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Courtesy of:- Ray Lo, and the Spurs List.
Premier U-18 Southern League 2014-15
Hotspur Way, Enfield
Saturday 22nd November 2014, 12 noon
SPURS v SOUTHAMPTON
(White/Blue) (Red/White)
4-3-3 4-5-1
2(0) 1(0)
Thomas Glover 1 Harry Isted
Christopher Paul 2 Colm Deasy
Joseph Muscatt 3 Ben Cull
Charlie Owens 4 Armani Little(C)
Anton Walkes 5 Ollie Cook
Christian Maghoma(C) 6 Alfie Jones
Armani Daly 7 Harley Willard
Zenon Stylianides 8 Joe Lea
Ryan Loft 9 Olafela Olomola
Cy Goddard 10 Chris Regis
Anthony Georgiou 11 Dan Demkiv
Lloyd Ross 12 Richard Bakary
(2)76Mins
Thomas McDermott 13 Jake Hallett
Marcus Edwards 14 Carel Kayembe
(7)65Mins (9)62Mins
Shayon Harrison 15 Callum Slattery
(9)62Mins (4)46Mins
16 Mark Irvine
Scorers:-
Harrison 74, 89 Olomola 61
Booked:-
Deasy 59(Late)
Slattery 63(Foul)
Willard 90+8(Foul)
Coach:-
K. McKenna A. Limbrick
Ref:– D. Knox
Spurs returned to league action on a dull dank morning at home to Southampton who were on a run of five games unbeaten, having won 2-1 at Villa in their last game. Spurs' last game was at West Brom when the referee called the game off after Spurs had scored minutes before he wanted. (Ed:- The referee had apparently stated his intention to abandon the game as a draw after an hour, but Spurs scored just before the hour was up. The game was immediately abandoned, and because an hour had not passed, the result does not stand, and the match has to be re-arranged)
Spurs earned a 1-1 draw at Southampton earlier in the season.
Spurs lined up with Glover behind Maghoma and Walkes with Paul at right back and Muscatt on the left. Owens anchored the midfield trio with Stylianides and Goddard, while Loft started up front flanked by Daly on the right and Georgiou on the left.
Spurs defended the East end in the first half, which saw the play squeezed into the middle third as both sides kept a high line. The visitors did a good job in closing down high up the pitch and stifling the Spurs midfield. They also had the best player in the first half in Demkiv on the left flank, who exploited the space given him by Paul pushing forward.
Demkiv had the first chance of the game cutting inside and drawing a save from Glover in the third minute. Goddard fund space in the area on the right and hit a low drive across the keeper who pushed it away. Maghoma saw his header from Goddard's free kick deflected wide before Willard had a long range effort saved by Glover.
Demkiv got away down the left before cutting inside and letting fly only to see the ball hit the crossbar at the near post. Owens sent Georgiou away down the left and his centre bounced around between the Saints' defenders before it was cleared off the line. Regis saw his effort deflected for a corner.
Owens won the ball in the middle and laid it off to Stylianides who played in Loft on the right. The striker hit a rising shot that Isted turned over the bar. Just before half-time a Spurs right wing corner came out to Walkes who fired wide.
Southampton made one change for the second half, replacing their captain which seemed to reduce the pressure they exerted in midfield as Spurs began to make headway in the middle. Deasy got down the right and his cross was turned over by Demkiv. Georgiou drew a save before Deasy went into the ref's book for a late tackle on Stylianides. From the free kick, taken by Goddard, Loft turned the ball wide.
Spurs went behind when a loose pass by Walkes was picked up by Olomoda who was able to advance and beat Glover un-hindered. Both sides made a change before the restart following the goal with both strikers being replaced. Harrison came on for Spurs while Olomola gave way to Kayembe.
Harrison's link-up play saw the game begin to swing Spurs' way as the midfield began to gain more possession. Slattery was booked for a foul on Goddard before Spurs made their second change replacing Daly with Edwards. Edwards provided a welcome spark to the attack as he was not afraid to take on the Southampton defence and make them turn. He played a one two with Harrison that saw the striker force a save from Isted.
Spurs last change saw Ross replace Paul at right back as they went looking for the goal to get back into the game. The goal came when Muscatt and Georgiou worked their way down the left for Georgiou to fire in an effort that Isted saved but the ball rebounded out to Harrison who drove home.
Southampton broke down the right and the cross was headed into the ground before Glover caught it. Harrison just failed to connect with a ball played into the area, having slipped his marker. The ball was worked through to Edwards on the right side on the area but he failed to finish it. Spurs went in front when Muscatt and Georgiou again worked the ball down the left. This time it was Muscatt's cross that Harrison hit on the turn to score his, and Spurs second.
A square ball from the left found Edwards on the right side of the area, but he shot wide. We had already gone into added time when Edwards was caught by two Southampton players as he tried to wriggle through and after a long stoppage Willard was booked for his challenge, having come off worse.
Spurs had won a hard fought battle against a well organised side having continued to try and play their way through the middle. I would have liked to see a couple of balls played over the top for a runner to break the defensive line. Spurs responded well after going behind in a game where there were few chances. Harrison put his two chances away well and Georgiou made headway in the second half to finally break through.
The win moves Spurs up to fourth in the table a point ahead of West Ham who are the next visitors to Hotspur Way. Spurs will be looking to avenge the loss to the Hammers in the same fixture last season when visitors won 3-2.
Ray
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