Premier Academy League, Group B
        Spurs Lodge, Chigwell, Essex
    Saturday 21st February 2009, 11.00am

        SPURS      v     NORWICH CITY
    (White/Blue)        (Yellow/Green)
        4-4-2                4-4-2

         0(0)                 1(1)

    Oscar Janssen  1 Declan Rudd(C)
       Adam Smith  2 George Francomb
          Sam Cox  3 Richard Brindley
     Dean Parrett  4 Jack Dean
   Steven Caulker  5 Danny Kelly
 Calum Butcher (C) 6 David Stephens
     Nathan Byrne  7 Nick Davey
      Yaser Kasim  8 Damon Lathrope
    Kudos Oyenuga  9 Luke Daley
       Ryan Mason 10 Johnbull Omoregie
     John Bostock 11 Josh Dawkin

     Jamie Butler 12 Kenny Reeves
     Coskum Ekim  13 Jed Steer
      Harry Kane  14 Sam Habergham
       (11)71Mins.   (3)56Mins.
   Jake Nicholson 15 Patrick Drmola
                     (11)69Mins.
                  16 Tyree Clarke
                     (7)90+1Mins.  

Coaches:-
    A.Inglethorpe    R. Martin

Scorers:-            Davey 37

Referee:- D. Flanagan

After a minutes silence, Spurs kicked off attacking the South end and were soon putting the visitors under pressure. Bostock crossed from the left for Oyenuga but he could only turn it wide of the far post. Mason tried a shot that was weak and easily saved. A ball from the right was met at the near post by Oyenuga but Rudd saved well for a corner. Bostock played the corner to the far post where Caulker rose highest to head back and off the crossbar. Bostock picked it up and drew a save from the keeper. Oyenuga missed a sitter when he put Byrne’s centre over the bar from about six yards.

Caulker headed another corner wide as the pressure on the Norwich goal continued. Rudd saved well from Byrne and even Butcher went forward to drive wide from 30 yards. Mason hit a free kick over before getting on the end of a good move started by Caulker who played a lofted pass to Cox who went down the line and pulled the ball back for Oyenuga to lay it into the path of Mason, but again Rudd saved. Mason turned provider with a lovely ball through the right channel to Byrne but the drive was wide. Having pushed forward onto the visitors, a long ball out fell to Daley on the left who got forward and crossed for Davey to slide home their first chance of the game, to take the lead against the run of play. Byrne saw his effort saved by Rudd as the half ended.

The only change for the second half was Bostock’s boots which were now red. The play fell into the same pattern as the first with Cox getting forward but driving his effort wide. Rudd saved from Bostock and then Byrne put his effort over. The keeper saved from Mason and followed that by closing down Oyenuga quickly to block his shot for a corner. Butcher headed the corner wide.

Butcher got free to meet a free kick from Mason but could only send it wide of the far post. Bostock swapped wings and his last contribution was a weak drive that was easily held by the outstanding Rudd. Kane replaced Bostock and went up front with Oyenuga moving to the right. Mason saw his effort saved by Rudd before Drmola fired the Canaries' second effort wide.

Kane shot through the crowd only for Rudd to tip it round the post for a corner. Two minutes later Kane got his head to a right wing cross by Smith which was dipping under the bar only for Rudd to push it over. From the resulting corner Caulker headed the ball down and watched as it bounced up and over the bar. Smith was now playing more or less as a winger continually getting up and down the flank creating openings. Cox got forward on the other flank for a drive that flew over. A weak back pass by Butcher was pounced on by Davey but Jansson came out quickly to block. Smith provided another cross for Kane but Rudd saved. Kane had another attempt but fired wide

What can I say about this match? It was so one-sided and you were sure that Spurs would score that it was a surprise that they lost. Norwich keeper Rudd has to be the man of the match as he single handedly kept Spurs out. This was Spurs first defeat at home for well over a year. All is not lost as they still top the table but face a tricky game away to Arsenal next week.

Ray