Premier Reserve League South
           Brisbane Road, Leyton
        Monday 14th April 2008, 7pm
 
         SPURS       v      CHELSEA
      (All White)          (All Blue)
         4-4-2               4-4-2
 
          0(0)                3(0)
 
      Tommy Forecast 1 Stuart Searle
        Chris Gunter 2 Paulo Ferreira
            Gilberto 3 Branislav Ivanovic
      Jake Livermore 4 Tal Ben Hiam
Troy
Archibald-Henville(C)5 Shaun Cummings
      Dorian Dervite 6 Steve Sidwell
   Kyle Fraser-Allen 7 Fabio Ferreira
     Jacques Maghoma 8 Jimmy Smith
       Tomas Pekhart 9 Franco Di Santo
        Adel Taarabt10 Ricardo Fernandes
        David Hutton11 Phil Younghusband
 
         Lee Butcher12 Carl Magnay
                       (2)58Mins.
        Cian Hughton13 Rhys Taylor
           (7)73Mins 
     Takura Mtandari14 Jack Saville
          (10)64Mins   (5)86Mins.
     Daniel Hutchins15 Daniel Philliskirk
          (11)64Mins   (3)58Mins.
      Jonathan Obika16 Jordon Hibbert

Coaches:-
       C.Allen  

Scorers:-              Di Santo
		       54(Pen), 73, 80(Pen)

Booked:-
Forecast 52 (Dissent)  Sidwell 32(Foul)
Dervite 56(Foul)
Archibald-Henville 80(Foul)

Sent off:-
Maghoma 52(Last man)

Referee:- I.Cooper

Assistants:- P.Knight, F.Meilack, B.Wright

Attendance:- About 200

It was a chilly evening for Spurs' last home game of a disappointing season which has seen then in the lower half of the table for much of the time.

Spurs lined up with Archibald-Henville and Dervite at the back with Gunter on the right and Gilberto on the left. Livermore and Maghoma started in centre midfield with Fraser-Allen on the right wing and Hutton on the left. Taarabt played behind Pekhart up front. Chelsea had a number of experienced players from their first team squad which showed how much they wanted a win.

Spurs kicked off attacking the left goal but neither side tested the keepers until midway through the half. With both defences working well there were only a few dangerous crosses from the visitors to trouble Forecast. After Hutton put a free kick over the bar Maghoma forced the first save of the night from Searle. Di Santo got on the end of a centre but hit it over the bar from six yards out. Another Younghusband cross had to be pushed out by Forecast as the visitors began to look dangerous.

Sidwell was booked for a foul as he stopped Maghoma from driving through the centre. From the free kick, which Hutton touched square, Maghoma drove the ball low to the keepers left only to see Searle push it away. As the half closed Di Santo got to a Younghusband free kick from the left to head powerfully towards goal, again only six yards out. Forecast saved from point blank range.

The second half started much as the first half with the prospect of the game being a draw until Smith broke into the area with Maghoma in pursuit. The player went down and the ref immediately awarded a penalty and sent off Maghoma as he considered he was the last man. It was a harsh decision as the ref was behind the play and did not have help from his assistant. Forecast showed his disgust by kicking the ball away for which the ref showed him a yellow card. Di Santo did not miss from twelve yards as Forecast went the right way.

Chelsea again attacked through the middle, and the ref blew for a foul as the ball was played to Di Santo on the edge of the area . When Di Santo played the ball back to Younghushand, Dervite dived in thinking they were playing on and was promptly booked. Chelsea took off two defenders to take advantage of their numerical superiority and Allen responded by taking off Taarabt and Hutton for Mtandari and Hutchins to strengthen the midfield.

Chelsea moved the ball around to stretch Spurs and when Younghusband crossed from the right Di Santo swung and hit it on the turn waist high into the roof of the net for his second of the night. Allen took off Fraser-Allen for Hughton who took up a position on the left of a three man midfield with Livermore floating in front. Di Santo collected another through ball which took him away from goal with Archibald-Henville behind him. Troy had been timing his tackles well all evening, but on this occasion the ref decided that he had fouled the Chelsea striker and gave another penalty and booked him. Di Santo hit his penalty into the other corner despite Forecast getting his hands to it.

Spurs offered little threat after this with a couple of good strong runs by Livermore which lacked support. Chelsea were content with playing the ball around and with only Fabio Ferreria testing Forecast near the end.

The game started with both defences on top and with few chances being created it looked like a scoreless draw until the first penalty and the sending off. We did not play particularly well, especially in attack as Taarabt was his usual self and Pekhart hardly had a touch, but Archibald-Henville and Dervite were solid at the back. Di Santo’s second goal was worthy of winning any match and they did look the most dangerous in attack with the big striker missing two easy chances. It was disappointing that Spurs could not build on their good performance of the previous week. The reserves have one game left which is away to Reading in two weeks time. This Saturday the U-18’s play their last game which is a rearranged fixture away to Watford.

Ray

Follow @spursodyssey