BARCLAYCARD FA PREMIERSHIP RESERVE LEAGUE (SOUTH)
WEDNESDAY 6TH APRIL, 2005
SPURS RESERVES 5 (4) DERBY RESERVES 2 (0)

Spurs scorers:-
El Hamdaoui, 3
Barnard, 13, 32, 36
Hallfredsson, 90

Derby scorers:-
Ainsworth, 49
Barnes, 62

Referee: - Mr. C. Sarginson

Attendance: - Est. 150

Teams:-
Spurs (4-3-1-2):- Cerny; Dilevski, Riley, Bunjevcevic (Capt.), Hallfredsson; Limbersky, Yeates, Jackson; Malcolm; Barnard, El Hamdaoui

Subs not used: - Eyre; Kyriacou; Heller, Price; Seanla

No bookings

Derby (4-5-1):- Miller; Jackson (Capt.), Martin, Hanson, Vincent; Ainsworth, Cassidy, Barnes, Turner, Holmes; Ashton

Subs not used: - Richardson; Booth, Davies, Nix, Meredith

Booked: - Miller (Handball outside area)

It was entertainment all the way at Broadhall Way, Stevenage tonight, when a meagre crowd that had been tempted away from televised Champions League Football on a chilly April night was treated to a total of seven goals in a fast-moving end to end game. Spurs featured a young and improvised side, with the Youth Cup semi-final looming on Friday night, but they welcomed back loan players John Jackson and Lee Barnard, who celebrated a hat-trick completed in the 36th minute on his return from Northampton.

Derby have in the past been a bit of a force in the Reserve League, finishing runners-up last year, but they are languishing in the lower reaches this term. Having taken a battering in the first half, the travelling Derby fans (and there were a few) were at least shown their side had a bit of fight, and enough flair to get back into the game, with Spurs only restoring a three goal advantage in injury time.

Spurs’ improvisation was shown by the use of Dilevski and Hallfredsson as full backs. Emil Hallfredsson has been mostly denied the opportunity to show his skills on the left, playing most of his games in the centre of midfield. Tonight at last, despite defensive duties, he did plenty to show his pace and skills, with some good deliveries to the strikers too. Dilevski was less prominent. Whilst Barnard has to take the man of the match award with his hat-trick, new boy Chris Riley challenged Hallfredsson for that title with an excellent performance beside Goran Bunjevcevic at the back. Riley made many vital challenges and coolness on the ball too, and I had pleasure telling his proud father at the end of the game that his son had been “better than Bunjee”!

The Spurs formation was attacking by nature, almost a 4-3-3, with Michael Malcolm playing on the right linking between the midfield and the strikers. Limbersky, Jackson and Yeates played from right to left in the middle. Derby started with 5 in the middle, but Lee Holmes, David Cassidy and Lionel Ainsworth all supported the lone striker – Karl Ashton. In the second half, Ainsworth played up front to very good effect.

Spurs took a third-minute lead, after Mark Yeates had collected the ball in the middle. Derby’s handball appeals failed dismally, as Yeates advanced on a diagonal from right to centre, pushed the ball beyond the left side of the defence to El Hamdaoui, who was only too pleased and capable of beating veteran keeper Kevin Miller, with a good low shot. Miller is 36 and played last season for Bristol Rovers, having played nearly 600 games for Exeter, Birmingham, Watford, Palace and Barnsley in his 17 year career. Miller may be player-coach, as he consistently coaxed his team-mates in the second half.

The Derby defence had still not settled down, when Spurs increased their lead in the 13th minute. Malcolm crossed from the right and the Derby defence got in a mix-up. Lee Barnard was only too happy to prod home the loose ball from short range. Ainsworth had already provided the Spurs defence with a bit of a scare, then beat any potential offside flag after 15 minutes, with only Cerny to beat from the right. The shot beat the keeper but was wide across the target.

El Hamdaoui had a good effort held by Miller, but then Ainsworth again had Spurs worried with some great dribbling on the left bye-line before cutting back to a shooting position. Riley got in the all-important tackle, before Limbersky led a counter attack. Limbersky was another Spurs man having to adapt to a new position, as he is more used to playing on the wing. Tonight he was more central, linking well with his defence, but also upsetting Clive Allen a couple of times in the second-half, losing the ball in important zones. Limbersky started and finished a lovely move after 24 minutes. Having made a good defensive header in our area, he found Yeates in the middle of the park. Yeates’ ball was headed across to Hamdaoui by Lee Barnard. Hamdaoui passed back to Limbersky, who hit a great shot to the keeper’s top right, which was pushed round by Miller for a corner.

Spurs went three up in the 32nd minute after some more great football. Hamdaoui again was involved winning an important header that allowed a move to the left, where Hallfredsson crossed to the back post. Malcolm headed back across goal, beating the keeper, and Barnard was left with an easy finish. Four minutes later, Barnard had his hat-trick, after a great run from Hallfredsson, whose shot was blocked. The ball was switched to Barnard towards the right of the area. Lee hit a great shot through the defensive legs, leaving Miller too difficult a task to pick out the shot, which went low into the net. Now Barnard started to turn up in different positions, and a great ball from the left reached Malcolm racing into the area, deprived of his goal by a great tackle. Before the half time whistle, that man Ainsworth got behind the Spurs defence again, and was one on one against Cerny, who did his best, but was still beaten by the shot which hit the top of the bar.

After the break, Derby were more vocal, and responded well to their half-time pep talk, attacking in some force. They got a goal back in the 49th minute, after Cassidy collected a mis-placed in-field ball by Barnard, setting up Ainsworth for another one on one, from which he scored. Derby’s keeper might consider himself lucky to have stayed on the field with a handball outside the area, but he only got a yellow. Yeates took the free kick too quickly, and Miller collected. John Jackson started the next good Spurs move in the 58th minute, with a ball down the line for Barnard. Lee passed inside to Limbersky, who controlled the ball well with his chest, then hit a cracking 25 yard shot that Miller could not hold. Hamdaoui was following up, but was flagged offside.

Barnard then had a good chance go wide, before the visitors got another goal back, after a mistake in the midfield by Limbersky. Cassidy passed inside to Barnes who finished well. Now Derby’s tails were up, and Cerny had to make a great save, diving to his left to hold a header by Barnes from a questionable free kick awarded against Bunjevcevic.

There was an interesting cameo of a spat between coach Clive Allen and John Jackson. Jackson did not take too kindly to Clive’s advice as he was on the ball, and in an instant you could see why Jackson will be leaving this summer, as he was clearly needled by the criticism. Perhaps Clive has not been impressed by the quotes attributed to Jacko in the last week. In fairness, Jackson soon showed what he can do. Firstly, Mark Yeates hit the top of the bar with a great 30 yard shot, before Jackson hit a blistering 25 yard drive that was beaten over with Miller’s firm hand. Hamdaoui astounded the gathered few, when he scooped over a cross from the right.

In injury time, Chris Riley finally missed a ball, when Cassidy forced another save from Cerny, then Emil Hallfredsson got a deserved goal, with a powerful header from Limbersky’s chipped cross.

Spurs are fifth in the league, and this is where they are likely to finish, with just two games left to play. Their next match on Monday 18th April, is against the team above them (with two games in hand). That team is Arsenal, and there is sure to be a considerable crowd at Stevenage for that fixture!

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