Tomas Pekart scored yet again, but it was the quality of centre-back Dorian Dervite which shone through for Spurs, as he led another fight back by our youngsters, who found themselves two down at the interval, but managed a dramatic 3-2 win.

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

 
         FA Premier Academy League – South
	    Milton Keynes Sports Ground
         Saturday 7th October 2006, 11.00am

             MK DONS    v    SPURS            
          (All White)    (L.Blue/D.Blue)                     
             4-4-2           4-4-2
 
              2(2)           3(0)
 
            Ryan Flood 1 Richie Stroud
             Adam Kent 2 Cian Hughton
         James Nash(C) 3 Takura Mtandari
          Tom Williams 4 Stuart Lewis
          Ollie Thorne 5 Dorian Dervite
         Kieran Murphy 6 Troy Archibald-Henville
        Stephane Koffi 7 Jamie Davis
            Charlie  ? 8 Jake Livermore(C)
              Joe Howe 9 Tomas Pekhart
              Ted Day 10 Daniel Hutchins
       Dean Lovegrove 11 David Hutton
 
                      12 Joe Martin
          (7) 74 Mins    (6) 46Mins
             Troy  ?  13
         (14) 83 Mins
                      14 Jonahan Obika
         (11) 32 Mins    (11) 79 Mins
                      15 Ryan Mason  
                         (12) 82 Mins
 
Scorers:-
         Lovegrove 10    Dervite 52
         Charlie ? 22    Pekhart 59
                         Hughton 86
 
Bookings:-               Lewis (late)18
 
 

It was a bright if chilly morning for this game against the ex-Wimbledon club in its new incarnation of Milton Keynes. Despite that it was much the same type of football we used to get – hard and physical with a little skill thrown in. It was a reminder to the pampered Premiership wannabes that it is still a contact sport and not just about skill. Thankfully our young stars of the future came through it bruised but intact. I apoligise for any errors in players' names as there was no team sheet.

I was joined by Paul Smith at pitch side as Spurs lined up with Dervite and Archibald-Henville at the back with Hughton on the right and Mtandari on the left (the opposite to their normal sides). Livermore and Lewis took up the central midfield positions with Davis on the right wing and Huttton on the left. Hutchins partnered Pekhart up front.

Spurs kicked off playing into the wind which meant that they tried to play balls through on the ground. The no-nonsense defending style of the Dons meant that the game did not flow for very long. Spurs did get the ball in the net but Hutchins was ruled offside. The home side took the lead from a long free kick which evaded everyone and went straight in. Stroud was probably put off by a Dons player crossing the line of flight.

Spurs should have been level soon after when Hutchins was upended in the box, but Pekhart hit the post with his penalty. Lewis was cautioned for a bad tackle which led to an ugly confrontation between the players. Soon after that the home side increased their lead from another free kick which Archibald-Henville headed onto his own bar and the 8 followed up to put in the rebound. Just after that Hutton had his effort ruled out for offside and it was beginning to look like it was not going to be our day. Just after the half hour Lovegrove injured himself tackling Hutchins and had to be stretchered off which unbalanced the home side as well as removing one of their major threats.

New coach Inglethorpe started the second half with Joe Martin in place of Archibald-Henville at the back and swapped over the two full backs. With the wind behind them Spurs also sprayed out more long balls using the flanks more. Dervite played a long diagonal ball to Hutton whose centre was cleared for a corner. From the corner Dervite headed powerfully into the net.

The visitors were getting more of the play and stretching the home defence. Davis and Mtandari combined down the right and the full back's centre was headed home by Pekhart at the near post, to atone for his penalty miss.

Dervite was making forward runs and on one of these he hit the ball from from over 25yds rattling the crossbar. Both sides made changes as they looked for a winner with Obika replacing Hutton on the wing and Martin having to be replaced by Mason, who went into the midfield as Livermore dropped back.

With four minutes remaining, Spurs got the breakthrough when Flood failed to hold a Hutchins shot and Hughton put in the rebound.

Again, Spurs had to come back from being two goals down to prevent the Dons from getting their first win. The win moves them on to 14 points, along with Villa and Reading, behind leaders Leicester City on 21 points.

Next Saturday they go to Villa before entertaining Bristol City at the Lodge the following week. The U-16 side also played MK Dons on the pitch behind the one the U-18’s were playing on and it looked like they lost to a single goal.

Incidently, it appears that Gary Mabbutt opened the club house at the sports ground. He obviously didn't know that the Dons would later be using it.

Ray

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