Tottenham Hotspur Ladies FC -

Reserve Team reports 2005-06

With a number of players making their debuts and having their first taste of senior football, the newly reshaped Tottenham reserves got their pre-season underway against a Kettering Utd, with a number of centre of excellence players in their squad.  The young squad along with some experienced players gave manager June Clarke and coach John Boyaram a chance to experiment with the team.

It all started off brightly for Spurs Reserves with some good football on the left wing from Faye Callaway which the Kettering defence found difficult to keep up with.  Faye delivered a number of good crosses landing in the 18 yard box, however Spurs could not put the finishing touches to them.

There was an excellent performance on the right from Sam Garner who quickly settled into some good link up with Dom Clarke and Holly Cook.  Things looked promising when Katie Taylor scored on her debut only to be disappointed when it was ruled off side.  Captain Gill Blackmore showed her experience by taking charge of the midfield and her hard work was re-paid when she scored to give Spurs the 1-0 lead.

Twenty minutes into the game saw the introduction of Lizzie De Asha replacing Kerry Daniels and at half time, we saw a number of changes  with the arrival of Athena Yennaris and Nadine Felix Sandford who replaced Faye Callaway and Holly Cook.

Kettering came out strong and with the searing heat it was too much for the young reserve side and Kettering piled on the pressure.

Defender Lisa McCabe who was in goal had an outstanding performance keeping the ball out of the back of the net with a number of good saves, leaving Kettering strikers frustrated.  Jenny Curtis, who was playing out of her usual position, was having a good game and went in for what seemed like a good tackle, but the ref disagreed and awarded a controversial penalty, which was put in the back of the net.

The penalty decision upset the young side and Kettering took advantage and continued to pile on the pressure taking the shots and putting another two good goals away.  One from a good header and the second saw Lisa just not being able to hold onto the ball as it slipped into the back of the net.

After 60 minutes Jenny Curtis was replaced after injuring her leg, with Dom Clarke re-entering the field of play.  Shortly after Lauren Wedderburn was tackled and she took a knock to her knee, so Kerry Daniells re-entered the field of play only to be taken off within minutes with a severe tightening of her quad muscles.

With a break in the game Grace Parker made her debut and replaced Lillie Chapman in the centre of the field.

The fourth goal came from a break through the Spurs middle in to the corner of the goal, bringing the score to 4-1.

The club would like to extend our thanks to Kettering for a good spirited game.

Match report compiled by freelance roving reporter Rosi Webb

A very young Spurs side found the going tough (and hot under a blazing sun) against Harpenden Reserves and crashed out of the Sue Sharples Memorial Trophy at Frederick Knights.

With five players making their full debuts and four of those from last season's Under-15 side, Spurs struggled with a lively Harpenden side.  It was a game that was untidy in terms of flowing football and this was probably due to the heat and the hard pitch.   It took until the 28th minute before a shot on goal occurred and a move passed through Hannah Charman and Katie Taylor before the ball reached Faye Callaway, but she was unable to get any power into her shot.  Four minutes later, Hannah flicked the ball on to Katie, whose touch put in Jessie Richards and although she made contact with the ball, it was not enough to beat the keeper.  The closest either side came to scoring was in the 35th minute, when Jenny Curtis took on two Harpenden players, raced into the penalty area and lifted a delicate chip that beat the keeper, but bounced back off the crossbar.

In the next attack, the visitors took a throw-in and the ball was hooked goalwards, by a hopeful overhead lob and the ball dropped into the top corner of Lisa McCabe's goal to give Harpenden the lead with their first effort on target.  Spurs attempted to strike back straight away, with Hannah Charman firing in a shot from 25 yards, but it ended up wide of the target.  Then an astute lob by captain Gill Blackmore put Katie in on goal, but the keeper blocked her low shot as she came out to meet her.

Just before and just after the interval Harpenden had chances, but their far post efforts both went well over the bar.  Sam Garner ploughed a furrow with her runs up the right wing and one found Hannah in space, but her shot flew wide.  With ten minutes of the second half gone, a hopeful ball into the Tottenham area bounced awkwardly to confound keeper McCabe and the ball looped over her to make it 0-2.  However, she was alert when a bad back-pass let Harpenden in again and Lisa made a fine double save to keep the visitors out.

Spurs tried to get back into the game and brought on Amy Bruce for Katie Taylor.  In the 73rd minute, Faye took a corner that somehow managed to sneak through the defence and was missed by a couple of Spurs players too.  Following an injury to a Harpenden player with 15 minutes left, the ref restarted play with a competitive drop-ball.  From this the ball flew towards the Spurs goal and a Harpenden forward was left with a clear run on goal and slotted the ball past the Spurs keeper to make it 0-3.

