes later. De Bie was out quickly to save at the feet of Sea when Villa broke again. Patterson and Lloyd-Bennett drew saves from Idem before Richards put the ball into the net after Lloyd-Bennett's effort was saved but it was ruled offside.

Phoenix Patterson had another effort saved before Vasillev broke clear to win a corner from De Bie's save. A long crossfield ball by Patterson to Clarke saw the full back cross from the right which cleared two white shirts before arriving at Lloyd-Bennett's feet and he drove it low into the net to put Spurs ahead. After Griffiths fired wide when played in by Shashoua, Sea out-muscled Staham to draw a save from De Bie. The last chance of the half fell to Shashoua who drew a save from Lloyd-Bennett's cross.

There were no changes for the start of the second half which saw an early chance for Clarke at the far post from a run and cross by Lloyd-Bennett. Bowden was booked for a late challenge before Patterson played in Clarke for an effort that was saved. Graham drew a save from distance before Patterson again played in Clarke who fired wide.

Richards had an effort blocked that ran to Patterson which was also blocked but the ball fell kindly for Richards to drill home and increase Spurs lead. Villa picked up a couple of yellow cards for heavy challenges as they saw the game going away from them before Richards completed his hat-trick firing home after Clarke's effort was blocked.

With the game won, Spurs made a double substitution with Pochettino coming on for Griffiths going to the right side, and Oluwayemi replaced De Bie in goal. With Spurs looking to see out the game Villa pushed forward and Blunt fired wide. Markanday came on for Richards before Tait shot wide and Reynolds had to clear off the line following a corner to the far post. Otudayo drew a save at the end from Oluwayemi.

The result sees Spurs progress into the next phase of the Cup as one of the two best second placed clubs. It was a very attack-minded side that did their job, but they did look vulnerable at the back when Villa countered. It was a well taken hat-trick by Richards and a good performance from Lloyd-Bennett topped off with a goal. There was good work from Shashoua in the middle and Reynolds who got forward with Bowden for most of the game. This did mean that they were not protecting the defence when Villa broke forward.

Ray

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