Premier Academy League South
     Spurs Lodge, Chigwell, Essex
   Saturday 6th September 2008, 11am

      SPURS      v     IPSWICH TOWN
   (White/Blue)        (Blue/White)

      4-4-2               4-4-2

      2(2)                 0(0)

  Oscar Jansson  1  Lewis Ward
     Adam Smith  2  Joe Clemo
   Nathan Byrne  3  Sebastian Dunbar
    Yaser Kasim  4  Luke Hyam(C)
Steven Caulker(C)5  Paul Watson
  Calum Butcher  6  Tom Eastman
Andros Townsend  7  Matt Daniels
   Dean Parrett  8  David Cawley
     Alex Olsen  9  Jack Ainsley
     Ryan Mason 10  Reggie Lambe
 Jonathan Obika 11  Paul Murphy

   Jamie Butler 12  Billy Clark
                   (8)37Mins.
   John Bostock 13  
      Josh Ekim 14 Jamie Griffins
     Ajet Shehu 15 Ronan Murray
                   (7)65Mins.
    Sol Asajile 16 Connor Wickham
                   (10)37Mins.

Coaches:-
  A.Inglethorpe     R. Hall

Scorers:-
      Mason 35  
      Olsen 37   

Referee:- M. Webb

It was a cool, overcast, gusty morning, which turned to driving rain from the South end. There was a good crowd and I noticed Jake Livermore sitting on the bench with the subs.

Spurs lined up with Butcher and Caulker at the back with Smith at right back and Byrne on the left. Kasim and Parrett played in the centre of midfield with Townsend on the right and Obika on the left. Mason was just behind Olsen up front.

Spurs kicked off attacking the South end but found that the visitors had two solid lines of four which took a while to break down. The midfield showed some good approach play with both full backs pushing forward, but it took ten minutes before Mason fired a shot wide of goal.

The next minute Smith was brought down just outside the area. Kasim took the free kick and curled it round the wall hitting the post. Mason and then Olsen put chances wide before Ward had to save from Olsen and Parrett. A good move saw Olsen get behind the defence and shoot wide. Ward saved from Olsen again and then Obika with Townsend going wide between them.

The breakthrough came when Mason fired home a cross from the right despite Ward getting a hand to it. Spurs doubled their lead within two minutes when Parrett made a good run down the inside right channel and put in a ball to the far post. With the keeper going to his right Olsen turned the ball into the other corner.

Ipswich immediately made two changes in an attempt to increase their threat in attack which had so far resulted in a couple of corners and a free kick just outside the area. Townsend put an effort over and then Parrett did the same before Jansson saved a header by Ainsley from a corner in the 44th minute.

Spurs continued as they started in the second half with an early effort from Townsend that Ward saved. Ipswich looked to push forward more but this left space at the back, which Olsen exploited by beating the off side and forcing a good save from Ward. Mason had his effort saved next and when Obika got to the line Townsend arrived at the far post to drive in the cross only to be denied by the keeper getting across.

You could say that Ward was having a blinder for Ipswich and he was called upon again to save from Obika as the visitors continued to leave space at the back. Mason fired wide before Ainsley got in another header at the far post which was saved by Jansson. Mason drove wide again before Townsend came inside and fired low only for Ward to tip it round the post. Another through ball saw Obika have his effort saved. Wickham tried his luck from deep but saw his effort sail over the bar.

Spurs were too good for the Suffolk side today and rattled up an impressive shot tally with the visitors hardly having a look in. Caulker and Butcher controlled things at the back and Kasim and Parrett did the same in the middle. Ward did a good job for Ipswich in keeping the score down. After this first win Spurs go to Charlton next week looking good.

Ray

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