FA Premier Academy League, South 
        Bodymoor Heath, Tamworth
   Saturday 29th September 2007, 12noon
 
     ASTON VILLA     v       SPURS    
(Claret/Blue/White)       (All Yellow)  
     4-4-2                  4-5-1
 
        2(1)                  1(1)

         David Bevan 1 Lee Butcher
               Roome 2 Daniel Hutchins
       Danny Earls(C)3 Yuri Berchiche
              Clancy 4 Yasser Kasim(C)
        Ciaran Clark 5 Takura Mtandari
       Jonathan Hogg 6 Callum Butcher
     Harry Forrester 7 Kyle Fraser-Allen
        Barry Bannan 8 Dean Parrett
   Nathan Delfouneso 9 Jonathan Obika
      James Collins 10 David Hutton
  Dominic Hoffbauer 11 Andros Townsend

            Bradley 12 Sam Cox
                    13 James Butler
                       (1)72Mins
    Aaron Griffiths 14 Alex Olsen
                       (7)71Mins
      Will Ricketts 15 Adam Smith
          (4)71Mins    (8)71Mins
    Marc Albrighton 16    
          (7)46Mins   

Scorers:-
     Delfouneso 39    Obika 40
        Collins 76

Booked:-
      Hoffbauer 38    Hutchins 68
          Earls 86    Berchiche 90

Coach:-
     T.McAndrews      A.Inglethorpe

Referee:- W.Davis
 

It was a chilly morning for the crowd of around fifty who came to the Villa training ground for the first match between group B teams. Villa, who top the group, and Spurs, in third place, lined up for this midday game.

Spurs lined up with Butcher and Mtandari at the back with Hutchins at right back again and Berchiche on the left. Parrett joined Kasim in the centre of midfield with Fraser-Allen on the right wing and Townsend on the left. In front of them was Hutton in support of Obika.

Spurs started brightly with Hutton’s close range effort blocked and another chance hit the far post. Kasim hit a shot on the turn that went wide before Bannan and then Collins hit efforts over at the other end.

There was good approach play from both sides with the final ball either being cut out or failing to reach its intended target with both midfields closing down during the middle of the half. The home side opened the scoring when Bannan fired in from outside the area and Butcher failed to hold the ball. Delfouneso was on hand to poke it into the net. The lead was short lived as the visitors attacked down the right and Fraser-Allan crossed for Obika to angle his header past the keeper inside the far post. Butcher has to save from Delfouneso right after to keep the scores level and then Hogg had a chance when Butcher dropped Hoffbauer’s cross.

Spurs again made a quick start with Bevan saving from Obika twice in the opening ten minutes. Hoffbauer then headed over at the far post from a corner. After Berchiche hit a long range effort over the bar Mtandari cleared another Hoffbauer effort off the line. Hutton then had a shot diverted for a corner on 65 minutes. Lee Butcher was injured going for a corner and as he was receiving treatment both coaches made changes. Olsen came on for Fraser-Allen going up front with Obika moving to the right side.

After Delfouneso hit a shot over after the restart it was obvious that Butcher could not continue so Inglethorpe had to replace him with Butler. Spurs came close to taking the lead when Hutton took the ball to the left and crossed for the on-rushing Olsen to head wide. That miss proved costly as Villa attacked down the right and when Mtandari failed to clear Collins had an easy finish to regain the lead.

Adam Smith made his first appearance coming on for Parrett at right back allowing Hutchins to move into the midfield. Bevan had to turn away a Hutton free kick that nearly crept in at the far post before Hutchins set Hutton up for a strike that went just wide. In a frantic final few minutes both left backs were booked and Butler had to save from Delfouneso and Bevan from Obika.

In what was a fairly even contest where the final score could have matched the 3-3 of last season the home side came out on top to maintain their position at the top of the table. Spurs can feel a little unlucky not to get anything from the game. I think that Livermore was missed as one of last seasons scorers his drive in the middle of the pitch and scoring touch could have turned the game. Spurs were not able to string as many passes together as they normally do but still used the width of the pitch and the pace of the wide men to launch many of their attacks.

Next week Spurs will be at home to Reading before going to second place Leicester the following week. Before that the Reserves will be playing the gooners at Brisbane Road on Tuesday. (Spurs Odyssey will be there too!)

Ray

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