From Broadhall Way, Stevenage by Paul Smith and Ray lo

FA BARCLAYCARD PREMIERSHIP RESERVE LEAGUE
MONDAY 19TH JANUARY, 2004
SPURS RESERVES 2 (0) LEICESTER RESERVES 1 (1)

Spurs scorers:-
Slabber, 54
Ricketts, 66

Leicester scorer:-
Lewis, 9

Referee:- Mr. P. Melin

Attendance:- Est. 350

Teams:-
Spurs (4-4-2):- Eyre; Ifil, Kelly, Bunjevcevic, McKie; Yeates, Hughes (Capt.), Blondel, Ricketts; Slabber, Barnard

Subs not used:- Forecast; Foster; Daniels, O'Hara; Malcolm

Booked:- McKie, Hughes, Ifil,

Leicester (4-4-2):- Murphy; Heath (Capt.), Elliott, Sinclair, Priet; Gillespie, Nalis, Lewis, Deen; Hignett, Brooker

Subs not used:- Coyne; Pearmain, Williams, Gondal, O'Shea

Booked:- Deen

After a first half devoid of much notable action, during which this young Spurs side went down to an early goal against a tall, strong and experienced Leicester team, Spurs did well to come from behind and take all three points thanks to Jamie Slabber's equaliser and a screamer of a goal from man of the match, Rohan Ricketts.

This was a far different Spurs side from last week, when we cruised home against Coventry, with the likes of Postiga, Zamora, Brown and Ziege in the starting line-up. Whilst Dean Marney has left for a loan spell with QPR, we welcomed back Mark Yeates tonight after his loan at Brighton, and boy did he look keen!

Leicester started with Elliott and Sinclair in the central defence, Nalis in the middle and Gillespie on the right wing, whilst Craig Hignett was up front. Marcel McKie at left back, was always going to have a difficult night against Gillespie, and he did suffer an early booking for a high challenge, but along with the support he got from Ricketts and Blondel, amongst others, McKie learnt a lot from his tough opponent, as Leicester did tend to throw everything at Spurs from that right side. At right back, Ifil had another confident game, and Kelly and Bunjevcevic were pretty solid in the middle. Mark Hughes returned to skipper the side, but otherwise the midfield was a light and attacking force through Yeates on the right (with freedom to roam), Blondel beside Hughes and Ricketts on the left. Indeed throughout the first half, Spurs' approach work was fine, with some great skill from all the 4 midfield players, and good balls into the middle. Unfortunately, the experienced Sinclair and Elliott has the upper hand over Slabber and Barnard, who struggled to make best use of the delivery.

Leicester's goal came in the ninth minute and followed a corner. Heath headed down, and Ifil cleared off the line, with Eyre beaten. In the ensuing scramble, Junior Lewis got the ball in the net from close range with an overhead kick. That was the best from the visitors and the only specific Spurs attack I have to report from that first 45 minutes was a lovely threaded ball from Ricketts for Hughes to take towards the area. He had only the keeper to beat, but chose to shoot from too far out, when he could have taken more time. Hughes' weak shot went into Murphy's arms. The referee took a stern line, booking 4 players, and it looked like he might collect more names, but he kept his book in his pocket for the rest of the game.

Shortly after the break, Hughes had tried a back header from a Yeates free kick, but the ball went well over the goal. Then Ifil made a powerful run, which ended in a strong low drive across the goal but just outside the right post. Some good sharp approach play through the middle from Blondel, Yeates and Slabber led to a Ricketts effort going for a corner, taken by Yeates. Hughes was at the back post with a free header, which he put way over the bar. Understandably, Hughes put his head in his hands after what he knew was a poor effort.

Spurs equalised in the 54th minute, thanks to Leicester's defence being slow to respond to Hughes' long ball. Slabber got behind the central pair, and was on his own as he raced towards goal, and beat the keeper with a good low shot to his left. Then it looked like we might let the visitors have the lead back, as Hignett's took a free kick about 25 yards out, and Nicky Eyre was nearly beaten by the flight of the ball, just managing to get his hand to it. Sinclair then took a free kick from 30 yards, and Nalis's header beat Eyre, leaving Goran Bunjevcevic to sweep up behind him.

Rohan Ricketts scored a cracking winning goal in the 66th minute. Yeates hit a low rocket of a corner that found Ricketts at the back post. Rohan cut inside to his right, then hit a great right footed rising drive that hit the net in the top left hand corner. It was a great winner! Another good speedy piece of approach work came from Blondel, Slabber and Yeates, who almost emulated Ricketts with a lovely curled shot that was pushed round by a good diving save from Murphy in the Leicester goal. Murphy was next called to save from Yeates, and in the follow-up, Jamie Slabber tried an overhead kick that went over the bar.

It was really a question of whether or not Spurs would get a third goal, and they were awarded a free kick inside the Leicester area as Murphy instinctively dived to hold a back pass. Yeates' kick was blocked, and he had another effort blocked after Bunjevcevic had tried his luck with his right foot.

Rohan Ricketts must be itching to get another chance in the first team, and deserves it on present form, whilst Mark Yeates' target must be to travel with the squad to Manchester for Sunday's cup tie. Spurs Reserves are at home (at Stevenage) again next Monday, when we host Portsmouth Reserves.

By my reckoning, this win puts Spurs Reserves above Leicester and takes them to fifth in the Southern section of the league, which can be viewed at this URL:-

· http://www.4thegame.com/reserve/south/table.html

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