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

         Pre-season Friendly 2019
    Kuflink Stadium, Northfleet, Kent
      Saturday 13th July 2019, 3pm

      EBBSFLEET    v    SPURS XI
      (All Red)       (White/Blue)
       4-2-3-1          4-1-4-1

         2(1)             2(0)

   Nathan Ashmore  1  Edward Smith
      Jack King(C) 2  Jubril Okedina
     Aswad Thomas  3  Dennis Cirkin
     Alex Lawless  4  Brooklyn Lyons-Foster(C)
      Ayo Obileye  5  Maxwell Statham
     James Grimes  6  Jonathan Dinzeyi
     Myles Weston  7  Dilan Markanday
       Gozie Ugwu  8  Tariq Hinds
    Lawrie Wilson  9  Rodel Richards
       Trialist A 10  Tashan Oakley-Boothe
       Trialist B 11  Shilow Tracey

                  12  Kazaiah Sterling
                      (9)46Mins
     Harry Palmer 13  Joshua Oluwayemi
        (1)77Mins     (1)68Mins
       Trialist C 14  Paris Maghoma
       (10)71Mins     (4)46Mins
  Tahjae Anderson 15  Armando Shashoua
        (8)77Mins     (5)46Mins
       Trialist D 16  Jamie Reynolds
        (3)71Mins     (3)68Mins
     Zach Dainkeh 17  Elliott Thorpe
        (5)53Mins     (11)68Mins
     Sean Shields 18  Rayan Clarke
       (11)61Mins     (7)46Mins

Scorers:-
       Obileye 15     Grimes 47 (o.g.)
        Thomas 49     Thorpe 83

Coaches:-
        Gary Hill     Wayne Burnett

Referee:- Alan Dale
Assistants:- Martyn Holmes & Paul Yates
Fourth Official:- Ben Fuller 

Spurs sent a Development squad to Northfleet to play National League side Ebbsfleet United in the first pre-season game of three this month. Spurs have been here previously as part of the move of Shilow Tracey from Ebbsfleet to Spurs in 2016. It was another hot day by the Thames with all the players getting a chance on the pitch. Both sides fielded trialists as they looked to the coming season.

Spurs lined up with trialist Smith in goal behind Statham and Dinzeyi with Okedina at right back and Cirkin on the left. Lyons-Foster anchored the midfield with Hinds and Oakley-Boothe ahead of him. They were flanked by Markanday on the right and Tracey on the left in support of Richards up front. I am not sure but I believe Smith was at Southend last season. Also listed as a trialist was Reynolds who was released by Spurs after an injury hit season and I assume was being given a chance to prove his fitness.

Spurs kicked off the first half attacking the East end but were pushed back by a high press by the home side. With little time on the ball the Spurs defenders gave away possession a lot in the early stages which saw Ugwu fire over and Obileye shoot wide. A slip by Dinzeyi allowed Weston in for a chance that was saved by Smith. Lawless had an effort wide before Markanday had an effort blocked for Spurs. Tracey played in Richards to fire wide before United took the lead. It came from a corner that was headed in by Obileye.

Quick thinking by Ugwu saw Trialist B get in on the right but his effort was wide of the far post. A good run by Tracey saw him hit the side netting. Trialist A headed over from a nod on by Obileye after he had an effort blocked. Dinzeyi had a header that was wide following a corner as Spurs began to retain the ball and settle down in the last ten minutes of the half. Richards drew a save before Trialist B crossed for Obileye to head wide.

Spurs made four changes for the start of the second half. Sterling replaced Richards up front; Clarke came on for Markanday going to the left side, with Tracey switching to the right. Shashoua and Maghoma came into the midfield with Lyons-Foster and Statham going off. Okedina moved inside with Hinds dropping to right back and Oakley-Boothealso dropped back to anchor the midfield.

The more attacking line-up continued to improve from the end of the first half which saw the equaliser in the opening minutes of the second period of play. Shashoua hassled Grimes, making the defender play the ball back and into his own goal as the keeper had come out for the back pass.

United responded, winning a corner which was half cleared to Thomas who hit a great volley past Smith to regain the lead. Spurs now had the momentum and Tracey crossed for Maghoma to fire over. Sterling drove just wide of the left post and again when Maghoma backheeled the ball to him. Both efforts were from outside the area.

Hinds got down the right to cross for Maghoma to scoop the ball over the bar. Smith saved from Weston before Spurs made the rest of their changes that save Oluwayemi take over in goal. Reynolds replaced Cirkin at left back and Thorpe came on for Tracey. After Ebbsfleet made the rest of their changes we saw Trialist C head over from Anderson's cross.

Spurs equalised for a second time when Oakley-Boothe got through the right channel and crossed for Thorpe to score. It had been coming and Sterling had another effort wide as Spurs were finding gaps in the home defence. They could have won it in the last minute when Sterling got behind the defence with keeper Palmer out to block. The ball run to Maghoma who had an open goal to aim at from thirty yards but failed to find the net.

This was a good result as Spurs took a time to settle being forced onto the back foot in the first half and not looking very confident with high balls into the area. They turned it around to control the second half and dealt with the high balls better. Next Saturday Spurs will play National League side Dulwich Hamlet in another Devlopment friendly.

Ray

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