Courtesy of:- Ray Lo, and the Spurs List

FA Premier Academy League South, Group B
Spurs Lodge, Luxborough Lane, Chigwell, Essex
Saturday 20th November 2004, ko. 12noon

     SPURS	  v	LEICESTER CITY
  (White/Blue)            (Blue/White)
     4-5-1                 4-4-2

       2(1)		0(0)

Tommy Forecast	  1	Conrad Logan
Chris Riley	  2	Liam Norval
Mark Wright	  3	Alan Sheehan
Stuart Lewis	  4	Stephen Dawson(C)
Leigh Mills	  5	Richard Stearman
Charlie Lee	  6	Scott Lycett
Richard Heller	  7	Levi Porter
Jaques Maghoma	  8	Aarran Butcher
Andy Barcham	  9	Jean Postman
Jamie O'Hara(C)	 10	Loius Dodds
Charlie Daniels  11	Adam Wykes	

Kieran McKenna	 12	Connor Franklin
(2) 70                  (6) 87
Scott Thyer	 14	Ashley Chambers
                        (7) 70
Jamie Davis	 15	Usman Gondal
(7) 57                  (8) 57
Simon Dawkins	 16
Brian Mascarenhas17
(4) 70	

Scorers - Daniels 23, Barcham 51

Booked Stearman (2 footed on 7) 52

On a chilly morning on a hard pitch, with a soft top from the overnight frost, the Spurs youngsters entertained Leicester City, who came on a 6 game losing streak for a game that was put back an hour from the original time. There was a small crowd of about fifty for this match which because of the later kick-off, also saw reserve coach Clive Allen and first team coach Martin Jol as spectators.

Spurs lined up with the very vocal Mills paired with Lee at the heart of the defence with Riley at right back and Wright on the left. A midfield trio of Lewis, O'Hara and Maghoma with wide men Heller on the right and Daniels on the left supporting lone striker Andy Barcham.

The opening period of the game saw much of the play in the midfield with Spurs defending the South end in the first half. It wasn't until nearly a quarter of an hour before the first real attempt on goal arrived which came from the visitors. This was followed a couple of minutes later for the home side by a header from Daniels which was saved comfortably.

Daniels did get on the scoresheet when he followed up after sending Barcham away down the left, Andy pulled the ball back from the touchline to him and he tucked it into the far corner from 10 yards. Spurs were now winning the midfield battle and Lewis and O'Hara began pulling the strings playing the ball out to the wings where Daniels and especially Heller were putting the fullbacks under pressure. Heller's pace was causing the most trouble to the Foxes defence and the visitors responded by double marking him which gave more room for Lewis and O'Hara.

The Leicester defence was pushing up to compress the play but were continually being forced back by the pace down the flanks and Barcham coming from deep in the centre. The visitors themselves were mainly playing long balls over the top for their two strikers who were having a good battle with Mills and Lee and not giving them an easy ride. Despite efforts from Maghoma, O'Hara, Daniels and Mills we failed to add to the single goal at the end of the half.

The second half started with the visitors in more determined mood with Forecast turning a shot around the post in the opening minute from Dodds. Spearman's diving header from the resulting corner was just wide. The game settled back into the pattern of the first half with the Foxes adding more bite to their tackling. Barcham beat the offside trap bringing a good save from Logan a couple of minutes later and then repeated the move again, this time slipping the ball under the keeper for a well deserved goal. Heller was getting the better of Sheehan down the right until Stearman put a stop to it by diving in with both feet. He got a booking and Heller had to be subbed.

The home side continued having the better of the game with Maghoma coming more into the game after a fairly anonymous first half, testing the keeper on a couple of occasions. Logan was by far the busier of the two keepers with both Barcham and Daniels breaking through for one on one chances. O'Hara and Davis added to the efforts before the end.

It was a good result with Leicester playing their part. Barcham did well despite all the visitors back four being over six foot by dropping off the centre-backs and using his pace to get past them. His assist for the first goal added to the goal he scored, and along with the assist on Monday playing for the Reserves must have made it a good week for him. Playing with two wide players in Daniels and Heller who stayed wide and pushed forward stretched the visitors defence worked well today.

Next week they have a week off before going to Cardiff City followed by a home game against Wimbledon on the 11th December before they break for Christmas.

Ray

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