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

   Premier League 2, First Division 2018-19
       Liberty Stadium, Swansea, Wales
         Monday 15th April 2019, 7pm

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

            1(1)             2(1)

      Stephen Benda   1   Brandon Austin
         Tyler Reid   2   Tariq Hinds
        Jordi Govea   3   Harvey White
       Kees De Boer   4   George Marsh
     Cian Harries(C)  5   Japhet Tanganga(C)
        Ben Cabango   6   Brooklyn Lyons-Foster
 Mason Jones-Thomas   7   Dilan Markanday
       Simon Paulet   8   Jamie Bowden
        Liam Cullen   9   Troy Parrott
       Keiran Evans  10   Jack Roles
     Jordan Garrick  11   Shilow Tracey

          Adam King  12   Tashan Oakley-Boothe
         (11)59Mins       (11)70Mins
      Gregor Zabret  13   Jonathan De Bie
          Tom Price  14   Armando Shashoua
                          (10)89Mins
        Adnan Maric  15   Jonathan Dinzeyi
          (4)82Mins
     Brandon Cooper  16   Phoenix Patterson
          (3)78Mins       (4)78Mins

Scorers:-
          Cullen 44       Parrott 38, 80

Booked:-
       Govea 11(UGC)      Tracey 56(Foul)
    Harries 15(Foul)      Parrott 69(Foul)
    Cabango 37(Foul)
     Paulet 75(Foul)

Coaches:-
G. Richards & C. Toshack  Wayne Burnett

Attendance:– Approx 300

Referee:– Richard Hulme
Assistants:– Craig Scriven & Craig Simpson
Fourth Official:– Andrew Hobbs 

Spurs travelled to South-West Wales for this basement battle. It began to rain soon after the start and kept on till the end on a damp chilly night. Spurs had lost at home to Blackburn Rovers while Swansea had drawn with Brighton to be six points below Spurs. West Ham had the same number of points as Spurs going into their game at Derby County but have a better goal difference. It was still mathematically possible before this game for the "Swans" to escape relegation if they won their last two games and both the other sides lost. Last season Spurs drew 2-2 at Landore but had already been beaten by them 4-1 at Hotspur Way earlier in the season.

Spurs lined up with Austin in goal behind Lyons-Foster and Tanganga with Hinds at right back and White on the left. Bowden joined Marsh in front of the back four with Roles ahead of them. Parrott led the line with Markanday on the right flank and Tracey on the left in support.

Spurs kicked off attacking the South end and Parrott struck a post early before playing in Tracey to fire over. Cullen replied with an effort wide for the "Swans". Govea was booked after he had pulled Markanday back, but the card was for kicking the ball away rather than the foul. Harries headed wide at a corner before good work by Markanday to play in Parrott saw a last ditch block on his effort.

Cabango fouled Markanday just outside the area level with the edge of the dee. Parrott took the free kick and curled it over the wall into the near side, just as he had last week at Chelsea in the U-18 game. Tracey played Roles in for a chance that he fired wide. Parrott headed wide from Hinds cross before Swansea's Evans won the ball in the middle of the park. Evans advanced to play in Cullen who equalised just before half-time.

There were no changes for the start of the second half which saw the home side close down Spurs to try and win possession. Jones-Thomas drew an early save from Austin while a long range effort from Markanday hit the right post. Tracey was booked for a foul as he was back helping out before Markanday had a chance saved by Benda.

Quick thinking by Roles, seeing Benda off his line, saw the Spurs man hit the ball from inside his own half which just cleared the bar.

Spurs began to get back into the game and Parrott drew a save before he went into the referee's book for a foul on Paulet. After Spurs made their first change replacing Tracey with Oakley-Boothe, Paulet was also booked for a foul on Markanday. Evans had an effort blocked before Roles was played in by Parrott for an effort that was saved.

Tanganga advanced to fire over from long range before Spurs made a second change that saw Patterson replace Marsh in midfield. Spurs went ahead again when Markanday crossed from the right and Parrott lost his marker to drill low into the corner. Spurs just had to see out the game. There was an effort by De Boer which was saved by Austin. Shashoua came on near the end for Roles as Spurs held out for the valuable three points.

This was a good win with Spurs who had the better of the play in the first half and recovered in the second half from the home side's initial push for a good finish. With Swansea relegated, the second relegation place is between either Spurs or West Ham with Spurs having the advantange. Spurs' last game is against Derby who drew with West Ham whilst the "Hammers" play Champions Everton. Both Derby and Everton have nothing to play for and will most likely play youngsters so both Spurs and West Ham have a good chance of a win. Spurs cannot afford to slip up as the "Hammers" have a better goal difference so need to at least match their result to send them down.

Ray

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