Premier League 2, Division 1, 2018-19
      Hotspur Way, Whitewebbs Lane, Enfield
        Friday 19th October 2018, 12 noon

           SPURS      V   LEICESTER CITY
        (White/Blue)        (All Blue)
           5-4-1               5-4-1

            1(0)                0(0)

    Brandon Austin(C) 1  Viktor Johansson
        Tariq Hinds   2  Danny Simpson
        Jaden Brown   3  Callum Elder
      Timothy Eyoma   4  Alex Pascanu
    Japhet Tanganga   5  Josh Knight
   Jonathan Dinzeyi   6  Darnell Johnson(C)
       Dylan Duncan   7  Tyrese Shade
       Jamie Bowden   8  Andy King
   Kazaiah Sterling   9  Ryan Loft
Tashan Oakley-Boothe 10  Kernan Dewsbury-Hall
         Jack Roles  11  Raul Uche

  Phoenix Patterson  12  Calvin Unghelumba
       (11)90+1Mins      (11)33Mins
      Thomas Glover  13  Rhys Davies
     Rodel Richards  14  Louis Ramsey
          (9)87Mins
     Jamie Reynolds  15  Connor Tee
          (6)46Mins      (9)65Mins
                     16  Lamine Kaba-Sherif
                         (6)78Mins

Scorer:-
           Roles 86

Booked:-
     Bowden 15(Foul)     Johanson 90+5(UGC)
     Hinds 17(Foul)
     Eyoma 56(Trip)
     Austin 90+5(UGC)

Coach:-
      Wayne Burnett      Steve Beaglehole

Attendance:- Approx 130
Referee:- Daniel Middleton
Assistants:– Oliver Jackson & David Harrison
Fourth Official:– Stephen Bates

It was a very warm morning for the visit of fourth placed Leicester City to the training ground as clubs return to league action after the second International break of the season. Spurs went into the break with a 3-1 win at Blackburn having lost 6-0 at Everton days earlier. Last season Spurs drew 1-1 with the "Foxes" at Hotspur Way but were beaten 6-1 away when reduced to nine players after Marsh got two yellows and Skipp a straight red which was rescinded later.

Spurs continued to play with three at the back as Eyoma, Tanganga and Dinzeyi lined up in front of Austin. Hinds was the right wingback and Brown the left. Bowden anchored the midfield with Oakley-Boothe and Duncan ahead of him and Roles the point of the diamond in support of the returning Sterling up front from pre-season injury. With next week's trip to Eindhoven in mind it was a short bench that also saw Reynolds return from an injury he suffered at the end of last season. Leicester also played with three at the back and had former young spur Ryan Loft leading their attack which had the experience of King and Simpson as overaged players in their starting line-up.

Leicester kicked off the first half attacking the North end with a strong pressing game that forced Spurs back into their own half for long spells of the game. Their no nonsense defending kept Spurs on the defensive with Dewsbury-Hall hitting the crossbar early from a cross by Uche before Austin saved at his near post from Uche for a corner.

Bowden was booked for a foul on Dewsbury-Hall and Hinds was not far behind with Austin saving an effort by Loft from a long ball by Johnson inbetween. Long balls and long throws by Elder kept Spurs defending deep conceding corners which they did defend well. Pascanu fired over before Spurs had their first effort on goal. It came from a free kick to the left of the area for a foul on Roles. Jack took it himself and curled it round the wall but Johansson got across to tip it round the post for a corner.

The visitors continued to press and Dewsbury-Hall had two efforts blocked in quick succession. He then had another shot saved after it took a deflection. Duncan won the ball in the middle and played in Sterling for a good strike that Johansson pushed over for a corner. Uche fell awkwardly and had to leave the pitch with his arm in a sling and be replaced by Unghelumba. After Knight had a header saved Unghelumba had a strike saved by Austin who also saved from Shade right at the end of the half.

Spurs had to make a change for the start of the second half as Dinzeyi had limped off at the break. Reynolds came on for his first game of the season at left back as Brown moved into the back three. Austin had to make an early save from Elder and Shade fired wide at the far post from a cross that had been headed on by Unghelumba as Leicester continued to press.

Eyoma was booked for a foul on Elder before Loft gave way to Tee. King headed against the near post from a cross by Simpson while Dewsbury-Hall fired over. Spurs were beginning to get out of their half more and Oakley-Boothe played a neat reverse pass into the path of Roles who strolled forward to fire past Johansson only to see the ball hit the far post.

With the visitors pressing in numbers Spurs began to find space between the lines and Roles played in Duncan for a chance that was saved. Roles again received the ball in front of the Leicester back three and drew them to him before laying the ball off to Sterling who returned it to Jack. The Spurs midfielder moved the ball to his left before drilling it home.

Sterling made way for Richards as Spurs looked to see out the game taking Roles off in added time for Patterson. In the dying seconds Johansson went up for a corner and stayed there for a second corner, which Austin caught. Being at the wrong end Johansson prevented Austin from releasing the ball and was booked by the referee who also felt that Austin should be booked as well, which gave the Leicester keeper time to get back.

This was a hard fought victory by Spurs who were under the cosh for much of the time with Leicester putting the ball into the danger area as early as possible. The back three did extremely well defending their area winning most of the headers and getting in blocks. Spurs move up to seventh level on points with Leicester, Chelsea and Derby County who they play next. It would have looked even better but for the six goals shipped at Everton. Next week Spurs will go to PSV Eindhoven for the Champions Youth League game looking to improve on the two draws so far.

Ray

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