Tottenham Hotspur Ladies FC -

Reserve Team reports 2003-04

Apart from a sweeping up clearance and a simple save from a shot from the edge of the box, keeper Tina Hills was a virtual spectator and the majority of the game was played in the Enfield half.  An early break on the right by Kesha Heaven saw her fire in a shot that flew across the face of goal and two minutes later, when Jenny Curtis found herself clear in the box, she rifled a shot past the Enfield keeper to give Tottenham a 12th minute lead.

Kirsty Patterson was neatly set up by Lucy Palmer, but hit her effort wide, while Enfield produced an attack with the same result at the other end.  With half an hour on the clock, Rosi Webb twice drew good saves from the visiting keeper and Kesha twice had opportunities before half-time - one went off target and the other made the keeper work to stop it going on.

The second half showed that Spurs had lost none of their willingness to attack and with eight minutes gone, Rosi seized on a loose ball in the six yard box and only a block at her feet by the goalie prevented her scoring.  Kirsty Patterson was causing problems with her direct running and she outpaced the defence twice forcing saves both times, then on a third occasion she squared the ball to Rosi, who was just beaten to it by the Enfield keeper.

Enfield were still pushing to get an equaliser and broke down their left wing to put a low cross in, which passed right across the goal without anyone there to finish it off.  A brave block by the Enfield keeper stopped Rosi Webb's progress and her fall resulted in a painful shoulder injury and her being substituted shortly after.

Jenny Homer and Gemma Coots were linking well on the right of the Spurs team and one move ended with a shot that finished just a couple of feet wide of the mark.  Straight away Enfield broke at the other end but could not find the target, while Tor Cesay, on as a substitute, made a good run on the right wing and hit her shot over the bar when well placed.

While Tottenham had the majority of possession and chances, they failed to make them count and could easily have slipped up, but solid performances from Jenny Curtis, Lucy Palmer and a few timely tackles from Handan Djoshkoun and Di Gardiner at the back, prevented that from happening and to secure the points for Spurs.

Spurs started very strongly and missed a couple of chances, before a defensive error lead to Leyton Orient snatching the lead in the first half.

Kesha Heaven came on for Lucy Palmer and the side began to get back into the game, with a much more solid looking performance.  However, the chances were still going begging until Kim McGhee popped up to continue her good scoring run with the equaliser to grab a point from a frustrating match form the Tottenham point of view.

From the kick off the home side produced a determined and attacking game, especially their tacking.  They got a corner and the first goal flew in via a deflection.  

Spurs were defending quite well, until one of the Palace players breaks away and takes the ball past Tina to net the Palace second.   

At this stage, Spurs lost a little of their composure and Jenny Homer collided with a Crystal Palace player from behind just inside the box.  A penalty is awarded and converted to make it 3-0.

In the second half Spurs started to put their play together a bit more and give the home defence something to think about by putting them under pressure.   However, another counter-attack through the middle split the Tottenham defenders for another Palace goal.

The short and narrow pitch was suited to the home team's play, whereas Spurs prefer the open spaces to pass the ball and use the width.  It was disappointing therefore, that goal number five came straight through the middle again.

Although five goals down, the Spurs Ladies were not downhearted and the Tottenham pride was still strong.   Jenny Curtis, who was one among many that was involved in the heat of the battle, received a good pass from Dom Clarke.  Jenny then took the ball on, made a great run around two Crystal Palace players and fired towards goal and it was Kim McGhee, who was on the spot to prod the ball into the back of the net for a late consolation goal.

Spurs struggled in midfield and with only one substitute, manager June Clarke lacked enough options to stymie the home side's tactics and the only succour is that  pre-Christmas defeat can be put right next week before the break for the holiday season.

It took two minutes for Ruth Waghorn to put Spurs on the right road with a goal past the Dagenham keeper and Rosi Webb almost added to the score, but the cross in from the left was just out of her reach.  Tottenham were determined to finish the year with a flourish and Sam Chase brought a good save from the keeper with seven minutes on the clock, then she turned provider with a cross for Lucy Palmer to knock in Tottenham's second goal two minutes later.

Spurs had their tails up and a long upfield clearance by Tina Hills was latched onto by Waghorn, who saw the keeper deflect it wide for a corner, which produced another shot by Ruth, this one being stopped on the goal-line.  Sam Chase and Jenny Curtis both went close before the third goal in the 22nd minute.  Chase's cross found Webb, who lobbed up a ball into the danger zone and Ruth Waghorn got her head to it and nodded it home.

With the play being almost all one-way, Chase had an effort go narrowly wide and Di Gardiner one that went too high, but when Rosi's cross came in from the wing, it was left to Jenny Curtis to tap home from close range after 35 minutes to make it 4-0.

