FA BARCLAYCARD PREMIERSHIP RESERVE LEAGUE
MONDAY 22ND MARCH, 2004
SPURS RESERVES 1 (1) NOTTINGHAM FOREST RESERVES 1 (0)
(Paul Smith and Ray Lo report from Broadhall Way, Stevenage)

Spurs scorer:-
Postiga, 43

Forest scorer:-
King, 78

Referee:- Mr.. D. Drysdale

Attendance:- Est. 300

Teams:-
Spurs (4-4-2):- Hirschfeld; Ifil, Mabizela, Kelly, McKie (sub O'Hara, 46); Ricketts, Hughes, Redknapp (Capt.) (sub Barnard, 73), Jackson; Yeates, Postiga

Subs not used:- Eyre; Dobson; Daniels

Booked:- Redknapp

Forest (4-4-2):- Formann; Biggins (Capt..), Thompson, Tarka, Doig; Cash, Stewart (sub Beaumont, 73), Bopp, Gardner; Westcarr, King

Subs not used:- Tynan; Haskins, Bodkin, Groves, Hurren

Booked:- Bopp, Doig

Despite hitting the woodwork no less than three times, Spurs succumbed to a 78th minute equaliser from Marlon King, recently signed for Forest from Gillingham. It was a sucker punch really, after Spurs had enjoyed by far the best of possession, although Forest did have a few chances in the end, and could so easily have had a late winner, when King was put in the clear by his strike partner Craig Westcarr.

Jamie Redknapp skippered the side, and once he was substituted after 73 minutes, Spurs lost some of their shape and discipline in the middle, allowing Forest back into the game. Mbulelo Mabizela, playing centre-back beside Stephen Kelly, had King "in his pocket" all night until that crucial equaliser. Spurs included several youngsters, notably Philip Ifil, impressing at right back, and Mark Yeates, who played deeper than Postiga, troubling the Forest midfield and defence all night.

Despite the fact he was the goal scorer for Spurs, Postiga's body language did not look too positive, as he hardly celebrated his goal, then failed to play to the whistle, and also failed to play to the same tempo as the likes of Yeates, Ricketts and second-half substitute, Jamie O'Hara, to name but three who looked more enthusiastic than Helder. It's not too surprising, I suppose, when he knows he is fourth choice, and I suspect that if a fee matching that paid for him is offered at the end of the season, then he will be returning to continental climes....unless, of course we get a new Portuguese manager!

The atmosphere at Broadhall Way, Stevenage was much more subdued than last week, as the crowd was about one tenth the size! Spurs first chance came after just 7 minutes, when Yeates cleverly flicked through the defence and Postiga showed good acceleration to get behind the defender, before chipping the ball over the advancing keeper, but against the crossbar. The ball bounced back into play and was cleared. Escape number one for Forest!

After 13 minutes, Ricketts made a good penetrating run across the midfield, gave a low pass to Postiga who clipped the ball over the defence to return to Ricketts, who hit his shot outside the near post. Jamie Redknapp got an early booking for a late tackle and not for the mouthful he had earlier given the referee for ignoring a rough challenge on him. All Forest had to show for their trouble to date was a couple of speculative long shots, which hardly bothered Hirschfeld in the Spurs goal.

The next escape for the visitors came after 34 minutes, when Yeates came deep for the ball, and sent Jackson away down the left wing. Jackson's cross was headed against the bar by Postiga, then cleared for a corner. Forest broke well from the corner situation, and Ifil won generous applause for a great tackle in his penalty area against Westcarr to win the ball and coolly clear to his own man.

Forest had switched their wing-men, and Brian Cash, who had started on the right, now threatened Spurs down the left flank. He found Westcarr with a low ball, and the big striker rounded Mabizela, but hit his shot one yard over the bar. Spurs took the lead two minutes before the break at the end of a great sequence of action. Yeates made a determined run to get through the middle, and his powerful shot was saved by Formann, without knowing too much about it. Then Ricketts hit a great drive which hit the head of an unknowing defender, before the ball reached Ifil on the right. This time, his cross was headed home by Postiga, but the young striker's celebration was subdued.

Jamie O'Hara replaced Marcel McKie, and Jackson reverted to left back, with O'Hara taking his place on the left side of midfield. Postiga made things difficult for himself after racing onto a long clearance from Kelly, with only one defender on his tail. For reasons known only to himself, Postiga halted in his tracks and now had three defenders to contend with. He still got a shot in, but it was miles wide and high. After 49 minutes, O'Hara showed his quality with a good run, then a superb left foot shot that was headed for the top of the goal, but saved very well by Formann leaping high to his left.

Formann was soon to have a stressful moment, after saving a low Ricketts drive, then having to stretch to the fullest to boot clear an errant back-pass by Thompson. Forest created their first real threat on goal, when Westcarr was sent away down the right, and his low cross beat the Spurs defence finding Gardner at the back of the area. He got round Kelly hitting a good low powerful shot that was well saved by Lars Hirschfeld. Hirschfeld can be a bit of a worry sometimes, as he does the quite spectacular with some saves, but then blots his copybook with some dodgy throws or clearances.

Some of us thought that Yeates had scored in the 63rd minute, when he and Ricketts exchanged passes before Yeatesy hit the side netting with a rocket shot. Hirschfeld had to be sharp to gather Westcarr's cross from the right, with King on hand, before Spurs rattled the woodwork again, as Jamie O'Hara passed inside to Yeates who curled a real beauty that deserved a goal, hitting the bar. Now Chris Hughton popped down to the bench to offer advice to Pat Holland, taking charge in the absence of Clive Allen. Presumably, it was Hughton's shout to have Jamie Redknapp substituted. Barnard took up a position on the right side, whilst Ricketts came to the left flank, and O'Hara played in the middle with Hughes.

It had been looking as if there was going to be only one winner in the game, but then Westcarr crossed from the left, and King leapt up to head past Hirschfeld for the 78th minute equaliser. Cash was now playing on the right again, and rounded Jackson, before crossing for Westcarr, whose shot was well smothered by the advancing Hirschfeld. That late winner could have been King's as Westcarr threaded the ball through the Spurs defence, but King screwed his kick way off target.

Spurs have now completed their home programme, but have three away games in April, at Derby (6th), Charlton (19th), and Coventry (27th).

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