Spurs under 23’s 2-2 Derby County: (match report) 

Wayne Burnett’s development side traveled up to Loughborough on Monday evening to take on highly flying Derby County (the ‘ Rams ’ fielded a strong side against Spurs) in the PL2, at the Loughborough University Stadium. Spurs started Monday’s league match in excellent fashion, and they led by two goals to one at the break thanks to goals from Elliot Thorpe and Luis Binks. However, after putting in a dominant first half performance Derby County responded in the second half by matching Spurs. The ‘ Rams ‘ pulled a goal back through Morgan Whittaker on 73 minutes and both sides were forced to settle for a point. Wayne Burnett’s side lined up with Brandon Austin in goal, while a back four consisting of captain TJ Eyoma, Malachi Fagan-Walcott, Luis Binks and Brooklyn Lyons-Foster lined up in front of him. Harvey White and Tariq Hinds partnered up in central midfield while Shilow Tracey and Dilan Markanday operated out on the flanks, either side of CAM Elliot Thorpe. Rodel Richards led the line for Spurs. Derby got the game underway on a bitterly cold and rainy night in the Midlands. Spurs started the game well and after latching onto the ball, Spurs winger Shilow Tracey surged forward down the right flank before whipping the ball dangerously across the face of the Derby goal. 

A couple of moments later Dilan Markanday passed the ball to Rodel Richards in the Derby box however, his shot on goal was blocked behind by Ethan Wassall. Luis Binks then met Harvey White’s corner kick but his headed effort on goal was blocked by Wassall at the near post. Shortly afterwards Jahmal Hector-Ingram robbed Luis Binks of the ball before feeding it into Alex Babos who passed it to Cameron Cresswell in the Spurs box. His shot however, was blocked by TJ Eyoma. Callum Minley headed Alex Babos’ corner kick wide a couple of minutes later at Brandon Austin’s back post before Spurs managed to take the lead in the tenth minute of the game through Elliot Thorpe, courtesy of a well worked move. After left back Brooklyn Lyons-Foster passed the ball to Dilan Markanday down the left flank, Markanday whipped a low cross into Elliot Thorpe inside the Derby box and the former Wales under 19 internationals side footed, first time effort went into the bottom left hand corner of the Derby goal, 1-0. Shortly after the restart Brandon Austin’s long kick up field came to Rodel Richards up top. Richards skipped past Derby first teamer Krystian Bielik who slipped, before then darting into the Derby box and forcing a good save out of Heinrich Ravas from his curling effort. Spurs doubled their lead from the resulting corner kick. Harvey White’s excellent whipped delivery was met by Luis Binks who ran towards the near post before generating enough power in his header to beat Ravas and find the bottom right hand corner of the goal, 2-0. 

Spurs continued their good start to the game and after receiving TJ Eyoma’s pass out on the right flank, Shilow Tracey’s cross was headed narrowly over the bar by Harvey White. Elliot Thorpe was shown a yellow card for making a strong sliding challenge on Derby’s Jordan Brown. A couple of minutes later and after latching onto TJ Eyoma’s pass out on the right flank, Tracey cut inside before firing a low deflected effort just wide of the Derby goal. Harvey White’s resulting corner kick was met by Malachi Fagan-Walcott whose headed effort was cleared by Ethan Wassall, forcing another corner kick. This time Harvey White’s free kick was met by Binks whose bullet header was cleared on the line by Babos before Rodel Richards then had an effort saved by Ravas. A couple of minutes later Rodel Richards flicked Harvey White’s corner kick across the face of the Derby goal, before Binks volleyed over a whipped cross from Tariq Hinds into the Derby box. After latching onto the ball Jahmal Hector-Ingram burst into the Spurs box (he was put under good pressure by Binks who slid in late) before firing the ball against Brandon Austin’s crossbar. Malachi Fagan-Walcott received a yellow card for committing a foul on Cameron Cresswell. A couple of minutes later Elliot Thorpe passed the ball to Shilow Tracey who burst into the Derby box before whipping the ball across the face of the goal. 

Malachi Fagan-Walcott blocked Louie Sibley’s shot before then blocking Cameron Cresswell’s shot inside the Spurs box. Then at the other end of the pitch, and after receiving Dilan Markanday’s pass Harvey White whipped the ball narrowly over Henrich Ravas’ crossbar from the edge of the Derby box. After Eyoma conceded a free kick in the sixth minute of first half stoppage time, Louie Sibley whipped the ball into the Spurs box where it was met by Jordan Brown who headed the ball home, 2-1. That was the final piece of action from the first half. Spurs got the second half underway. Brooklyn Lyons-Foster’s early cross was gathered by Henrich Ravas before Shilow Tracey whipped a dangerous ball across the face of the Derby goal. After receiving Louie Sibley’s pass inside the Tottenham box Jahmal Hector-Ingram fired the ball over Brandon Austin’s crossbar. After some great skill from Rodel Richards inside the Derby box, he passed the ball to Dilan Markanday whose effort on goal was blocked by Ethan Wassall. Harvey White then sent a powerful, looping effort from range over the Derby crossbar before Derby again came close to netting an equaliser. After Jahmal Hector-Ingram had crossed the ball into Josh Shonibare in the Spurs box but he fired the ball harmlessly over Brandon Austin’s crossbar. A couple of minutes later Shonibare headed Louie Sibley’s cross just wide of Brandon Austin’s goal. Rodel Richards then won a free kick on the edge of the Derby box. Harvey White stood up to take it however, his whipped effort was blocked by the Derby wall. 

