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Courtesy of:- Ray Lo, and the Spurs List.
Premier Reserve League, South
Brisbane Road, Leyton
Monday 31st March 2008, 7pm
SPURS v FULHAM
(All White) (Red/Black)
4-4-2 4-5-1
3(0) 1(1)
Tommy Forecast 1 Corrin Brooks-Meade
Chris Gunter 2 Lewis Cumber
Gilberto 3 Joe Anderson
Jake Livermore 4 Andrew Leijer
Dorian Dervite 5 Philippe Christanval
Ricardo Rocha(C)6 Robert Milson
Jacques Maghoma 7 Moritz Volz
Danny Rose 8 Simon Elliott
Tomas Pekhart 9 Erik Nevland
Simon Dawkins 10 Jari Litmanen
Adel Taarabt 11 Seol Ki-Hyeon
Lee Butcher 12 Neil Etheridge
Cian Hughton 13
Troy Archibald
-Henville 14 Ashley Thompson
(5)46Mins (5)67Mins.
Takura Mtandari 15 Pierre Hall
(9)65Mins (9)63Mins.
David Hutton 16 Lewis Smith
(7)79Mins (10)63Mins.
Coaches:-
C.Allen B.McKinlay
Scorers:-
Rose 80 Litmanen 40(Pen)
Taarabt 90+1
Dawkins 90+4
Booked:-
Rose 45+1(Foul) Leijer 59(Foul)
Smith 85(Late)
Referee:- S.Tomlinson
Assistant:- R.Hyde, R.Jaye, R.Howes
Attendence – About 90
It was a cool evening in the fading light for this visit of Fulham, fresh from their victory over Reading. Both sides had experienced players in their line-ups with the highest one being Jari Litmanen making his first start for the visitors.
Spurs lined up with Rocha and Dervite at the back with Gunter on the right and Gilberto on the left. Livermore partnered Rose in the centre of midfield with Maghoma on the right and Taarabt on the left. Dawkins supported Pekhart up front.
Spurs kicked off attacking the left goal with the ball played out to Taarabt who came inside and played a cross field ball to Maghoma. The first chance fell to Dawkins after five minutes which he blasted well over. Taarabt put a free kick over shortly after before Elliott put Fulham’s first chance wide. Leijer had a shot that was wide, but got a free kick which Seol put over the bar. Forecast made a save from Litmanen and Elliott put another effort wide as the visitors closed down the midfield area. Taarabt put a cross over which Dawkins directed wide of the far post, with Maghoma arriving to put over the bar. Elliott put a couple more efforts wide either side of a shot from Leijer that Forecast saved.
When Fulham played a ball into the edge of the area Litmanen headed on to Nevland who was tackled by Rocha as he directed the ball goalward. The ref gave a penalty against Rocha and Litmanen sent Forecast the wrong way. As the game went into added on time Rose tracking back made a tackle from behind that the Ref considered worthy of a yellow card.
As in the last game Dervite was scheduled to only play 45 minutes and was replaced by Archibald-Henville. Rocha passed him the captain’s armband. Spurs started the half in a more determined fashion with Brooks-Meade having to save from Taarabt. Leijer was given a yellow for a foul on Rose as Spurs pushed forward.
After Fulham took off the experienced Litmanen and Nevland, Allen took off Pekhart and sent on Mtandari to play in centre midfield. He pushed Dawkins up and moved Taarabt behind him with Rose going out to the left side.
Taarabt hit an effort wide as Spurs began to string passes together. Forecast saved from Milson as Taarabt began to get frustrated by the solid defending of the visitors. Gunter delivered a great ball in from the right which just evaded two white shirts running in. Taarabt got dumped on his arse again and took off his gloves and threw them away.
After Elliott forcing a save from the keeper Allen made his last change. With some in the crowd calling for Taarabt to be taken off because he was showing signs of giving up, Clive replaced Maghoma with Hutton. With almost his first touch Hutton took the ball to the line and put in a beautiful cross which Dawkins got his head to first at the near post. The ball spun up and Rose, who followed him in, got underneath it and netted with an overhead kick. Rose was hit in the mouth in the process and had to have treatment before he could continue.
With renewed confidence Spurs began to press more and Taarabt fired wide when Dawkins was in the clear. As the game went into added time the ball was played up to Dawkins with the ball falling kindly for Taarabt to run onto. He took the ball wide of the last defender before driving it across the keeper into the far corner to put Spurs in front.
Spurs made sure with almost the last kick of the match when Taarabt picked up the ball deep in the Fulham half and played it through to Livermore running in at the far post. Brooks-Meade saved his shot but was unable to prevent Dawkins from knocking in the rebound.
This was not a great performance by Spurs and it had looked like we would not score against a competent defensive set-up. While our defence handled the experienced players Fulham had, it was their midfield which was stronger and caused most problems. Rose and Livermore battled hard and did well,but they were not helped by Taarabt and Maghoma being more attacking players.
For the second time in two matches Taarabt has scored a goal and made another. The Reserves have gone four games without a defeat, but will be up against the gooners next week at Barnet. They won there last season and we can only hope for a repeat. We have moved to within three points of Birmingham who lost to Villa and stay one point ahead of Chelsea who also won tonight and will be the visitors to Brisbane Road on the 14th April.
Ray
· Read Ray Lo's recent reserve match reports here
· Read Ray Lo's recent Under-18 match reports here
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