Checkatrade Trophy, Group A South
         Fratton Park, Portsmouth
    Tuesday 13th November 2018, 7.45pm

      PORTSMOUTH   V   TOTTENHAM U-21
     (Blue/White)       (White/Blue)
         4-3-3            4-2-3-1

          3(0)              2(1)

Portsmout:– McGee; Walkes, Rose, Burgess(C), Dennis, Wheeler, Close, Mnoga(Evans 65), Green(Clarke 65), Haunstrup, Lethbridge(Hawkins 65)

Unused Subs:- MacGillivray, Brown, Thompson, Smith.

Scorers:– Green 50, Evans 68, Hawkins 81

Tottenham:– Whiteman; Lyons-Foster, Tanganga, Marsh(C), Brown; Bowden(Shashoua 89), White; Oakley-Boothe(Parrott 86), Duncan(Richards 74), Patterson; Sterling

Unused Subs:- Glover; Markanday

Scorers:– Patterson 20, White 90

Attendance:– 3138

Referee:– James Linington
Assistants:– Paul Kelly & Ben Cobb
Fourth Official:– Leigh Crowhurst

Spurs travelled to the South coast to play group leaders Portsmouth needing a result to qualify for the next round. It was a warm evening for the time of year and a good crowd turned out for this game. Crawley Town could finish above Spurs if the results went their way so a lot was riding on the game. The game was Portsmouth's commemoration of Armistice day which was led by a piper and wreaths were laid by both captains before the game.

Spurs' line-up was affected by players released for international duty but still looked good. Whiteman was in goal behind Tanganga and Marsh with Lyons-Foster at right back and Brown on the left. Bowden and White anchored the midfield with Oakley-Boothe, Duncan and Patterson ahead of them in support of Sterling up front. Portsmouth themselves started with a complete team change from their FA Cup win over Maidenhead on Saturday bringing in younsters Mngoa and Lethbridge as well as on loan Andre Green. They did have former young Spurs McGee and Walkes in the side.

Spurs kicked off the first half attacking the West end but came up against a solid if physical defence. While they moved the ball well in midfield personal battles between Burgess and Sterling as well as Mnoga and Brown developed. Brown was getting the better of his defender but Burgess was making sure Sterling was not going to get away from him. This meant that Portsmouth created most of the chances when they got possession.

An early effort by Green earned a corner before he drew a save from Whiteman. With the home defenders pushing up, a long ball was played by Lyons-Foster over the top for Patterson to run onto. With McGee racing out of his goal Patterson's attempted chip was half blocked, but the Spurs midfielder got to the ball and scored. Duncan fired wide after a corner was not cleared before Close robbed Bowden but fired over. Burgess headed over from a corner before he had one saved following another just before the break. Inbetween the headers, Mnoga conceded a free kick for a foul on Brown that Patterson took, bringing a save from McGee.

There were no changes for the start of the second half which saw Walkes come out of the back to win a corner with a low drive. The first corner was cleared but the second produced the Portsmouth equaliser. The header by Burgess was going to the far post and when it was not cleared Green forced it over the line.

Spurs responded immediately with Patterson driving through the middle but McGee saved at the expense of a corner. Close drew a save from Whiteman a minute later as the home side pushed for a second. Sterling drove into the area and was about to pull the trigger when Burgess made a timely tackle. That was the signal for pompey manager Kenny Jacket to ring the changes and he sent on first team regulars which tipped the balance in their favour.

Portsmouth won a free kick on the edge of the Spurs area which was taken by Evans who had just come on. The midfielder hit it low round the wall with Whiteman stranded for 2-1. Portsmouth now sensed that they could win it and Close fired over while Evans and Hawkins shot wide before Spurs made their first change. Richards replaced Duncan behind Sterling but the momentum was with the home side and when Wheeler got round the back on the right, Hawkins forced the ball home at the near post.

Evans fired wide before Spurs made their second change with Parrott replacing Oakley-Boothe to join Sterling up front. He was followed in the last minute by Shashoua replacing Bowden in a late push. In the last minute Parrott was tripped by Rose on the edge of the area and White stepped up to curl the kick inside the right post to give Spurs hope for the three minutes of added time, but Portsmouth were able to see out the game to win the group.

The young Spurs side were a match for the Portsmouth side which was a mix of first team and squad players and Spurs were only outclassed when "Pompey" brought on more heavyweights. In the other group match Gillingham continued their winning form by beating Crawley Town 2-1. This meant that Spurs finished second and join six other U-21 teams in the knockout rounds.

              P  W  D  L  GD  Pts
Portsmouth    3  3  0  0   6   9
Tottenham     3  1  1  1   3   4
Gillingham    3  1  0  2  -7   3
Crawley Town  3  0  1  2  -3   2

Ray

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