A 41st minute corner was cleared to the edge of the D&R area, where it was met by Rosi Webb's volley on the turn that dipped over the keeper and in for the Spurs fifth.  Waghorn missed out on completing her hat-trick in the first half, when her shot bounced back off the bar, but Tottenham ended the half strongly with Sarah Green firing a low shot into the bottom corner of the net to make it 6-0 at the break.

Shortly after the break, Spurs put together a good piece of interplay and this ended with Ruth Waghorn setting up Rosi Webb for a 47th minute tap-in.  The pressure continued for the rest of the half, but Tottenham's finishing was not of the same quality.

Sam Chase shot over and then just wide, the keeper was forced to pull off a good low save from Curtis' shot and Kim McGhee's 20 yard run culminated in a shot that was blocked as it looked as if it would get through to the goal.  It was left to Sam Chase to hit the last goal of 2003 for the Reserves as she slotted clinically past the goalkeeper to wrap up a resounding victory that ended a successful year for June Clarke's team, but one which they will hope to improve on in 2004.

Kay Lovelock

Tina Hills produced an early save to stop a West ham forward who was clean through, while Kesha Heaven drew a low save from the Irons keeper from a long range shot.  This was followed by an even better save from the West Ham goalie when Dom Clarke hit a 25 yarder that was heading into the top corner.

The visiting side pressed hard as the break approached and one ball across the face of the goal only required a touch, but no Hammer was there to apply it and then Di Gardiner produced a peach of a tackle to stop one of the West Ham forwards getting through on goal as she approached the area.

Five minutes after the interval, West Ham took the lead when a low right wing cross was tucked away neatly to put them in front.  Tottenham strived to get back on terms with debutant Louise Copper having a shot blocked, but Tina was called on again to stop a one-on-one as West Ham broke with pace.

The introduction of Meroulla Lazarou made an immediate impact as Ruth Waghorn's pass to her was played on to Rosi Webb, who delicately dinked it past the advancing keeper to level things in the 63rd minute.

Tottenham sensed that the goal was a catalyst for the side to press on and Kim McGhee lifted her shot just too high at the far post, while Ruth beat the keeper in a race for Louise's through ball, but her touch took the ball narrowly outside the post.  West Ham were still in the hunt and a long range effort flew just the wrong side of the post as far as they were concerned.

With a quarter of an hour to go, Tottenham found a winner in the shape of Ruth Waghorn's predatory instincts.  A ball into the goalmouth from Dom Clarke drew the keeper off her line, but Meroulla got there first and as the ball dropped, Waghorn reacted first to prod the ball home for the winner.

But there was still time in the match for two shots from West Ham to fly across the face of the goal and for Louise Copper to fire a dipping free-kick just over the crossbar.

It was a slightly disjointed performance by the reserves, but they stuck to their task and ground out a win against a skillful and youthful West Ham team

It took only five minutes of the game for Spurs to take the lead when Lucy Auguste played a long pass out of defence for Ruth Waghorn to chase, as the keeper came out she knocked it past her and slotted into the net from a tight angle beating the despairing dive of a defender on the line.

Over the next 20 minutes, it was pretty much end to end stuff, without any real clear cut chances.  Lucy Auguste went close with an in-swinging corner and QPR had a shot easily saved by keeper Tina Hills.

Just before the break, Lucy Auguste went on a mazy run from deep in her own half to just outside the QPR penalty area.  As the keeper came out the QPR defender (and former Spurs player) Sara Di Bonito running back with Lucy got a touch on the ball and knocked it past the keeper.  The ball eventually rolling in at the far post to put Spurs two up at the break.

Spurs almost went further ahead in the first minute of the second half when Ruth Waghorn had a low shot just saved by the keeper.

In the 63^rd minute, Meroulla Lazarou made it three for Spurs following up 15 yards from goal, when her original shot was fumbled by the keeper, she hooked the ball into the empty net.  Spurs followed this with chances from Louise Cooper, Ruth Waghorn and Meroulla all going close.

At the other end the Spurs defence of Handan Djoshkoun, Lucy Auguste, Jenny Homer and skipper Di Gardiner held firm.  On the couple of occasions that QPR beat the magnificent four they came up against Tina Hills, who kept her concentration and bravely dived at the forwards feet to collect the ball and later saved well from a header following a rare QPR corner.

In the last minute Rosi Webb was unlucky to see her dipping shot from the edge of the area beat the keeper but come crashing back off the bar; amazingly Kesha Heaven following up also hit her shot off the bar.

Kay Lovelock

Spurs reserves welcomed near neighbours Leyton Orient to Fred Knights on Sunday.  The game was played in very difficult windy conditions.

