U-15/16 Showcase Game
      Cambs Glass Stadium, Cambridge
      Tuesday 24th October 2017, 7pm

    CAMBRIDGE UTD   V   TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
    (Yellow/Black)        (White/Blue)
        4-4-2               4-1-4-1

         1(0)                 3(1)

Cambridge team unknown. Scorer was the sub No.12.

Scorer:- No.12, 80 mins

Spurs:– Kurylowicz; Gray(Forson 60), Walcott, Binks, Cirkin; White(C); Glean, Forson(Haysman 46), Madueke, Bennett; Asante

Scorers:– White 34, Glean 49, Madueke 80+2

Attendance:– 678

These games which are not advertised by Spurs tend to be promoted by the home club. The idea is to give the youngsters an audience for their blooming talents. I have been to a few and they are games that earn the home club a little money (I hope), and which can be very entertaining. Because of this I was surprised that Cambridge would not issue a team sheet for the game and I have had to delay writing this report while hunting around for information. Thanks to C.Raynor for providing names.

Spurs lined up with Kurylowicz in goal behind Walcott and Binks with Gray at right back and Cirkin on the left. White anchored the midfield with Forson and Madueke ahead of him flanked by Glean on the right and Bennett on the left in support of Asante up front. Asante and Binks played in the U-17 game last season at Aston Villa while Forson and Haysman are current U-14 players.

Spurs kicked off attacking the North end in the first half and quickly showed their professional organisation dominating the game from beginning to end. Bennett had an early chance that he put wide from a cross by Gray. Madueke drew the first save of the game shooting low from the edge of the area followed swiftly by Bennett firing wide. Madueke was wide before Forson forced a save.

With Bennett firing wide and Madueke drawing a save we saw Asante hit the bar after the keeper dropped a deep centre by White. Binks had a chance blocked on the line when Walcott headed a corner goalwards. Cirkin got down the left and played the ball back for Madueke to lay off for Forson to draw a save .

Spurs finally beat the keeper when White took a free kick just outside the area on the left. His first kick was blocked by the wall but he hit a low volley into the far corner from the rebound. Kurylowicz finally had a save to make two minutes before the end of the half to reflect the strong defensive display.

Haysman replaced Forson in midfield for the start of the second half which continued like the first. Madueke laid off the ball for Asante to hit over from a corner before United fired wide. Glean won a corner from which he got Spurs second goal as the corner to the far post was played back across the six yard line and the wide man bundled it in.

Forson returned in place of Gray as Cambridge made a couple of changes coming more into the game. They headed over from a corner before Madueke hit the underside of the bar with a powerful hit that bounced out. Bennett combined with Madueke to give White a chance that was wide.

United pulled a goal back when one of the subs scored from a cross from the right. Spurs regained their two goal advantage two minutes later when White sent Madueke away to drill low into the net. Asante drew a save before Binks headed over from White's corner as the game entered added time. United had a chance that was wide before Binks' free kick was saved and United fired over in the tenth minute of added time. I thing the ref forgot it was 40 minutes a half as there were stoppages in the second half but not that long.

These games are to show off the young players skills as they approach the time for selection into the Academy and can be entertaining, evenly matched games. A few years back Sterling and Bennetts took apart Ipswich but MK Dons have beaten Spurs in one of these games. White had a good game and looks likely to follow Skipp in the defensive midfielder role. Haysman was so small his shirt looked too big reminding me of Goddard when I first saw him at the Milk Cup. Not being able to watch the U-16's I was impressed how well organised they were and do know that they have had some good results this season so this group promises to provide plenty for the U-18's in a year or two.

Ray

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