Premier Reserve League, South
          Brisbane Rd., Leyton E10
       Monday 30th March 2009, 7.00pm

         SPURS     v     ASTON VILLA
     (White/Blue)       (Claret/Blue)
         4-4-2              4-4-2 

          2(1)               1(1)

       Ben Alnwick 1 Elliott Parish
        Adam Smith 2 Eric Lichaj 
          Gilberto 3 Wilfred Bouma
  Jake Livermore(C)4 Jonathan Hogg
     Ricardo Rocha 5 Matthew Roome
     Calum Butcher 6 Nathan Baker 
   Takura Mtandari 7 Andreas Weimann
       Yaser Kasim 8 Nicky Shorey(C)
     Kudos Oyenuga 9 James Collins
       Ryan Mason 10 Nathan Delfouneso
  Jacques Maghoma 11 Dominik Hofbauer 

    Mirko Ranieri 12 Harry Forrester
                     (7)80Mins.
          Sam Cox 13 David Bevan
      (7)90+2Mins. 
   Steven Caulker 14 William Grocott
        (5)46Mins.   (3)89Mins.
     Nathan Byrne 15 Richard Blythe
        (9)61Mins.
   Jake Nicholson 16 Andras Stieber

Coaches:-
         C. Allen    K. MacDonald

Scorers;-
   Mason 42(pen)     Hofbauer 20
   Maghoma 58(pen)

Booked:-
   Maghoma 43(Late)  Roome  61(Late)
   Kasim 73(Late)    Bouma 75(Late)
   Mason 83(Late)

Red Card:-
Clive Allen

Referee:- M. McLaughlin

Assistants:- A. Field, M. Mellor, L. Pinto Nunes.

Spurs lined up with Rocha and Butcher at the back with Smith at right back and Gilberto on the left. Kasim and Livermore started in the centre of midfield with Mtandari on the right side and Maghoma on the left. Mason supported Oyenuga up front.

Spurs defended the south end in the first half and came under early pressure from the quick counter-attacking of the visitors especially the clever Delfouneso. Oyenuga played the ball into the path of Mason but the keeper just got there before him. Collins drew a save from Alnwick and minutes later Parish turned Gilberto’s effort out for a corner. From the corner Oyenuga saw his header cleared off the line by Shorey. Alnwick dived to his left to save from Hogg and was quickly up to clear the cut back by Weimann.

Alnwick saved twice from Delfouneso before the Villa striker beat him from the edge of the area after a good run and pass by Baker. Thankfully the linesman flagged for offside. Delfouneso was too quick for Butcher at this time. Collins twice fired over when in good positions and thoughout the game he could not find the target. Villa took the lead when Delfouneso headed down into the path of Hofbauer who drove the ball under Alnwick.

Bouma fired wide from a free kick before Spurs won a penalty when Mtandari retrieved the ball on the right and slipped into the area ahead of Roome who brought him down. Mason stepped up and put the spot kick to the keeper's right hand to bring the teams level. Maghoma went into the ref's book for a foul on Weimann as he tried to get clear. Collins hit another chance over. Roome then took out Mason with the ball nowhere near without the ref saying anything. In added on time Collins puts Storey’s pass wide.

Caulker replaced Rocha for the second half with Villa pressing early. Alnwick saved from Delfouneso and then Hofbauer fired wide with Weimann also going wide before drawing a save from Alnwick. Spurs were then awarded another penalty when Gilberto was played in down the left and when he came inside Baker was adjudged to have fouled him just inside the line. Maghoma stepped up to take the kick and placed it to the keeper's left but Parish saved it. The ref ordered the kick to be retaken as Parish had moved early. This time Maghoma made no mistake putting it to the right of the keeper.

Byrne came on for Oyenuga on the right side with Mtandari moving to the left so as to allow Maghoma to move up front. Villa responded with Collins getting a shot on target which Alnwick saved easily before firing his next effort over. Maghoma played in Livermore but he put the ball wide of the target. After losing the ball, Kasim was booked for fouling Lichaj trying to recover. Alnwick had to save again from Delfouneso before Bouma was booked as he stopped Mason getting away and into the area. Kasim curled the free kick just wide of the left hand post.

Delfouneso burst into the area heading for goal but was tackled by Livermore before he could get his shot away. Again Delfouneso got through but Alnwick saved again. Mason went into the ref's book for a foul on Hogg. From the free kick Alnwick saved from Lichaj. Livermore drove wide as time was running out for Villa. In added on time Allen set on Cox for Mtandari who was on the far side and was in no hurry to come off. In the fourth minute of added time Collins on the left mis-kicked the ball into touch and the ref gave Villa a corner. Clive Allen kicked the Villa cooler and protested to the fourth official and the ref when he came over to see what is going on. The result was that Clive was set off. Villa send Parish forward for the corner but it was cleared and as the keeper was trying to get back Gilberto has a go from about 70 yards, which was well off target. That was the last action of the game as the ref finally called time.

It was a good end to end game thanks to the young players wanting to attack all the time. It could have gone either way. Villa are still short of the winning line and Spurs are cutting the gap on Fulham in second place. Mathematically we can catch Villa but it is unlikely so we look towards next weeks trip to Barnet on Thursday to play the gooners before playing them again at Brisbane Road five days later. Here's to two more wins.

Ray