Premier League 2, First Division 2019-20
         Loughborough University Stadium
          Monday 13th January 2020, 7pm

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

              2(1)           2(2)

         Henrich Ravas   1  Brandon Austin
        Callum Minkley   2  Timothy Eyoma(C)
      Kornell McDonald   3  Brooklyn Lyons-Foster
          Jordan Brown   4  Tariq Hinds
       Krystian Bielik   5  Malachi Walcott
         Ethan Wassall   6  Luis Binks
      Morgan Whittaker   7  Shilow Tracey
            Alex Babos   8  Harvey White
  Jahmal Hector-Ingram   9  Rodel Richards
          Louie Sibley  10  Elliot Thorpe
     Cameron Cresswell  11  Dilan Markanday

         Festy Ebosele  12  Phoenix Patterson
              (3)4Mins      (10)73Mins
           Josh Barnes  13  Jonathan De Bie
          Archie Brown  14  Rayan Clarke
             (5)15Mins      (9)82Mins
         Liam Thompson  15  Jonathan Dinzeyi
                            (11)86Mins
      Joshua Shonibare  16  Max Statham
            (11)59Mins

Scorers:-
         J. Brown 45+6      Thorpe 10
          Whittaker 73      Binks 18 

Booked:-
       Sibley 86(Foul)      Thorpe 27(Late)
                            Walcott 38(Late)
                            Binks 88(Late)

Coaches:-
             Pat Lyons      Wayne Burnett

Attendance:– 348

Referee:– Thomas Parsons
Assistants:– Kenwyn Hughes & Paul Stonier
Fourth Official:– Thomas Wainman

Having just lost to league leaders Chelsea Spurs travelled to meet the second placed Derby County at Loughborough. While Spurs were unlucky to lose to the "Blues" 1-0 at Stevenage last week, Derby drew 2-2 with Arsenal. Last season the "Rams" beat Spurs 1-0 at Pride Park and have already got the better of Spurs this season with a 2-1 win at Hotspur Way. The trip to Loughborough was in light rain but a massive downpour on the walk from the car to the stadium left me bedraggled. Luckily the seat was dry and I had almost dried out by the end of the match.

Spurs lined up with Austin in goal behind Walcott and Binks with Eyoma at right back and Lyons-Foster on the left. Hinds anchored the midfield which allowed White a more attacking role alongside Thorpe ahead of him. Tracey was on the right flank and Markanday on the left which was the opposite to usual, in support of Richards up front. On the bench Dinzeyi and Statham made an appearance, suggesting regulars being with the FA Cup squad for the following day's game.

Spurs defended the South end in the first half but looked to attack down the flanks and an early run by Tracey left McDonald injured in his wake. The full back had to be replaced. Cresswell had an effort blocked for a corner from which Minkley headed wide. A quick throw-in sent Markanday away down the left and his low cross was met by Thorpe in the middle of the area for a simple finish to give Spurs the lead.

Almost immediately Richards was played in through the right channel but Ravas saved one on one with Markanday firing his follow-up wide. Another run by Tracey on the right saw Bielik go down with an injury that required a long stoppage before he was stretchered off. The defender had been included to keep match fit while suspended from the first team and became the second player to be substituted by the hosts in the opening quarter of an hour.

The match restarted with a left-side corner for Spurs which was headed in by Binks attacking the near post to give the visitors a two-goal lead. White headed over a cross by Tracey before Thorpe was booked for a late challenge on Minkley. Tracey was still making attacking runs and he had an effort deflected wide for a corner. That corner was defended for another from which Walcott saw his header blocked on the line and when it came out Thorpe had his effort blocked as well for another corner. When that was not cleared Hinds crossed for Binks to head over.

Hector-Ingram broke down the right channel and his effort clipped the top of the crossbar. Walcott was booked for a late tackle on Cresswell to become the second Spurs player to be booked for their first foul. (Two Derby players also committed similar fouls without being booked in the first half). As the half neared its end White had a dipping volley that landed on the roof of the net. Deep into stoppage time Derby won a free kick on the left that was played in by Babos for Brown to head in giving the home side a way back into the game before half-time.

There were no changes for the start of the second half which saw Derby take the initiative and push forward. Hector-Ingram was found unmarked in the area but spooned his effort over the bar. White had a drive just wide of the right post before Derby wasted another great chance when Hector-Ingram found Shonibare in the area. the substitute blazed over the bar with just the keeper to beat.

Derby were now in control and Shonibare headed wide before they drew level. Jordan Brown drove forward and crossed for Whittaker to score with an effort that went in off the underside of the bar. Spurs made an immediate change with Patterson replacing Thorpe in midfield which led to Markanday drawing a save from Ravas.

Derby kept up their attacks with Hector-Ingram drawing a save from Austin while Babos fired wide. Spurs' second change saw Clarke replace Richards who went to the right flank as Tracey went up front. Sibley struck the crossbar before he was booked by the referee minutes later. Spurs' last change was to send on Dinzeyi for Markanday to play up front. The action was still at the other end and Binks picked up a booking trying to stop another attack but Spurs did hold out to take a point.

With Derby having to readjust to losing two players early on, Spurs took a two-goal lead but could not press home that advantage and came under heavy pressure in the second half once the hosts got themselves organised. It was a game of two halves with Spurs glad to come away with a point. Spurs remain in eighth place and have a home game next against Brighton, who lost 1-0 to Leicester City, on the 3rd February at Stevenage.

Ray

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