Premier U-18 League, Southern League, 2017-18
               Bodymoor Heath, Tamworth
           Saturday 24th March 2018, 12 noon

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

                 0(0)              5(3)

            Kieran Boucher  1  Joshua Oluwayemi
             Jake Walker(C) 2  Maximus Tainio
       Charlie McConnachie  3  Jamie Reynolds
               Lewis Brunt  4  Jamie Bowden
      Isaiah Bazely-Graham  5  Tariq Hinds
             Dominic Revan  6  Jonathan Dinzeyi
             Colin Odutayo  7  Dilan Markanday
                Jack Birch  8  Paris Maghoma
               Dimitri Sea  9  Reo Griffiths
              Mungo Bridge 10  Armando Shashoua
          Indiana Vassilev 11  Phoenix Patterson

                   Ben Guy 12  Maxwell Statham
                 (9)56Mins
                           13  Charlie Freeman
               Brad Burton 14  Rodel Richards
                 (6)89Mins     (9)62Mins
            Harrison Sohna 15  Rodel Clarke
                               (11)79Mins
              Aaron Ramsey 16  Maurizio Pochettino
                               (7)73Mins
                  Luke Ige 17
                 (3)45Mins

Scorers:-
                               Markanday 5
                               Griffiths 11
                               Maghoma 30
                               Richards 70, 80

Coaches:-
               David Hughes    Scott Parker

Referee:– Ian Jackson

Spurs travelled to Aston Villa's training ground for this re-arranged match. Because of it being an International week some players were away but Spurs fielded a strong team. Villa did not provide a team sheet so some of their players are likely be listed wrongly. Villa won their last game 2-1 against Fulham while Spurs were held to a 0-0 draw by Swansea, but lost last week 2-0 to Chelsea in the new U-18 League Cup. Villa won 1-0 at Hotspur Way earlier in the season in the U-18 league game.

Spurs lined up with Oluwayemi in goal for his first start behind Hinds and Dinzeyi with Tainio at right back and Reynolds on the left. Bowden anchored the midfield with Maghoma and Shashoua ahead of him. They were flanked by Markanday on the right and Patterson on the left in support of Griffiths up front. Maghoma wore the number 16 shirt and Patterson had the 19 shirt on with Maurizio Pochettino (Ed: Yes, the manager's son)wearing the number 8 on the bench.

Spurs defended the South end in the first half but the pace of Markanday and Patterson soon took the game to the hosts with Maghoma firing wide. Bridge fired over before Spurs took the lead. Patterson and Reynolds worked the ball down the left and Reynolds crossed for Maghoma to hit from the edge of the area. Boucher saved but Markanday was quickest to the rebound to score.

Odutayo got behind Reynolds for a clear run at Oluwayemi but the keeper saved. Maghoma ran onto a loose ball in the Villa area and went round the keeper before his effort was turned in by Griffiths at the far post. Spurs were playing through the home midfield at will, for example when Griffiths played in Markanday to fire inches wide.

Odutayo got down the right but drove wide of the far post. A Reynolds free kick came out to Bowden who flighted it to Griffiths' head for Boucher to save. Tainio crossed to the far post where Shashoua saw his effort blocked on the line. Sea had a chance saved before Griffiths headed wide from Markanday's cross.

Spurs got their third when Reynolds crossed to Griffiths whose effort was saved with the ball coming out to Maghoma who drove in. The ball hit Griffiths on the ground as it made its way into the net so there may be a dispute over who claims it. Boucher saved from Markanday as Spurs continued to press to the break.

Villa made one change for the start of the second half with Walker moving to left back to try and stop Markanday making his runs down the right. The home side pressed Spurs for the opening period with Guy turning a cross wide at the far post.

A long ball sent Patterson away down the left and his cross to Markanday saw his effort blocked. Vassilev fired wide before Spurs' first change saw Richards replace Griffiths up front. Markanday drew another save before Spurs increased their lead. Tainio crossed to the far post where Shashoua headed the ball back for Richards to head home.

With the game won Spurs make two more changes. First was Pochettino replacing Markanday on the right after the wideman had been caught late by Walker and then Clarke replaced Patterson on the left. Pochettino got down the right and his shot was parried by Boucher with Richards putting it into the net off the keeper. Birch robbed the ball on the edge of the Spurs area but fired wide as Oluwayemi came out. Spurs saw out the game for their biggest away win of the season.

It is usually a tough game at Bodymoor Heath but with over 70% possession thanks to the pace of the Spurs attack it turned into a comfortable win. Markanday and Patterson were live-wires all game and with Shashoua and Maghoma inside them they tore the Villa midfield apart and the score could have been higher. Hinds' lack of height was a small problem at the back but Dinzeyi hardly put a foot wrong.

Spurs travel to West Ham next Wednesday for another re-arranged game. The "Hammers" have not played for a month when they beat Norwich 3-0. Today's win moves Spurs up a place to sixth a point behind Leicester City who have played two games more.

Ray

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