Spurs started off looking very determined and had two shots saved in the first 10 minutes from Ruth Waghorn and Louise Cooper.   In the 14^th minute Meroulla Lazarou ran on to a pass from Ruth Waghorn and beat the advancing keeper.  Three minutes later the lead was doubled when Meroulla passed to Rosi Webb in the box and as the keeper came to meet her she knocked the ball into the empty net.  Spurs almost made it three just a minute later but this time Rosi was crowded out by the Orient defence, following some fine interchange passing between Ruth and Meroulla.

In the 23^rd minute Leyton Orient had a shot just past the post, but keeper Tina Hills had it well covered.  In the 28^th minute Lucy Palmer was unlucky when a lofted shot was just grasped by the keepers fingertips.  Spurs continued their attacking ways towards the end of the half with Rosi and Ruth having shots saved and Meroulla going close with another effort.

Following a very upbeat team talk at half time from Manager June Clarke and her assistant Lee Miller Spurs were out of the traps for the second half and nearly made it 3 in the 48^th minute when Jenny Curtis went close with a lofted effort after a corner had been cleared.  On 52 minutes Louise Cooper struck her first goal for the club with a fierce shot into the roof of the net at the near post.

In the 56^th minute Tina Hills was called into serious action when Leyton Orient broke away she managed to block the original shot and Handan Djoshkoun was on hand to clear the ball to safety.  Leyton Orient had a couple of shots which Tina dealt with quite comfortably and the defence marshalled by outstanding skipper Di Gardiner kept Orient to shooting from distance.  On the hour mark Ruth Waghorn had a floated shot well saved by the keeper.

Ruth got her just rewards in the 84^th minute when she rounded off the scoring when she shot into the net from Lucy's pass.

KAY LOVELOCK

Although the home side had the upper hand for the first twenty-five minutes of the match, they failed to make the most of the chances they produced in that spell.  Tottenham's defence had held firm until a ball over the top caught them out and it was finished well to put Enfield ahead.

Tottenham's only previous chance was from Lucy Palmer's free-kick that was saved by the keeper on the line, but in the last fifteen minutes of the half, Spurs gained the supremacy.  A ball by Di Gardiner over the Enfield back line saw Latoyah Johnson race onto it and finish clinically to bring Tottenham level.

Some confusion over being in the wrong dressing room at half-time ensued and a rousing team talk at the break spurred Tottenham on.  The ref had a tough time handling all the argy-bargy that was going on, but he had a good game.

Spurs were making the openings now, but could not finish them off, with Kim McGhee hitting the bar and having two other efforts go close.  Unfortunately, the ref was required to show an Enfield defender a red card for foul and abusive language, which left them up against it at the end.

Spurs were making the extra player advantage pay and when Latoyah was released to face a one-on-one with the keeper, she made no mistake to give Tottenham a 2-1 lead.

Spurs had shouts for a couple of penalties near the end, but neither were awarded, but the damage had been done.

June Clarke was pleased with the result, although could not understand why the team had started slowly.  She praised the whole team for their fortitude in the face of some determined tackling, with special mention for Ruth Waghorn and Latoyah Johnson who worked so hard up front to achieve the result.

Kim McGhee was playing on the left wing and when she received a pass in space, she took aim and her shot was just wide of the mark.  QPR tried to hit Spurs on the break, giving the defence their first bit of work to do, but they kept the ball away from Tina Hills' goal.

Spurs broke towards the QPR goal again, this time with a shot going wide from Zoella, but with her next attempt, the ball was firmly planted into the back of the net to give Tottenham a slender half-time lead.

No change was made to the formation of the team at half-time, but the same pattern of play prevailed.  Another break, but again to no avail, but then QPR break and Handan Djoshkoun has to be alert to clear the ball in the area.  With her first touch substitute Lucy Palmer, on for Louise Cooper, threaded the ball through to Zoella, who slots the ball past the keeper to make it 2-0.  With a quick break Zoella takes a long ball and manages to lift it over the keeper to complete her hat trick.  With 25 minutes to go, two quick substitutions are made to freshen up the side.

Ruth Waghorn fired in a shot which was saved by the keeper but not securely.  Substitute Rosi Webb seized on the opportunity and puts the ball into the net for Tottenham's fourth goal.  

The Spurs defence got a bit sloppy and lost concentration, allowing QPR to take the chance and get their first goal to narrow the gap.  With time running out, QPR pushed everyone forward in an attempt to reduce the arrears, but good teamwork from Spurs worked the ball to Rosi.   She picked out Ruth, who produced an assured finish to make the final score 5-1 and a well earned three points to Tottenham keeps them thereabouts at the top of the table.