FA Youth Cup, Round 3, 2017-18
       Hotspur Way, Bulls Cross, Enfield
        Tuesday 12th December 2017, 2pm

            SPURS     v    PRESTON N.E.
        (White/Blue)       (All Yellow)
           4-1-4-1           4-2-3-1

             5(2)              0(0)

  Jonathan De Bie(C)  1  James Cottam
       Tariq Hinds    2  Lewis Fensome(C)
    Jamie Reynolds    3  Kamol Campbell
      Oliver Skipp    4  Jack Baxter
Brooklyn Lyons-Foster 5  Tom Stead
     Timothy Eyoma    6  Charlie Lyons
    Rodel Richards    7  Kian Smart
     Paris Maghoma    8  Oscar O'Neil
     Reo Griffiths    9  Harry Garstang
 Phoenix Patterson   10  Adam O'Reilly
J'neil Lloyd-Bennett 11  Michael Howard

   Dilan Markanday   12  Jack Armer
        (10)66Mins
  Joshua Oluwayemi   13  Callum Lenton
      Jamie Bowden   14  Alex Wood
         (4)89Mins       (7)56Mins
  Jonathan Dinzeyi   15  Ethan Walker
         (2)72Mins       (9)56Mins
  Armando Shashoua   16  Darren Brannigan
                         (11)82Mins

Scorers:-
    Maghoma 19
    Richards 39, 64, 85
    Patterson 52 

Booked:-
    Lyons 62

Coach:-
    Scott Parker         Nick Harrison

Attendance:- 78

Referee:– I. Gelov
Assistants:– F. Hallam & K. Woods
Fourth Official:– P. Yates

It was a cold afternoon with the game switched from Stevenage to the training ground where the first team's training pitch was used. This meant spectators had to go through the security gate separating the Academy from the first team. Last season Preston beat Everton on the way to the quarter-finals losing to Stoke while Spurs went one step further making the semi-final losing heavily to Chelsea. Preston are having a good season so far only losing three games all season and in three cup competitions.

Spurs were unchanged from Saturdays 4-4 draw with Chelsea. De Bie was in goal behind Eyoma and Lyons-Foster with Hinds at right back and Reynolds on the left. Skipp anchored the midfield with Maghoma and Patterson ahead of them flanked by Richards on the right and Lloyd-Bennett on the left in support of Griffiths up front. Markanday and Dinzeyi returning from injuries were the only changes on the bench.

Spurs defended the North end in the first half which began with both sides jockeying for control. Spurs settled into their passing game while the visitors worked hard to close down and win the ball. Preston had the first chance from a free kick by Howard that was hit over the goal. Spurs took the lead when Lloyd-Bennett got down the left and pulled the ball back for Maghoma to fire into the top right-hand corner.

Preston responded with Garstang playing in Howard to draw a save from De Bie. De Bie saved from O'Neil before Richards hit an effort across the goalmouth. Maghoma picked up the ball in the centre circle and advanced to hit the crossbar with a rising shot. Cottam saved from Richards before the Spurs man turned in Griffiths' centre at the near post to double the lead. Just before the break Skipp played in Griffiths to draw a save.

There were no changes for the start of the second half which saw De Bie save from Baxter early on. Patterson - coming in from the right - drew a save, before being on hand to collect a loose ball from a challenge on Griffiths to drill in number three for Spurs.

Preston made a double change in an attempt to get back into the game. Howard fired another free kick over before Lyons was booked for a foul on Maghoma. Richards got his second and Spurs' fourth turning in Lloyd-Bennett's cross from what looked like on the line. Spurs made their first change with Markanday replacing Patterson on the right flank allowing Richards to move inside.

Dinzeyi was next on replacing Hinds, going into the centre of the back line with Lyons-Foster moving to right back. O'Reilly won a corner with his effort saved by De Bie as Spurs sought to see out the game. Markanday played in Richards to complete his hat-trick with Spurs' fifth goal. Bowden replaced Skipp as the midfield anchor and Markanday came inside to draw a save from Cottam in added time.

This was a good performance from Spurs which saw Richards score his second hat-trick this month. Since losing 6-0 at Arsenal Spurs have scored 13 goals in three games conceding 5. Preston were not blown away today as they competed but Spurs were a level above them. Lloyd-Bennett provided two assists, one of which could have gone in if Richards had not intervened and was eager for the ball on his flank. Skipp also had a good game getting forward and providing some lovely passes.

Spurs travel to Bournemouth (who beat Hull 3-0) in the fourth round sometime in January. I believe Spurs will be going to Dubai sometime over the Christmas break before the league resumes with a home fixture against Leicester City on the 5th January.

Ray

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