FA Premier Academy League – South
      Spurs Lodge, Luxborough Lane, Chigwell
        Saturday 10th February 2007, 11am
 
            SPURS      v    IPSWICH TOWN       
         (White/Blue)       (Blue/White)
            4-5-1              4-4-2
 
             1(1)               1(1)
 
       Richard Stroud  1  Andy Plummer
         Cian Hughton  2  Joe Clemo
           Joe Martin  3  Kurt Robinson
         Yasser Kasim  4  Jai Reason
        Leigh Mills(C) 5  Sammy Moore
    Troy
    Archibald-Henville 6  Oli Fenn(C)
          David Hutton 7  Ian Nimmo
       Daniel Hutchins 8  Liam Trotter
        Jonathan Obika 9  Tony Boto
         Dean Parrett 10  Jack Ainsley
      Andros Townsend 11  Nathan Tooms
 
           Adam Smith 12  Craig Calver
          (9) 75 Mins     (7)81Mins
         James Butler 13        
          Sol Asajile 14  Matt Daniels
          (11)88 Mins    (11)56Mins
              Sam Cox 15   
         (10) 84 Mins  
          Antony Jack 17
 
Coach:- A. Inglethope                        
 
Scorers:-
          Obika   35      Trotter  9

The morning was a little overcast but with a chilly wind to keep you wrapped up. I only just managed to get to the Lodge before kick off so missed the team sheets, but was able to get the names from Andy Porter. I was joined by Paul Smith, and noticed Chris Hughton and Clive Allen taking an interest in proceedings. As well as Chris, Alvin Martin came to watch his son play.

Spurs lined up with a typical back line of Mills and Archibald-Henville in the middle with Hughton on the right and Martin on the left. Dean Parrett (our window signing from QPR) made his first start in the centre of midfield with Kasim and Hutchins. They were flanked by Hutton on the right and Townsend on the left with Obika up front.

Spurs kicked off attacking the South goal and had an early chance when Hutton crossed from the right. The Tractor boys took an early lead when Trotter beat the offside trap and went on to beat Stroud low to his right as he came out. The game settled down to a mainly midfield contest with both sets of defenders doing a good job. Spurs began to threaten the visitors goal as they pushed for an equaliser going close after 20 minutes when Hutton’s cross was headed back across the goal by Townsend for Obika, but he failed to get a good touch. Obika did score in the 35th minute when he was again on hand to finish off a long ball that had been turned across the box. Despite Trotter and Boto having chances most of the play was in the visitors' half with Hutton and Hutchins both having chances and Archibald-Henville had a header tipped over the bar.

The second half followed much the same way as the first, and finished with Spurs just on top but with both defences were preventing the keepers from having to do much work. Inglethorpe brought on Smith for Obika, he went to right back with Hughton moving forward and Hutton being pushed up front in place of Obika. Cox and Asajile came on as straight replacements, for Parrett and Townsend, for their first appearances at this level.

Due to injuries the whole of the subs bench was made up of U-16’s of whom only Adam Smith had played at this level before. We had no recognised striker fit to play against a team which had not lost its previous four games. Ipswich sit mid-table in group A in a league dominated by the gooners, who we meet next. The draw means we are slipping further behind the leading two teams in group B and stand little chance of catching them. I did notice some of our injured doing ball work (Dixon, Davis, and Olsen) and can only hope that they will be fit some time soon. As I said next Saturday we will be playing Arsenal away which I hope to get to before the Watford game. Before that the Reserves will be away to Charlton on Monday evening. This game is being played at the Gravesend and Northfleet ground.

Ray

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