Premier U-21 League 2013-14
       Hotspur Way, Bulls Cross, Enfield
        Monday 19th August 2013, 12 noon

          SPURS      v   MANCHESTER CITY
       (White/Blue)       (Blue/White)
          4-3-3              4-5-1

           6(2)               3(1) 

      Jordan Archer  1  Angus Gunn
       Alex McQueen  2  Adam Drury
     Ezekiel Fryers  3  Gregory Leigh
    Nabil Bentaleb 12/4 Jason Denayer
       Dominic Ball  5  Mathias Bossaerts
      Kevin Stewart  6  George Evans
        Iago Falque  7  Sinan Bytyqi
    Sandro Cordeiro  8  Louis Hutton
         Harry Kane  9  Jordy Hiwula
        Tom Carroll 10  Marcos Lopes
    Andros Townsend 11  Oliver Ntcham

                    12  Harry Bunn
                        (9)61Mins.
     Jonathan Miles 13  Ian Lawlor
                    14  George Glendon
                        (10)52Mins.
Giancarlo Gallifuoco15  Emyr Huws
      Laste Dombaxe 16  Ellis Plummer
          (8)67Mins
Shaquile Coulthirst 18
          (2)78Mins

Scorers:-
      Carroll 2         Lopes 44
      Kane 35, 52, 55   Bunn 71
      Falque 80
      Coulthirst 90+3 

Coach:- 
      C. Ramsey         P. Vieira

Referee:– G. Jerden
Assistants:- J. Marin & R. Bloy

It was a warm afternoon with a lot of threatening clouds for Spurs first home game of the season. There was a press conference for a cancer awareness campaign being launched at the club so look out for the team wearing T-shirts on Sunday. Spurs gave a run out to the un-used subs from yesterday's game at Palace with Sandro as well, whilst City came with a young side as their first team are playing Newcastle this evening.

Spurs lined up with Archer in goal behind Ball and Fryers with McQueen at right back and Stewart on the left. Sandro anchored the midfield with Bentaleb and Carroll alongside him. Kane led the line with Falque on his right and Townsend on his left.

Spurs kicked off the first half attacking the south end and were quickly into their passing game, taking an early lead when Kane, with his back to goal, laid the ball back for Carroll to drive low past Gunn from just outside the area. City responded with an attack down the left by Ntcham, who put in a hard low cross that Stewart put out for a corner. From the corner Spurs broke out via Kane who sent Falque away for an effort that was wide.

Spurs were using the width of the pitch well and Townsend played Kane in for a shot that was saved. Kane drifted out wide to collect and put in a good cross that was missed by white shirts closing in. Ball headed wide from a corner before Hiwula had the visitors' first effort, firing wide after being played through by Lopes.

Sandro headed wide from another corner as Spurs kept the pressure on. Kane was wide again from Falque's centre before he was played through by Carroll for a one-on-one with Gunn to score Spurs second. The striker almost got a second when he ran onto a cross from Falque to put it into the net but the flag was raised for offside.

Lopes won the ball near the halfway line and held off a couple of challenges to score low to Archer's right bringing the score back to 2-1. Sandro fired over just before the whistle at the end of the half.

There were no changes for the start of the second half which saw an early chance for Kane when Falque crossed the ball. Harry could not get it out of his feet before a defender cleared it. The reprieve was short lived as Townsend got down the left and crossed for Falque coming in at the far post. The Spaniard took a few touches to control it and move inside, before whipping it in from two yards.

Carroll linked up with Townsend on the left before chipping a lovely ball into the middle for the advancing Kane to steer past the exposed Gunn for his second, and Spurs fourth. Townsend had an effort that flew over before Spurs began to settle back looking to maintain possession and hit City on the break.

City made their second change and began to push forward, putting players under pressure. Townsend beat the offside trap to get down the left and whip in a cross that Kane turned into the net, arriving late at the near post. Sandro came off to be replaced by Dombaxe.

Bunn won the ball in the middle and avoided Ball's tackle to go clear for a one-on-one with Archer, slipping the ball under the keeper to pull a goal back. Gunn saved from Townsend and also from Carroll's free kick before Spurs made a second change. Coulthirst came on to work the left side with Townsend moving to the right and Falque dropping into the middle. McQueen was the player to go off and Spurs played with three at the back.

With City pushing forward it allowed Drury to get down the right and cross for Glendon to get another goal back. The game became more end to end as Ntcham fired over before Carroll drove wide. In the last minute of the game Townsend got down the right and put in a cross that found its way to Coulthirst to score Spurs sixth.

This was another good win for Spurs as their experience was too much for the City youngsters. Thus Spurs took their total of goals scored to ten in two games. A hat-trick for Harry Kane should help his confidence, and good performances from Townsend and Carroll should keep them in contention for a first team place. Sandro also had a good work out to help his match fitness without being too stretched.

The U-21s go to Upton Park on Friday evening without Bentaleb who was sent off at Chelsea. The Hammers won their first game 3-0 against Villa and are playing Everton this evening. It will be interesting to see who travels to Tbilisi for the Europa League tie the day before as this will effect the U-21 team on Friday night.

Ray

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