Courtesy of:- Ray Lo, and the Spurs List.

       Premier Reserve League South
    Stevenage Borough FC, Broadhall Way
    Monday 15th September 2003, ko 7pm

        SPURS      V     WEST HAM
      (White/Blue)       (Claret/Blue)
       3-4-2-1            3-5-2

         2(0)             1(1)

      Robert Burch 1 Stephen Bywater
       Dean Marney 2 Trent McClenahan
   Christian Ziege 3 Brent Tattam
     Stephen Kelly 4 Tommy Laws
 Mbulelo  Mabizela 5 Phil Lumsden
      Gary Doherty 6 Matthew Kilgallon
  Jonathan Blondel 7 Youssef Sofaine
   Stephane Dalmat 8 Shaun Byrne
       Lee Barnard 9 Richard Garcia
    Gustavo Poyet 10 David Noble
  John Jackson(C) 11 Daryl McMahon

      Mark Hughes 12 Darren Blewitt
        (2)53Mins.   (6)46Mins
    Nicholas Eyre 13 Darren Behcet
     Ronnie Henry 14 Greg Pearson
  David Galbraith 15 Chris Cohen
       (3)73Mins.
    Jamie Slabber 16 Mark Noble
        (9)73Mins. 
                  17 Graeme Carrick

Scorers - Garcia 42, Poyet 64, Dalmat 67

Booked - McMahon(talking to ref)21, Blondel(kicking ball away)45, Laws(foul)58, Poyet(foul)61, Blewitt(foul)84, Galbraith(late)90

A good crowd turned up for this match including Trevor Brooking, Glenn Hoddle and David Pleat with Hans Segers. Spurs lined up with Kelly in the centre with Doherty on the right and Mabizela on the left. In front of them Marney and a returning Ziege played as wingbacks with Dalmat and Jackson inside and Poyet and Blondel in front of them behind Barnard as the lone striker.

The visitors kicked off attacking the North end and Garcia had the first shot at goal in the first minute with an effort that just curled outside the far post. A minute later Poyet went closer with a shot that hit the crossbar. Spurs dominated against a young Hammers team with good approach play during the first half with Poyet and Blondel creating chances with some intelligent football backed up by the runs of Jackson and Dalmat and the overlapping of the wingbacks. Doherty was making the forays from the back with Mabizela staying back. Kelly had the pace to cover his two colleagues when the Hammers played long balls over the top.

Bywater was the busier of the two keepers with a cracker from Dalmat with Jackson (twice)and Blondel going close. Burch had Noble and Garcia going close before the visitors took the lead in the 42nd minute. Garcia collected a throw-in on the left came inside to shoot from 25yds hitting the near post before going in.

The second half started with the Irons getting forward more and causing more pressure on Burch. We had more of the ball, but they had more efforts on goal. Marney took a knock on his knee and was replaced by Hughes who got forward more as Spurs probed for an opening. Ziege had one free kick in the game when Blondel was bundled over 25 yds out, but hit the ball high over the bar. Jackson hit a post from an acute angle but the home side were lucky not to go further behind when Byrne beat the offside trap twice as well as getting through a third time. Kelly got back for a great tackle the first time and Burch saved twice at his feet.

Experience finally told when Dalmat carried the ball from the centre of the park to the right of the penalty area before slipping the ball inside for Gus to side foot it home inside the far post. Three minutes later and the roles were reversed when Poyet provided the square ball for Dalmat to slide it in for his first goal for the club. With the home side now on top if not in complete control Calderwood took off Ziege and Barnard for Galbraith and Slabber as straight swaps. Galbraith added pace down the left in support of Blondel although Slabber did not harass the Hammers defence as Barnard did but did create a couple of chances to make the game safe.

Overall this was a good team performance with Poyet and Blondel finding space in front of the visitors back line to set up attacks and Jackson and Dalmat protecting the defence as well as supporting the men in front of them. Jackson did most of the running and Dalmat seemed to stroll about most of the time showing off his skills, but made some penetrating runs including setting up the first goal. Mabizela curbed his adventurous streak of last week which tended to leave the defence exposed, but taking over from Doherty with runs out of defence late in the first half. Poyet was looked fit and quick, but Ziege looked rusty and asked to come off as he tired. Blondel who was listed in the teamsheet as Blundel was a live wire and had a good battle with Laws although lost his cool for a period at the end of the first half conceding two quick fouls and then kicking the ball away when the ref called him over for a talking too.

The next game for the reserves is at home (Stevenage)on the 29th September when we play Ipswich.

Ray

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