Spurs XI Pre-Season Friendly
           Melbourne Park, Chelmsford
        Tuesday 13th August 2013, 7.50pm.

        CHELMSFORD C     v     SPURS
       (Claret/White)        (All Blue)
           4-4-2               4-3-3

            1(1)                4(2)

Chelmsford:– Forecast(St.Amiee 66); Miller, Redwood, Davis, Haines(Spriggs 84), Webb, Paxman(Rainford 80), Hughes(Nicolau 61), Goulding, Derry(Long58), Graham

Scorer:– Goulding 16 pen.

Coach:– D. Holdsworth

Spurs XI:– Miles(Vigouroux 46); Fredericks(C)(McQueen A.46), Ward, Gallifuoco(Dombaxe 68), Ball, Stewart, McQueen D,(Michael-Percil 46), McEneff, Obika, Lancaster(Lameiras 46), Coulthirst.

Scorers:– Coulthirst 11, 71, 83, McQueen D. 27

Coach:- C. Ramsey

Attendance:– 2065

Referee:– A. D'Urso
Assistants:- G. Maskell & M. Smith

The development squad traveled to Chelmsford for a friendly match against Dean Holdsworth's City team. This was not really a pre-season game as the U-21 side played Chelsea last Friday. The weather this evening was bright with the setting sun shining into the crowd in the main stand, which with my bad eyes made it difficult to see the pitch. The Chelmsford stadium has a running track around it which with the poor floodlights made indentifying players during the game tricky. The blue numbers on the back of the Spurs shirts are hard to see and some of the City players did not have numbers at all. I think that they used all ten of their subs but as there was a lack of numbers I have not recorded them all.

Spurs lined up with Miles in goal behind Ball and Stewart with Fredericks on the right and Ward on the left. Gallifuoco anchored the midfield with Lancaster and McEneff alongside him. Obika led the line with Darren McQueen on the right and Coulthirst on the left. The home side included two former young Spurs in Tommy Forecast and Mark Hughes.

Spurs defended the north end in the first half but quickly showed their attacking intent when Obika played in Coulthirst for an effort that went wide in the opening minute. Forecast saved a twenty yard volley from Lancaster before Hughes fired wide from a cross by Paxman. Haines headed over at the near post from a long throw-in. A crossfield ball from Lancaster found Coulthirst coming in on the right side of the area, un-marked, to score with a low drive.

McEneff played the ball out to Coulthirst on the left and he fired just wide of the far post. Miles had to save a header by Haines at the near post from another long throw and when Spurs failed to clear the ball the referee blew for handball by Ball in the area for a City penalty. Goulding stepped up to send Miles the wrong way to score to his left.

McQueen squared the ball for McEneff to draw a save from the keeper who then conceded a corner saving Lancaster's effort. McQueen turned sharply in the area to fire a shot against the post before he got Spurs' second goal. He headed home at the far post from a free kick by McEneff out on the right.

Graham fired wide before getting through for a one-on-one chance which Miles saved. Paxman drove wide before drawing a save when a corner was played back to him on the left. Coulthirst found Obika but the striker was foiled by Forecast with the last chance of the half.

Spurs made four changes for the start of the second half. Miles gave way for Vigouroux in goal while Alex McQueen replaced Fredericks at right back. Lameiras took over from Lancaster in midfield while Darren McQueen was replaced by Michael-Percil on the right.

Goulding fired over, and Webb drew a save from Vigouroux early on before there was a whole lot of changes by Holdsworth. Forecast took a knock shortly after to be replaced as well before Spurs made their last change with Dombaxe coming on in place of Gallifouco. His first job was to take a free kick that he lifted over the wall. The kick was going in the top corner, until St. Amiee turned it around the post.

The keeper could not prevent Coulthirst scoring when he was sent clear with a lovely through ball. Two minutes later and Coulthirst had his hat-trick when this time he took the ball through the Clarets' defence to score. Dombaxe took another free kick from a similar position but sent it high over the bar.

Long drew a save from Vigouroux winning a corner, from which he made the keeper save again, winning another corner which was put wide. Dombaxe took the ball to the right before crossing for Coulthirst to fire wide. Obika was played in for a chance that beat the keeper, but was cleared off the line for a corner. That was the last chance of the game before the ref's final whistle.

This was a tough game for the young Spurs side as they had to battle hard to contain a lively City side that showed some good approach play but lacked the final touch. Spurs showed good midfield passing but tried finesse with the ball in tight spots too often. They lacked width as the wide players were not naturals and tended to come inside leaving the full backs to overlap as best they could.

Saturday sees the start of the Academy league when Middlesbourgh visit Hotspur Way for a midday kick-off. This will be followed on Monday when the U-21's play Manchester City, also at Hotspur Way.

Ray

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