BARCLAYCARD PREMIERSHIP RESERVE LEAGUE
MONDAY 8TH DECEMBER, 2003
SPURS RESERVES 3 (1) IPSWICH 0 (0)

Scorers:-
Barnard, 17, 70
Slabber, 90

Referee:- Mr. S. Tomlinson

Attendance:- Est. 350

Teams:-
Spurs (4-4-2):- Burch; Mabizela, Doherty, Bunjevcevic, McKie; Marney, O'Hara, Hughes (Capt.), Acimovic; Slabber, Barnard (sub Malcolm, 80)

Subs not used:- Eyre; Foster, O'Donoghue; McKenna

Booked:- Hughes, McKie

Ipswich (4-3-3):- Supple; Mitchell, Hogg, Collins, Barron; Bloomfield (Capt..) (sub Synott, 82), Reuser, Abidallah (sub Craig, 82); Morrow, Bowditch, Armstrong (sub Flack, 30)

Subs not used:- Peat; Manning

No bookings

Spurs ran out convincing winners of this hard-fought and well contested reserves' game, thanks to two well-taken goals by Lee Barnard, who was on top of his game tonight, and a late bonus from Jamie Slabber, who was one of the less conspicuous Spurs players.

On a bitterly cold night, Spurs featured experience in the middle at the back, with Gary Doherty beside Goran Bunjevcevic, whilst "Old John" Mabizela played at right back, and young Marcel McKie was on the left. Dean Marney got a chance to express himself on the attacking front, with a welcome game on the right flank, rather than at the back, and Milenko Acimovic impressed on the left wing, with pace and plenty of skill. Jamie O'Hara made his first reserve start beside skipper Mark Hughes, and Slabber and Barnard formed the young attacking force.

Ipswich featured one or two familiar names, such as Reuser in midfield, and Alun Armstrong up front. Dean Bowditch (who is the brother of our own Dean) was in blue, and Nabil Abidallah impressed on the left side of midfield in a formation that resembled 4-3-3 at the start, but reverted to 4-4-2 as the game wore on.

As early as the third minute, Marney was asserting himself putting a good cross over for Barnard, who had a free header, but put it wide of the mark. Ipswich responded with a deep cross that was headed back for Reuser whose shot was of Johnny Wilkinson height. Mark Hughes got an early booking for kicking the ball away, but this did not prevent him from playing his normal competitive game, tackling hard, but also demonstrating tonight some acute passing skills, both short and long range.

Rob Burch was down well to a well-struck long shot from Abidallah, but at the other end Supple made hard work of holding a half-strength shot from Barnard. Spurs took the lead in the 17th minute, with a goal by Barnard after he had started a good attack down the right with a quick pass to Marney. Marney raced down the wing inside the full back, and won a throw, from which Dean's cross was met by Barnard, facing the touchline about 20 yards out. Barnard turned sharply, and in a swift move fired home low to the left of the keeper.

In the 26th minute, Marney and Acimovic switched the ball from either side of the field twice, before Milenko sent in a cross which Barnard hit early, but over the bar. Ipswich responded with a long ball attack, and Armstrong beat McKie to the ball, stretching to get a shot in that went wide to the left of Burch's goal. Armstrong never got up from the challenge of the defender, though there was no malice, and had to be replaced by Flack. Acimovic had found the advancing Hughes with one cross, that Hughes headed over, and just before the break Milo laid the ball back for Barnard from a quick free kick. Barnard's shot was well over from 25 yards.

Lee was in the thick of the action after the break, and after two minutes he picked up a midfield pass, testing the keeper with a well-struck shot from 25 yards that stayed one yard off the ground. Jamie Slabber then tried his best to get in on the act, after a good long pass from Hughes to Acimovic was put into the danger zone, where Slabber had his first effort blocked, then had a second crack saved by Supple from close range.

Ipswich were reduced to trying long shots for much of the time, and Morrow teed up little Abidallah, who hit a powerful rising shot that was well saved by Burch for a corner. With 20 minutes left, a Spurs corner was half cleared to Marney lurking outside the area. He hit a powerful drive, and the keeper was diving to his right, possibly about to save, when Barnard cleverly diverted the ball into the net from close in. A free kick on the right, found its way to Mabizela who hit the ball across the 6 yard box, instead of towards goal. Gary Doherty had a close range effort that Supple saved well.

Barnard suffered a knock in midfield and was replaced by Michael Malcolm, wearing rather flashy silver boots, with 10 minutes to go. As the 4 minutes of injury time commenced, Jamie Slabber scored the third goal, after Acimovic had led a good build up from left to right. It was Acimovic who passed back to Marney, whose cross was well-met by a stooping header from Slabber.

Chris Hughton took charge of the team tonight, and there was no sign of Clive Allen. The usual faces were in the stand, such as Mr. Pleat, Colin Calderwood (now manager of Northampton), and Ipswich manager Joe Royle.

The reserves now have a four week break before their next official fixture (January 12th against Coventry, at Broadhall Way), although no doubt there will be one or two "behind closed doors" games arranged. In the meantime, the first team has a busy schedule of 8 games, including two home cup ties.

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