U-15 Friendly 
           Portman Road, Ipswich
       Wednesday 23rd April, 2014, 7pm

       IPSWICH TOWN   V     TOTTENHAM
       (Blue/White)        (White/Blue)
                              4-3-3

           2(1)                4(2)

      Nicholas Hayes  1  Alfie Whiteman
     Jacob Partridge  2  Bradley Rudd
        Graham Byran  3  Nicholas Tsaroulla
        Flynn Downes  4  George Marsh
     Luke Woolfenden  5  Joy Richard Mukena
       Tristan Nydam  6  Jaden Brown
        Ross Meldrum  7  David Ajiboye
       Daniel Muamba  8  Dylan Duncan
          Ben Morris  9  Aramie Oteh
       Andre Dozzell 10  Kazaiah Sterling
     Connor McKendry 11  Keanan Bennetts

        Jake Mulryne 12  Jack Roles
        Tyler Hursey 13
     Leighton Thomas 14  Theodore Campbell
              Joe Re 15  Nya Kirby
       Charlie Brown 16  TJ Eyoma

Attendance:– 1814

I missed half of the opening period due to traffic on the M25. I was not able to get a team sheet but thanks to TWTD I have the squad, although a couple of players on the above list are wrongly numbered.

When I arrived Spurs had already taken a 1-0 lead through Ajiboye getting to the ball quicker than the keeper in the area to score.

Hayes had already saved a Sterling shot on the turn. Hayes turned over a Bennetts shot before the home side levelled. Dozzell got down the left and crossed low. A defender cut out the cross only for Morris to nip in and score at the near post.

Spurs were back in front a minute later when Ajiboye got down the right and crossed for Sterling to finish. Ipswich should have had a penalty when Morris got past Mukena, and Brown came in to take his foot. The ref ignored all the appeals and Spurs escaped.

Both sides made an early change as the game was played at a fast pace. As players went off and came back on later – more than once for some as they were rotated I stopped making notes.

Hayes saved a powerful header by Stirling from Bennetts corner. Rudd was booked for a high tackle and from the free kick taken by Dozzell, Meldrum fired over.

Roles replaced Rudd at half-time at right back. (He moved into midfield when Rudd returned). With Spurs on top, Bennetts got down the left, and his cross was met by Sterling who crashed the ball against the crossbar.

Both sides began making a lot of changes as the young lads began to tire, with positional changes on the field as they came and went.

Duncan played in Sterling for an effort that was saved. Bennetts' pace saw him get past Hayes, but Woolfenden was back to cover. Whiteman had to make a double save from a Dozzell free kick; first from McKendry and then Meldrum's follow up.

Spurs increased their lead when Tsaroulla on the left could not cross with his left, switched to his right and curled the ball across the area to Roles on the far post to fire home. Sterling fed Kirby for a chance that he hit over the bar. Roles fired wide before the returning Bennetts forced a save from Hayes.

Rudd drew a save before conceding a penalty, tripping McKendry. Dozzell scored from the spot, sending Whiteman the wrong way. The Ipswich players were dropping with cramp all through the second half while the fitter Spurs lads seemed to go to the end with short rest periods. This led to seven minutes of added time during which Spurs got a fourth goal.

Tsaroulla played in Oteh to fire home and extinguish any hope of the home side pinching a draw. Downes drew a save from Whiteman, who was quickly off his line, before the final whistle.

As the public do not usually get to see young players under the age of sixteen, these showcase games are a chance to see what talent is developing as well as a nice little earner for the clubs. It was a good performance from the youngsters who showed good technical skills awareness and stamina. The front three of Ajiboye, Sterling and Bennetts showed good pace while Marsh did a very good job as defensive midfield anchor(he even looks like Lesniak). I would say that they show great promise for the future and will look out for them to come through.

Ray

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