Premier U-18 League, South 2019-20
    Hotspur Way, Whitewebbs Lane, Enfield
      Saturday 18th January 2020, 11am 

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

           3(2)             0(0) 

 Kacper Kurylowicz  1  Tyler Evans
      Kallum Cesay  2  Kai Lugvigsen
    Jordan Hackett  3  Kion Williams
     Aaron Skinner  4  Erick Kenko
     Marqes Muir(C) 5  Scott Butler(C)
      Dermi Lusala  6  Luke McKendry
   Rafferty Pedder  7  Will Rickard
         Nile John  8  Morgan Clarke
        Kion Etete  9  Josh Thomas
        Max Robson 10  Connor Shields
    J'Neil Bennett 11  Luke Motruk

       Yago Alonso 12  Panashe MakoKowe
         (3)80Mins
Thimothee Lo-Tutala13 
    Romaine Mundle 14  Joel Cotterill
         (7)70Mins     (11)70Mins
   Dante Cassanova 15  Charlie Clancy
         (8)64Mins
  Roshaun Mathurin 16  Moti Adnan
                   17  Cameron Congreve
                       (8)27Mins

Scorers:-
       Etete 20
       John 32
       Bennett 89

Booked:-
                       McKendry 47(Foul)
                       Motruk 65(Late)

Coach:-
    Matthew Taylor     Anthony Wright

Referee:– Rhys Battye

It was a chilly but bright sunny morning for the visit of Swansea City to Hotspur Way. The game was originally due to start at 1.30pm but was brought forward (the U-16 game was kept to 1.30pm). The league's bottom side came to North London on the back of two eight goal thumpings by London sides late last year and Spurs beat them 4-0 at the beginning of the season. Last season Spurs had a narrow 1-0 victory here at Hotspur Way having won 5-1 away with Bennett getting a hat-trick.

Spurs lined up with just three changes from the 1-0 victory at Brighton. Kurylowicz was in goal behind Muir and Lusala with Cesay at right back and Hackett on the left. Skinner anchored the midfield with John and Robson ahead of him. They were flanked by Pedder on the right and Bennett on the left in support of Etete up front. Cassanova and Mundle dropped to the bench.

Spurs defended the South end in the first half but were soon on the front foot with an early effort by Etete deflected for a corner. From that corner Cesay had a shot from outside the area which passed wide. Swansea sat deep and looked to counter which, as the Spurs passing was not as good as usual, gave Thomas a few chances. One effort was saved by Kurylowicz and Muir forced him off the ball in another attack. Thomas asked for a penalty but when the referee refused the Swansea player became more physical in his challenges in the game earning a warning from the referee later but no card.

Robson made a good run through the left channel but fired wide. Spurs took the lead when Bennett got down the left and whipped in a low cross which was forced over the line by Etete. John made a mazy run ending with an effort that was cleared off the line.

The visitors had to make an early change as Clarke did not recover from blocking a Bennett drive. Robson started the move for the second goal, sending Etete into the area who laid the ball off for John to finish. Bennett fired just wide before a Swansea break saw Kurylowicz save from Rickard at the expense of a corner. Robson played in Etete for a chance that was saved and the last kick of the half was a free kick by Bennett which was saved by Evans at his right post.

There were no changes for the start of the second half which saw Spurs carry on as they had done in the first half. Etete had a header saved from a Robson centre and John also had an effort saved. Etete was just wide from 30 yards before Motruk hit a post for the visitors.

Spurs' first change saw Cassanova come on for John going to right back with Cesay moving into midfield. Motruk was booked for catching Pedder late. Etete fired wide from Bennett's cross before Spurs second change which was a straight swap of Mundle for Pedder on the right.

Robson hit the left post before it was cleared for a corner. Cesay played the ball in for Mundle to draw a save before Spurs made their last change which saw Alonso come on for Hackett. With a minute of normal time left Bennett got his goal which his play had deserved. It was a typical Bennett goal where having been played in by Skinner he cut inside to curl the ball inside the far post. In added time Etete had a couple of headers that were over the bar.

This was a good performance by what was not the strongest Spurs team. The passing game was not the best but it did give players with little playing time the chance to gain more experience. The next game will not be until the 3rd February when Spurs travel to Norwich City who drew 1-1 at Brighton today. (Ed:- this was also our fourth consecutive youth league win and keeps us in fifth please in the South league table)

Ray

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