Then in the 73rd minute of the game Derby drew level through Morgan Whittaker. After latching onto the ball on the edge of the Spurs penalty area, Whittaker let fly on his right foot. His powerful effort took a big deflection off of Malachi Fagan-Walcott before coming off the underside of Brandon Austin’s crossbar, and bouncing into the roof of the net, 2-2. Phoenix Patterson then came onto replace Elliot Thorpe in the CAM role. Dilan Markanday had a low effort from the edge of the Derby box, saved by Henrich Ravas. Before Harvey White received Phoenix Patterson inside the Derby box, but his shot on goal was blocked by Ethan Wassall. Brandon Austin then saved Jahmal Hector-Ingram’s low effort from the edge of the Spurs box, before Archie Brown whipped a dangerous ball across the face of Austin’s goal, before Alex Babos hit an effort off of Luis Binks. After Alex Babos managed to find Louie Sibley down the left side of the Spurs box however, his effort on goal was blocked well by Phoenix Patterson, before Babos fired the ball wide of Austin’s goal. Rayan Clarke came onto replace Rodel Richards up top before Luis Binks cleared away Louie Sibley’s cross. Alex Babos’ effort from the edge of the Spurs box came off the underside of Brandon Austin’s crossbar before bouncing away. A couple of minutes later and after receiving Josh Shonibare’s pass down the left flank, Morgan Whittaker cut inside onto his right foot before firing the ball over Brandon Austin’s crossbar. Jonathan Dinzeyi then replaced Dilan Markanday as he went up top.

Jahmal Hector-Ingram shot just wide from the edge of the Spurs box before Whittaker passed the ball to Hector-Ingram who gave the ball to Alex Babos, whose tapped effort from close range was gathered by Brandon Austin in what was the final piece of action of the game. This game really was a game of two halves. 

Player reviews:

• Brandon Austin: The Spurs goalkeeper made two saves both of which were routine ones. Austin organised the back four well and he was also a commanding presence inside his penalty area.
• TJ Eyoma: The Spurs captain had a strong first half where he was solid and effective at linking up with Shilow Tracey. Eyoma had a decent second half and he made some good interceptions.
• Malachi Fagan-Walcott: The RCB was very good on the ball and he made some good clearances and interceptions.
• Luis Binks: The LCB was dominant in the air, he made some important clearances and he took his first half goal well. 
• Brooklyn Lyons-Foster: One of Spurs’ best defensive performers on the night, Lyons-Foster who was involved in the build up play to Spurs’ opening goal, was solid at left back. The 19 year old impressed in the air (he made some lovely cushioned headed clearances) and he was good on the ground (he made some good interceptions and kept good positioning). The Islington born defender also got up and down the left flank well.
• Harvey White: The midfielders set pieces were excellent on the night and he did a decent job at patrolling the middle of the park. 
• Tariq Hinds: The fullback put in a decent performance in central midfield alongside Harvey White. Hinds was tenacious and he showed good energy. 
• Dilan Markanday: I thought that Markanday had a good game and after setting up Elliot Thorpe’s opener he went on some decent attacking forays down the left flank. Markanday also tracked back well and he made some nice twist and turns.
• Elliot Thorpe: This was another positive performance from Thorpe who I was absolutely delighted for, on him netting his first ever PL2 goal (and it was a well taken one too!). Thorpe played with real bite and he was always looking to receive the ball and make that forward pass.
• Shilow Tracey: My man of the match, see below. 
• Rodel Richards: The Spurs centre forward worked very hard but he will have been disappointed that he couldn’t have taken one of his fine chances.
• Phoenix Patterson: The second half substitute came on for the final 16 minutes of the game to play in the CAM role. Patterson made a couple of good passes.
• Rayan Clarke: Clarke operated out on the left flank for the final moments of the game.
• Jonathan Dinzeyi: The 20 year old central defender came on towards the end of the game to play up top. That is something that Dinzeyi has done on a couple of occasions before for our under 23’s.

My man of the match: On his 16th appearance of the season for our development side, 21 year old winger Shilow Tracey put in a very good performance out on the right flank. Tracey’s pace, skill and direct running made life very difficult for the Derby left back as Tracey constantly had the beating of his man. Apart from the former Ebbsfleet United mans many excellent surging forward runs, the quality of Tracey’s crosses were very good (they were nice whipped ones) and his decision making in the final third was also good. 

Derby County: Ravas, Minkley, McDonald (Ebosele 5), Brown, Bielek (Brown 18) Wassall, Whittaker, Babos, Hector-Ingram, Sibley, Cresswell (Shonibare 60). Substitutes (not used): Barnes, Thompson.

Spurs: Austin, Eyoma, Lyons-Foster, Hinds, Fagan-Walcott, Binks, Tracey, White, Richards (R Clarke 83), Thorpe (Patterson 74), Markanday (Dinzeyi 87). Substitutes (not used): De Bie, Statham.

Spurs under 23’s statistics: 

Goals: Armando Shashoua – 5

Harvey White – 3

Rodel Richards – 3

Jamie Bowden – 3

Troy Parrott – 2

Kazaiah Sterling – 2

Tashan Oakley-Boothe – 2

Dilan Markanday – 2

Shilow Tracey – 1

Paris Maghoma – 1

Phoenix Patterson – 1

Elliot Thorpe – 1

Luis Binks – 1

Assists: Shilow Tracey – 5

Dilan Markanday – 4

Tashan Oakley-Boothe – 3

Armando Shashoua – 3

Rodel Richards – 2

Tariq Hinds – 2

Jamie Bowden – 1

Paris Maghoma – 1

Kazaiah Sterling – 1

TJ Eyoma – 1

Maurizio Pochettino – 1

Harvey White – 1

Clean sheets: Brandon Austin – 1

Josh Oluwayemi – 1