Premier League 2, First Division 2017-18
            Meadow Park, Borehamwood,
          Saturday 10th March 2018, 2pm.

             ARSENAL     v     SPURS
           (Red/White)      (White/Blue)
             4-2-3-1          4-1-4-1

               1(1)             3(2)

             Matt Macey  1  Alfie Whiteman
        Jordi Osei-Tutu  2  Timothy Eyoma
           Tolaji Boola  3  Anthony Georgiou
        Josh Da Silva(C) 4  George Marsh
          Danny Ballard  5  Christian Maghoma(C)
            Zech Medley  6  Japhet Tanganga
             Trae Coyle  7  Keanan Bennetts
        Charlie Gilmour  8  Oliver Skipp
          Vlad Dragomir  9  Reo Griffiths
       Emile Smith-Rowe 10  Joseph Pritchard
         Xavier Amaechi 11  Samuel Shashoua

            Aaron Eyoma 12  Tashan Oakley-Boothe
              (7)61Mins     (10)66Mins
              Hugo Keto 13  Luke O'Reilly
              Joe Olowu 14  Jack Roles
                            (11)77Mins
        Folarin Balogun 15  Dylan Duncan
              (8)80Mins
             Matt Smith 16  Jaden Brown
                            (6)88Mins

Scorers:-
            Ballard 17      Eyoma 25
                            Skipp 34 
                            Bennetts 57

Booked:-
      Da Silva 30(Foul)     Georgiou 14(Trip)
    Ballard 56(Holding)     Tanganga 27(Holding)
       Gilmour 61(Foul)     Shashoua 59(10yds)

Coaches:-
          Steve Gatting     Wayne Burnett

Attendance:– 381

Referee:– Simon Barrow
Assistants:– Marcus Carmichael & Dele Sotimirin
Fourth Official:– Andreas Anastasiou 

Spurs travelled to Borehamwood for this away game against Arsenal on a dull afternoon which briefly brightened up before the floodlights came on at the end. Arsenal's push for the title had been blunted in their last game when Leicester City beat then 3-1 to go top themselves. Spurs pulled themselves out of the relegation zone with a four match unbeaten run drawing away at Swansea 2-2 in their last game having gone 2-0 down early in the first half. Spurs were looking to do the double over their neighbours having won 3-2 at Hotspur Way. Last season Arsenal won 2-0 at their training ground having been promoted from the second division of this competition.

Spurs lined up with Whiteman in goal behind Maghoma and the returning Tanganga with Eyoma at right back and Georgiou on the left. Marsh anchored the midfield with Skipp and Pritchard ahead of him flanked by Bennetts on the right and Shashoua on the left in support of Griffiths up front. On the home bench was TJ Eyoma's elder brother Aaron. The last time the brothers were picked for the same match it was the Spurs player who was on the bench and did not get on.

Spurs kicked off the first half attacking the South end and they had an early chance when Griffiths played in Pritchard to win a corner from the save by Macey. From the corner Tanganga drew a save. Arsenal had the better of the early play with Whiteman saving a deflected effort by Dragomir from a cross by Bola. Smith-Rowe drew a save from Whiteman a minute later.

Georgiou was booked for tripping Coyle when he got past him on the right flank. Dragomir drew another save before the home side went in front. It came from a free kick on the right following another foul on Coyle. Ballard headed in the free kick at the far post.

Spurs began to get more of the ball and put pressure on the home defence. From a free kick on the right taken by Bennetts, Tanganga headed in back across the goal for Eyoma to nod in at the near post. Maghoma was booked for hauling back Dragomir when he lost the ball but the momentum had swung Spurs' way and Da Silva was booked for a foul on Bennetts who had swapped wings with Shashoua.

Spurs took the lead when Eyoma and Shashoua worked the ball down the right before Pritchard got to the line and pulled the ball back for the late run of Skipp who hit it first time into the top corner of the net. Spurs ended the half on top.

There were no changes for the start of the second half which saw Spurs continue dominating the play with Bennetts' effort blocked after he had been played in by Griffiths. After Skipp had his ball blocked, it fell to Pritchard who fired over. Ballard was booked for pulling back Griffiths as he went through the middle. Bennetts stepped up to take the free kick and curled it inside the right post to increase the visitors' lead.

Shashoua picked up a booking for not moving away from a free kick before Gilmour fired over. Arsenal made their first change which saw Aaron Eyoma come on going to the right side. He later moved across to face his brother who got the better of him the couple of times they clashed. Shashoua played in Pritchard to fire wide. Gilmour was booked for a bad foul on Skipp in the build up to that chance.

Pritchard gave way to Oakley-Boothe in midfield as Spurs looked to see out the game. Dragomir had a chance that he hit wide before Spurs made their second change when Roles came on for Shashoua. Bennetts had a shot fly wide before Griffiths drew a save. Skipp played in Roles on the left and his rising drive hit the crossbar.

Spurs last change saw Tanganga replaced by Brown who went to right back with Eyoma moving alongside Maghoma in the centre. With Spurs looking to see out the game Whiteman saved from Ballard for a corner from which Da Silva fired wide in added time.

Arsenal were quickest out of the blocks but once Spurs got going they had the better of the game with 53% possession. Skipp continues to improve and got his first goal for Spurs. Spurs extended their unbeaten run to five and are now a point behind Derby County who they play next month. Spurs are now 10th in the league table with Sunderland and Man Utd below them.

Ray

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