FA BARCLAYCARD PREMIERSHIP RESERVE LEAGUE
MONDAY 17TH NOVEMBER, 2003
SPURS RESERVES 0 (0) CHARLTON RESERVES 1 (0)

Scorer:-
Turner, 80

Referee:- Mr.. D. McDermid

Attendance:- Est. 350

Teams:-
Spurs (4-4-2):- Burch; Foster, Henry, O'Donoghue, McKie; Marney, Hughes (Capt), Blondel, Ricketts; Barnard, Galbraith (sub O'Hara, 58)

Subs not used:- Eyre; Ifil; Barnett (Jamie Slabber seemed to be absent, although billed as a substitute)

Booked:- Blondel, Galbraith

Charlton (4-4-2):- Leite; Sankofa, Turner (Capt), Fortune, Ricketts (Mark); Beckford, Hughes (sub Wilson, 52), McCafferty, Gross (sub Cole, 17); Long, Varney

Subs not used:- Elliot; Jackson, Ndombe

Booked:- Turner, Fortune

A match almost devoid of goalmouth incident, but heavily punctuated by the referee's whistle was decided by a somewhat fortuitous reaction header with 10 minutes to go, after Rob Burch had made a good save from Varney's powerful shot. The announcer credited the goal to Stacy Long, but the Spurs Official site has given it to the Charlton Captain Michael Turner. Whoever scored it made a killer blow, from which Spurs youngsters had insufficient time to recover.

Referee McDermid may have had Carlton Cole's seat on the Charlton coach for all I know. He did not seem to be able to point his arm in Spurs favour when giving decisions for much of the game, and really started to wind up the home fans when he booked Jonathan Blondel for a fairly harmless tackle in the middle. Carlton Cole must have travelled independently, as he arrived late, and Adam Gross was the unlucky player who had to make way for the Chelsea loan star with little more than a quarter of an hour gone. Cole took up the main striker role, and Long reverted to the left wing.

Spurs of course are missing skipper John Jackson, starting a loan spell at Coventry, Mark Yeates, who started for Brighton on Saturday, Ben Bowditch, who is on trial with West Ham, and apart from the minimal experience of Ricketts and Marney, we missed anyone with Premiership games under their belts. There were two or three of our lads in unfamiliar roles. Danny Foster took the right back slot; Jonathan Blondel was central midfield, whilst David Galbraith played beside Lee Barnard. Whilst Ronnie Henry and Paul O'Donoghue read the game well, and generally handled Cole well at the back, Spurs were a bit lightweight in front of them, with only Mark Hughes able to show notable strength in the midfield. Charlton were very well organised, and their youngsters swamped the Spurs man on the ball in most areas.

Spurs' keeper Rob Burch had been tested early on, and got away with dropping a cross in the slippery conditions, but Spurs did create a great chance after 11 minutes. Galbraith and Barnard worked the ball from right to left, and Rohan Ricketts hit a great left foot shot that was well saved by Leite in the Charlton goal. I believe this was Ricketts first reserve appearance of the season, and no doubt he will hope it is not repeated, as he bids to regain favour in the first team.

After half an hour, Marcel McKie did well to head clear off the line as Turner headed down a Stephen Hughes corner. Whereas the referee was quick to stop Spurs taking any quick free kicks, he did allow Charlton to take one with the ball rolling, just outside the box, and the Spurs defence did well to make a couple of blocks. Three minutes before the break, Hughes made a run from the half way line, with Marney in pursuit, but the ex-Gooner hit his low shot wide of Burch's left post.

Soon after the break, Henry covered well for O'Donoghue as Cole broke through the area, before Ronnie made a good interception. He and O'Donoghue seemed to have a good understanding, with one covering the other as is desirable in any centre-back partnership. David Galbraith was replaced by Jamie O'Hara, and when Jamie's angled run towards the area was abruptly ended by Turner, at last the referee put a Charlton name in his book. Dean Marney hit a good low free kick just outside the post.

Most of the action was in the middle of the park, and the lack of incident and excitement did not help the officials as the focus was upon them too easily. Lee Barnard seemed to be having a torrid time with the centre-back all over him, but the ref was not interested in any offences there. Worst of all was an offside given when a marvellous long ball by Marney from right to left landed for Lee Barnard (who had run from an onside position). The linesman raised his flag when the ball reached its target, and not when it was kicked. This is only one example (but the best - or worst of several such decisions). Blondel was to be deprived of a run in similar circumstances later on. During the game, Blondel, Marney and O'Donoghue had all sent good long balls to good positions, but Spurs were lightweight up front, and did not make the best of the ball in other parts of the field.

The Charlton goal came with ten minutes to go, and whoever scored it, hit a looped header that probably rebounded off them from Burch's save, rather than any deliberated attempt. Spurs' best chance to at least get a deserved equaliser came when Ricketts threaded a lovely ball for Barnard, whose shot was blocked by the advancing Leite. The ball ran across the area, and Blondel tried a reaction header, but that too was cleared.

It is very rare for a referee at this level to cause such upset, but Mr. McDermid was roundly booed off the park. In my view he ruined what could have been a decent night out.

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