EDS mark trophy lift with victory over Spurs

The newly-crowned Premier League 2 champions marked the final home game of the season with an impressive win thanks to first half goals from Tommy Doyle and Ben Knight, and second half strikes from Liam Delap and James McAtee.

Victory means Enzo Maresca’s side have not lost a Premier League 2 game in just under six months, in a run stretching an impressive 17 games.

The win also ensures the City youngsters end the campaign with an unbeaten home record at the Academy Stadium and was followed by the official title presentation on the Academy Stadium pitch.

WHAT HAPPENED

Maresca’s side were in no mood to have their Premier League 2 coronation ruined, as the City youngsters looked to dominate proceedings from the off.

A marauding run from Liam Delap saw the forward win a foul in a dangerous area, 25-yards from goal, giving captain, Doyle the perfect opportunity to test Kacper Kurylowicz’s goal.

As a result, the City skipper made the test an impossible one for the Spurs shot-stopper, as Doyle curled a superb effort over the wall and into the bottom corner to open the scoring inside 15 minutes.

As they had done all season the City youngsters controlled the ball throughout, and that free-flowing, posession-based saw us nearly double our lead on the half-hour mark.

A neat team move allowed Claudio Gomes to roll in Cole Palmer, who broke into the Spurs box before seeing his effort on the angle well saved from 10-yards.

City did not have to wait much longer for a second though, as Knight netted his fifth goal of the season just before the break.

The 18-year-old beat his man on the edge of the box before hitting a stunning strike into the far top corner, giving Kurylowicz no chance in the Tottenham goal.

Into the second half, and it was more of the same from Maresca’s men, as Delap came close five minutes in after his chipped effort from close range was well saved by the on-rushing Kurylowicz.

The league champions had scored 69 goals in just 22 games prior to the game and it was easy to see why in this one, as every City attack looked a dangerous one.

Knight came close to his second, and our third just before the hour mark as the winger cut in from the right, before curling an effort from the edge of the box just wide of the post.

Minutes later however the City youngsters had a third, in a mesmerising team move that epitomised a remarkable Premier League 2 season.

Palmer and Gomes teased the Spurs backline on the edge of the box before the latter burst into the box and squared the ball for Delap, who tapped into an empty net for our third.

Spurs did pull one back with 20 minutes to play as Brooklyn Lyons-Foster headed in from a corner to rescue some hope for the visitors.

Despite this it would only prove a consolation, as in the final moments James McAtee finished off a quick counter-attack by slotting a side-footed effort into the corner to cap off another superb display from Maresca’s team.

HOW WE LINED UP

James Trafford‘s goal was protected by a back four of Claudio Gomes, Philippe Sandler Finley Burns and CJ Egan-Riley.

Romeo Lavia, Tommy Doyle and James McAtee formed our midfield, with Ben Knight and Cole Palmer on the left and right wing.

Liam Delap led the up-front.

WHAT IT MEANS

Victory further extends our lead at the top of the Premier League 2 table to 14 points, as Maresca’s side sit on 53 points with just one game left to play.

UP NEXT

The two sides will meet once again next week, as we take on Spurs at Hotspur Way in our final league game of the season on Friday 7 May at 17:00pm (UK).