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Courtesy of:- Ray Lo, and the Spurs List.
Premier U-18 League 2015-16
Little Heath, Essex
Saturday 15th August 2015, 11am.
WEST HAM v SPURS
(Claret/Blue) (White/Blue)
4-2-3-1 4-2-3-1
1(1) 1(1)
Sam Howes 1 Alfie Whiteman
Jake Eggleton 2 Christopher Paul
Vashon Neufville 3 Joseph Muscatt
Noha Sylvestre(C) 4 Charlie Owens
Tunji Akinola 5 George Marsh
Declan Rice 6 Jayden Brown(C)
Oscar Borg 7 Marcus Edwards
George Dobson 8 Zenon Stylianides
Jahmal Hector-Ingram 9 Kaziah Sterling
Matt Carter 10 Charlie Hayford
Joe Powell 11 Keanan Bennetts
Alfie Lewis 12 Joy Mukena
(2)60Mins
Boness 13 Thomas McDermott
Henry 14 Samuel Shashoua
(7)66Mins
Idris Kanu 15 Armani Daly
(8)69Mins (11)58Mins
Longelo 16 Ryan Loft
(10)58Mins
Scorer:-
Borg 13 Sterling 39
Coaches-
S. Potts K. McKenna
Spurs travelled to West Ham on the back of the 5-1 win over Brighton in last Saturday's opening fixture while the "Hammers" lost at Fulham 3-1. Last season these two teams played out an entertaining 3-3 draw. Because there were no teamsheets I delayed writing this up until West Ham put a report on their website so as to get their team.
Spurs lined up with Whiteman making a rare appearnce in goal behind Marsh and Brown with Paul at right back and Muscatt on the left. Owens and Stylianides played in front of the defence with Hayford flanked by Edwards on the right and Bennetts on the left in support of Sterling up front.
Spurs defended the East end in the first half in a game played mainly in the middle of the pitch as both sides sought to gain control of the midfield. Spurs had the first chance when Howes saved a header by Muscatt from Owens' corner which was a feature of this game.
The West Ham duo of Sylvestre and Dobson, defending in front of their back four, did a good job of closing down Spurs' midfield. They were getting in some pretty strong challenges to set up most of their attacks as they had the better of the game. Powell was sent through to draw a save from Whiteman for a corner. That led to another corner on the other side from which Rice headed over.
Spurs had a corner which led to the West Ham goal on the break. When the ball was cleared Hector-Ingram won the ball off Marsh to send them away down the right. Paul could only head out the cross to Sylvestre who headed it back into the danger area for Borg to score on the turn.
Hector-Ingram was a big strong target man with pace. He was well over a foot taller than Marsh and a handful for the Spurs defence. Howe saved Owens' free kick as Spurs responded to going behind. Whiteman saved Dobson's header while Hayford fired wide. Howes pushed Edwards' free kick onto the crossbar and saved Bennetts' effort when put through by Owens. Spurs equalised when they won the ball in the middle and sent Hayford away on the right to find Sterling in the D between two defenders to score. Owens hit a free kick wide before the break.
There were no changes for the start of the second half which saw Spurs have a chance to go ahead a minute in when a cross to the far post almost reached Paul. Hector-Ingram made a strong run down the left beating three defenders before firing wide. Dobson fired wide before Sterling pulled the ball back for Owens to drive wide.
Whiteman saved a header by Akinola from a free kick before Spurs made a double substitution. Loft came on for Hayford and Daly replaced Bennetts. Loft went to the right side with Sterling moving to the left to make room for Loft up front. Edwards moved inside where he had spent most of the game anyway. Paul was getting forward more as Spurs began to find space in midfield getting into the area and having an effort blocked.
Spurs' last change was to replace Edwards with Shashoua in the attacking midfield role. Shashoua quickly played in Sterling for an effort which flew over. Spurs' midfield began to get on top as Dodson was replaced and Sylvestre moved to right back, weakening the home side's midfield. Muscatt had a header blocked from a corner while Brown, having switched with Muscatt, made a run deep into the "Hammers"' half before firing over. Daly cut in from the right to fire over before Muscatt headed over from another corner. In the last minute Sterling had a chance to win it but Howe saved his effort.
This was another game played at pace. The home side had the better of the game and prevented the Spurs midfield from passing their way through them. West Ham battled it out in the middle third for a large part of the game with Spurs getting on top towards the end of the game after changes were made. Both sides created chances to win it but overall it was a fair result.
The draw means Spurs drop to third, two points behind Chelsea and Leicester. Next week Spurs go to Southampton who lost 3-1 at home to Reading today. They then have a week off before entertaining Fulham at home.
Ray
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