U-18 Premier League Cup 2017-18
     Belvoir Drive, Aylestone, Leicester
    Saturday 16th September 2017, 11.30am

Leicester City 1(0) – 2(2)  Tottenham Hotspur
  (Blue/White)                (White/Blue)

Spurs Team(4-1-4-1);– De Bie(C); Lock, Statham(Omolabi 72), Lyons-Foster, Reynolds; Bowden; Patterson(Mukendi,68), Maghoma, Shashoua, Markanday; Richards (Pochettino,83).

Unused Subs:- Oluwayemi, Tainio

Scorer:- Markanday 2, 12 Coach:– Scott Parker

Leicester Team:– Only the following known – Stolarczyk(G); Thandi, Ughelumba, Heaven, Tee, Leshabela(C), Shade, Brown

Scorer:– Leshabela 68 (pen)

Booked:– No.6 79(Foul)

Coach – Trevor Peake

Spurs travelled to Leicester on an overcast morning to play the first game in the newly invented U-18 cup competition. It replaces the merit stage of the previous two seasons. Spurs played the"Foxes" a month ago in the league and suffered a 4-2 defeat when they had taken the lead, before two mistakes turned the game in favour of the hosts. Both sides made changes to their line-ups, but I could not find out details due to no teamsheets being supplied and despite making further searches.

Spurs lined up with De Bie in goal behind Maxwell Statham making his first start and Lyons-Foster with Lock at right back and Reynolds on the left. Bowden anchored the midfield with Maghoma and Shashoua ahead of him flanked by Patterson on the right and Markanday on the left (the opposite to the last meeting), in support of Richards up front. Maurizio Pochettino and Maximus Tainio were include on the bench.

Spurs kicked off attacking the North end at pace moving the ball quickly using the width of the pitch to stretch the Leicester defence. The hosts had the first chance when De Bie saved from the left winger in the first minute. The speed of Spurs' attacks was causing the home defence problems and they should have had a penalty when Lock was caught by Heaven on the left but the ref said play on. It did not matter as Spurs were soon in front. Patterson hit a screamer from the right that hit the far post and Markanday headed in the rebound.

The lead was doubled ten minutes later when Patterson again fired in from the right. This time Stolarczyk saved but could not hold it and Markanday again knocked in the loose ball. The keeper did keep his side in it minutes later when he saved first from Lyons-Foster and then blocked the follow up by Markanday.

A save from Reynolds' free kick and a long range effort from the same player followed as well as a save from an effort by Richards before De Bie was called on to save from Tee conceding a corner. Leicester began to get into the game and could have scored when the ball was headed back by Heaven at the far post and De Bie collided with Lock, dropping the ball but he was able to recover quickly to block from Tee. Tee was played through the right channel but his effort hit the near post. Heaven again headed back at the far post but De Bie saved the resultant strike to see Spurs go in 2-0 at the break.

There were no changes for the start of the second half which began with Leicester looking to get forward more. Shade set up a chance that was put over the bar. De Bie saved from Leshabela and another chance went wide. When the ball went across the Spurs area Lock was going to clear it but pulled up as Leshabela came in. The Leicester captain still went down and the ref blew for a penalty. Leshabela took the kick himself scoring inside the left post beating the keeper's dive.

Spurs took off Patterson for Mukendi as a second striker. Maghoma hit a free kick wide of the far post and Richards fired wide before Spurs made their second change replacing Statham with Omolabi at the back. Brown hit a free kick over before Leicester picked up the only yellow of the game when Richards was pulled back so blatantly that he had no option. Maghoma had another free kick which was deflected wide for a corner before he played in Richards for a chance that was saved also for a corner.

Spurs made their last change taking off Richards for Pochettino who went to the left side allowing Markanday to move to the right. Markanday immediately had a shot that was deflected for a corner. Lock blocked a shot by Shade before Maghoma fired over. Shade tried an overhead kick which was saved by De Bie, tipping it over the bar. Shade played in Brown to hit the far post and Spurs cleared. Markanday played in Mukendi for a chance that was saved with Leshabela having the final chance firing over deep into added time.

This was another good performance from Spurs with quick-fire goals that Leicester were unable to overcome. Apart from the penalty decisions in their favour Leicester did not get the luck they had in the previous meeting. It was hard on Matthew Lock as the Leicester coach admitted that he would have got the penalty with another ref. Fulham beat Aston Villa 4-0 in the other group match to top the group on goals. Spurs play Fulham at Hotspur Way next on the 4th November.

Ray

Follow @spursodyssey