Premier League 2, Divison 1, 2018-19
   Hotspur Way, Whitewebbs Lane, Enfield.
      Friday 2nd November 2018, 12 noon

           SPURS     V    SWANSEA CITY
       (White/Blue)      (Black/Orange)
          4-2-3-1            4-2-3-1

            1(1)               4(0)

     Brandon Austin  1  Steven Benda
     George Marsh(C) 2  Tyler Reid
        Jaden Brown  3  Aaron Lewis
       Jamie Bowden  4  Adnan Maric(C)
    Japhet Tanganga  5  Cian Harries
      Timothy Eyoma  6  Brandon Cooper
      Paris Maghoma  7  Jordan Garrick
Tashan Oakley-Boothe 8  Simon Paulet
   Kazaiah Sterling  9  Botti Biabi
         Jack Roles 10  Kieran Evans
     J'Neil Bennett 11  Liam Cullen

       Dylan Duncan 12  Ollie Cooper
         (10)75Mins
      Thomas Glover 13  Gregor Zabret
     Jamie Reynolds 14  Kees De Boer
       Troy Parrott 15  Jordi Govea
          (9)62Mins     (10)75Mins
    Malachi Walcott 16  Joe Lewis

Scorers:-
         Maghoma 35     Cullen 46, 49
                        Biabi 64, 83

Booked:-
      Roles 33(Foul)

Coach:-
      Wayne Burnnett    Gary Richards

Referee:– James Oldham
Assistants:– Dan Bonneywell & Paul Saunders
Fourth Official:– Ian Stewart

It was a sunny morning in North London for the visit of bottom of the table Swansea who arrived without a win this season. They did draw 1-1 with high-flying Arsenal last time out which should have been a warning. Spurs lost their last game 1-0 at Derby County on Sunday. Last season Spurs drew both games with the "Swans" 2-2.

Spurs lined up with Austin in goal behind Tanganga and Eyoma with Marsh at right back and Brown on the left. Bowden anchored the midfield with Oakley-Boothe alongside him. Ahead of them Roles was central with Bennett on the right flank and Maghoma on the left in support of Sterling up front.

Swansea won the toss and with an eye on the low sun chose to play towards it knowing that in the second half the sun would be very low. Spurs kicked off attacking the North end and found a determined deep City defence which closed down quickly looking for turnovers. It was ten minutes before the first chance which Sterling saw deflected wide.

Evans fired wide before Maghoma hit one over. Eyoma cleared off the line from Garrick following a corner before Roles picked up the only booking of the match in the middle as he fought for the ball. Spurs went in front when Bennett drove a low ball in from the right which was blocked and Maghoma was quickest to the loose ball to drive in. Benda must have been unsighted as he failed to stop it. Maghoma had another effort over the bar and Evans drew a save at the end of the half.

There were no changes for the start of the second half which saw Garrick get down the right after an interception winning a free kick. The kick was headed on to the far post where Cullen headed in unmarked. It took a while before the re-start as the Swansea players enjoyed their moment, but when the did re-start, they turned over the ball quickly and Garrick went through the right channel before laying off to Reid outside him. The full back crossed to the far post where Cullen was again unmarked to turn in for his second in a minute.

Spurs were stunned and sought to get back into the game but the visitors continued to defend strongly. Roles took a free kick just outside the dee hitting it wide to Marsh and getting into the box for the return which was blocked by Benda. Bennett switched to the left and fired wide from a pass by Roles.

Sterling was replaced by Parrott after the hour mark just before Swansea added to their lead from a break by Garrick down the right. His ball into the centre was back-heeled in by Biabi attacking the near post. Benda saved a header by Eyoma from a corner before Spurs made their second change. Duncan replaced Roles in midfield.

As Spurs continued to push forward, Cullen intercepted a pass out of the back and played in Biabi for a clear run on goal for his second and Swansea's fourth. Parrott headed wide from a Bennett cross but another counter saw Biabi play in Govea for a chance that was blocked by Tanganga for a corner from which Paulet fired over. Swansea were able to see out the game for their first victory of the season.

It was a tight game that Swansea handled well waiting for the chances to counter attack from turning the ball over. Spurs fell for it four times with players ahead of the ball, they could not recover quickly enough. The win moves Swansea off the bottom of the table and leaves Spurs waiting on Liverpool and West Ham who could overtake them tomorrow and leave them near the relegation zone. This was not the best preperation for a must-win game next week in the Champions Youth League with the visit of PSV Eindhoven who they battered last week in Holland only to draw 2-2.

Ray

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