Premier Academy League, Group B
      Woughton-on-the-Green, Milton Keynes
       Saturday 12th February 2011, 11am

        MK DONS       v       SPURS
     (All White)         (All Light Blue)
        4-4-2                 4-4-2

         2(0)                  3(1)

        Daniel Glass  1 Jordan Archer
        Mason Spence  2 Jack Barthram
      Ryan Plowright  3 Zaine Francis-Angol
          Joel Gyasi  4 Ronnie Hawkins
      Harry Milton(C) 5 Ramil Sheriff
    Jordan Ivey-Ward  6 Kevin Stewart
          Jason Lane  7 Laste Dombaxe(C)
       Liam McGovern  8 Callum Tapping
             Mattori  9 Shaqille Coulthirst
       Igor Coronado 10 Jack Munns
         Awadh Ahmed 11 Alex Pritchard

         Louis Bragg 12 Paul McBride
                        (7)46Mins.
          Fuad Ahmed 13 Jonathon Miles
           (7)52Mins.
         Ben Walster 14 Daniel Day 
           (2)55Mins.   (8)78Mins.
       Stefan Powell 15 Freddie Champion
                        (4)75Mins.
            Mo Ahmed 16 William Ekong 

Scorer:-
     Coronado 58,81     Coulthirst 3,48,55 

Coach:-
            M. Dove     A. Inglethorpe

Referee:- G. Taylor

Spurs lined up with Stewart partnering Sheriff at the back with Barthram at right back and Francis-Angol on the left. Hawkins and Tapping started in the centre of midfield with Dombaxe on the right flank and Pritchard on the left with Munns supporting Coulthirst up front. As with last weeks game the wide players swapped sides just after kick-off.

Spurs kicked off attacking the west goal and were in front after three minutes when Pritchard on the right crossed to Dombaxe in space on the left. The skipper advanced and drove in a low cross for Coulthirst to turn in. Minutes later Coulthirst beat the offside trap to run onto a lovely through ball from Hawkins but was denied by Glass who was quick off his line to save. Glass then saved from Pritchard and set up their first attack with a long clearance down field for Mattori who was foiled by Archer's save.

Spurs were pushing for a second goal but the Dons held a high line to compress the play. Hawkins hit a free kick over from the right before Plowright broke down the left and tried a long range strike that Archer held. Pritchard saw his next effort fly wide. Sheriff saw his header cleared off the line from a Pritchard corner. Gyasi seized on a loose ball and set up Mattori on the left. His low drive hit the near post and fell nicely for Ahmed coming in from the right. He should have scored but took a touch before side footing it and saw the ball cleared off the line.

Pritchard received the ball in a central position but his effort was deflected for a corner. From the corner the ball was knocked back to Dombaxe on the near post but his volley was blocked on the line. Prichard saw his drive saved for a corner before Coronado was played in by Mattori but fired wide. Tapping fired across the keeper who turned it out for a corner.

McBride replaced Dombaxe for the second half and started on the right side. Spurs began strongly with Stewart heading over from Hawkins corner. Pritchard fired in from the left and saw his effort hit the near post and fly across the goalmouth for McBride to chase at the far post. McBride turned the ball back from the line for Coulthirst to slide in for his and Spurs second.

McBride saw his effort saved a minute later with Pritchard driving wide shortly after. Hawkins' free kick was met by Coulthirst but deflected over for a corner. From Pritchard's corner Coulthirst turned the ball in attacking the near post for his third of the match.

The game should have been over but the home side stepped up a gear and scored when Mattori crossed for Coronado to curl the ball in from the edge of the area. Archer had to save from Coronado at the expense of a corner when he dribbled through the defence. Pritchard was on target with a free kick but Glass saved. Awadh Ahmed saw his rising drive turned over for a corner as the Dons put Spurs defence under pressure. A free kick from McGovern was headed over by Milton and Archer had to save from Mattori twice in a minute.

Pritchard tried to chip the keeper before Mattori fired over from a cross by Plowright. Inglethorpe made two changes as the pressure continued with Champion replacing Hawkins in the middle and Day came on for Tapping who looked like he was going to get a booking after giving away a free kick. Spurs were pulling all their players back under the sustained pressure and when the ball was not cleared, Coronado seized onto the ball at the near post and fired low past Archer for his second. Coulthirst ran onto a through ball but saw his effort saved and with the last kick of the match Pritchard fired over.

This should have been a comfortable victory as Spurs were on top for so long having built a three goal lead. They could have had more but due mainly to the persistence of Mattori and Coronado the Dons fought back and could have got a point. Spurs do look a little soft in the centre of midfield compared to the last few seasons but with so much chopping and changing over the season no solid partnership has emerged yet.

Having narrowly beaten the bottom team, who are still without a win, we take on the group leaders Leicester City next Saturday at the Lodge. This should be a good test as to how well the lads are improving. We had a narrow defeat at Leicester early in the season when they bolstered their side with extra experience.

Ray

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