Courtesy of:- Ray Lo, and the Spurs List.

   Premier League 2, Division 1 2018-19
  Lamex Stadium, Broadhall Way, Stevenage
       Monday 29th April 2019, 7pm

        SPURS      v     DERBY
     (White/Blue)     (All Blue)
       4-2-3-1          4-2-3-1

         3(2)             1(1) 

   Brandon Austin  1  Henrich Ravas
      Tariq Hinds  2  Kelian Gordon
     Harvey White  3  Ikechi Anya
    Oakley-Boothe  4  Joe Bateman(C)
Japhat Tanganga(C) 5  Ethan Wassell
     Lyons-Foster  6  Max Hunt
  Dilan Markanday  7  Tyree Wilson
     Jamie Bowden  8  Timi Elsnik
     Troy Parrott  9  Cameron Cresswell
       Jack Roles 10  Alex Babos
     Shilow Tracy 11  Josh Shonibare

Phoenix Patterson 12  Sven Karic
     (11)90+4Mins     (3)16Mins
Kacper Kurylowicz 13  Matt Yates
   Rodel Richards 14  Jason Knight
        (9)75Mins
 Jonathan Dinzeyi 15  Max Bird
                      (7)66Mins
    Dennis Cirkin 16  Morgan Whittaker
        (7)85Mins     (9)80Mins.

Scorers:-
  Roles 6, 45, 81     Cresswell 30

Booked:-
  Tracey 64(Late)     Bateman 70(Late)

Coach:-
    Wayne Burnett     Pat Lyons

Attendance:- 483

Refertee:– Christopher Pollard
Assistants:– Darin Geary & Robert Evans
Fourth Official:– Jeffrey Aldous

It was a cool evening for the last game of the season with sixth placed Derby County the visitors. This had been scheduled to be played at new White Hart Lane but victory in the Champions League and the visit of Ajax led to this change of venue. This was a very important game for Spurs who were again at the wrong end of the table. Last season victories over Chelsea and Arsenal saw them safe at this stage. This time they needed to match West Ham in the final match to avoid relegation. A draw or defeat could see the "Hammers" survive at our expense. Last season Spurs beat Derby County 4-2 in the run-in but have lost away this season 1-0 as well as the Derby U-18 side inflicting Spurs' first loss of the season at that level in the PL U-18 Cup.

Spurs lined up with Austin in goal behind Lyons-Foster and Tanganga with Hinds at right back and White on the left. Bowden anchored the midfield along with Oakley-Boothe who took turns in going forward. Ahead of them Roles was flanked by Markanday on the right and Tracey on the left in support of Parrott up front.

Spurs defended the South end in the first half which saw both sides try to get forward. Tanganga made a saving tackle when Shonibare was through on goal in the third minute before Spurs took the lead. Bowden sent a long ball to the far post for Roles to bring down with his right foot and fire in with his left.

Derby responded by pushing Spurs back into their own half with Shonibare firing over from Wilson's cross. Parrott headed wide at a corner before Derby suffered the loss of Anya stretching for a ball. Another Spurs break saw a Parrott effort deflected over for a corner. Parrott was also high with a flick on a ball from White before the Derby pressure produced an equaliser. Karic (on for the injuried Anya) flighted a cross in which was headed in at the near post by Cresswell.

Shonibare fired wide as the visitors continued to press. On forty five minutes Roles scored again - this time heading in Hinds' cross at the far post to allow Spurs to go in with a lead.

There were no changes for the start of the second half which saw Derby have more of the play but Spurs still getting forward on occasions.

Austin saved from Shonibare before Hall headed over Karic's cross. White hit a long range effort wide before Tracey was booked for a late challenge on Karic. Derby made a second change after Wilson could not carry on after a tackle, without affecting their play too much.

Elsnik drove wide before Parrott was caught late by Bateman who was booked. Parrott had to go off on a stretcher and was replaced by Richards. Lyons-Foster blocked a shot by Shonibare at the near post for a corner as the visitors looked for a second goal. However, it was Spurs who got the next goal and it was that man Roles again. Good work by Markanday played in Richards on the left and his cross was met by Roles for his and Spurs' third firing in with his right - a perfect hat-trick.

Spurs now had a cushion and took off Markanday for Cirkin to strenghten the defence. Patterson replaced Tracey when he had a knock in added time with Derby going close before the end when Whittaker struck the bar and Austin saved the follow up by Shonibare.

The win was important as West Ham also won, beating champions Everton 2-1. Spurs' victory saw them finish in ninth place. Derby pressured Spurs for long spells in the game but Spurs did have their chances with Roles perfect hat-trick, the first since Shaquille Coulthirst scored against Barcelona in the NextGen Series in 2012. Wolverhampton Wanderers will replace West Ham next season with play-offs to decide who will join them at Swansea's expense. Lets hope the injury to Parrott, who was going to join the Irish U-21 squad after this game, is not to bad. (Ed:- Troy Parrott subsequently tweeted that he had no broken bones and that would be "back soon")

Ray

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