The same happened a minute later, when Lisa stood firm and saved the effort on goal, with time running out, Faye's cross found Sarah Hocking, but her shot was too high and Gill had two shots from the edge of the area, one drive saved and the other a lob that caused some consternation for the Harpenden goalie, before she caught it up near the angle of post and crossbar.

A game that never really flowed for either side then and a defeat to start the new season for Spurs, but the manager can be encouraged by the effort and determination shown by young and older players alike.

Other Sue Sharples Memorial Trophy results : - 

Hampton & Richmond Res.  1      Hendon Res.  4      
QPR Res.  12      Clapton Orient Res.  1      
Hitchin Town Res.  -      Belmont Res.  -      [Away win awarded]
Enfield 3rds  0       West Ham Youth  9      

To view match photos please click here.

After a short delay to the game kicking off, with Tottenham wanting to do better than last week, the Reserves started well with two promising attacks with the first five minutes.  Spurs were rewarded for their fast start with their first goal, when Jessie Richards powered in a shot from 25 yards.

Hannah Charman fired in a shot which was saved by the Alexandra Park goalie, but Spurs continued to exert pressure on the keeper, which forced her to clear hurriedly.  Faye Callaway controlled the ball and took her shot from 20 yards that put Spurs 2-0 ahead and then Jessie planted the third goal neatly into the left hand corner, with a cool finish.

Alexandra Park tried to attack in numbers, but found the defence holding firm and they played as a unit, feeding the midfield some good balls out from the back.

With some good passing from the Spurs players, this enabled them to set Jessie up to get her hat-trick and the good football from the defence and midfield allowed Jessie to end the first half with six goals to her credit, in a fine display of finishing.

Spurs started the second half the same way with some good attacking football.  Faye took a shot which was neatly saved by the Alex Park keeper, but Spurs quickly regained their shape and recovered the ball, which was passed onto Jessie just outside the box and she dispatched it into the net.

Hannah just missed the target with a header, just before Faye got on the end of a good cross from Lizzie De Asha to put the ball neatly into the bottom right corner of the net.  Substitute Amy Bruce came on for Jessie Richards and she latched onto a loose ball and buried it in the net.

With the unrelenting pressure from Spurs saw Faye hit the bar and the injured Rebecca Andrews was replaced by Sarah Hocking, who got in on the scoring act straight away with a goal from wide on the wing.  Captain Gill Blackmore broke forward, cutting into the area to plant the ball firmly past the goalie, before Amy scored her second goal of the match.

Lillie Chapman took a shot as full-time approached and it nearly beat the keeper, but was blocked and it came back for Gill to net her second and the Spurs Reserves' 14th goal of the game.

It was a good effort from Spurs and credit to Alexandra Park for not giving up and playing the game in the right spirit.

June Clarke

Other League Cup results : - 

Harpenden  0    Garston  7      
Long Lane Res  5    Hillingdon Borough  9  (a.e.t. 4-4 at 90 mins.)
Northwood  -    Hitchin Town Res.  -  [Home win awarded]
Neasden Foundation  -    Hampstead  -  [Away win awarded]
Joybabe  2      QPR Reserves  0    
Hendon Reserves  3       Katabella  2     
Comets  1      Kikk United  3        
London Lionhearts  -    Luton  -   [Away win awarded]   
Merton  0    Belmont United  4      
Enfield 3rds  0    Hampton & Richmond Res.  7      
Hemel Hempstead  10    Celtic  0      
Surbiton Town  4    The Falcons  0      
South London  -    Chiswick  -   [Home win awarded]     
West Ham Youth  -    East Barnet  -   [Home win awarded]   
Camden Town  4    Holmsdale  0      
Lusitanos  -    Waltham Abbey  -   [Away win awarded]   
Pitshanger Lane  7    BBC  5   (a.e.t. 5-5 at 90 mins.)    
West Ham Youth  -    East Barnet  -   [Home win awarded]
Colne Valley  5    Leyton FC Ladies  1      

A very good team performance earned Spurs Reserves a well-deserved win over Brentford Reserves.

All the players worked well for each other and this enabled them to play a good passing game, using the full expanse of the pitch.

An early chance from Faye Callaway was stopped by keeper and Sam Garner was making good progress up the right wing, causing the home defence problems.

An astute through ball from Gill Blackmore put Jessie Richards through on goal, but the keeper did well to deny her a goal.  The same result came from some good interplay between Jessie and Faye, with the goalie this time saving from Faye when through on goal.  The home side started to build up some pressure on the Spurs goal and fired a shot over the bar.

Tottenham hit back with a good move involving Jenny Curtis, Sam and Lillie Chapman that ended with Sam threading a pass through to Gill, but just when it looked like freeing the captain, the defence picked off the pass.  The respite was brief, as a cross came in from the Spurs right wing and Jessie knocked the ball in at the front post to give Spurs the lead.  Spurs tried to build on the lead and after some good control from Sam, she played a one-two with Lillie. From the edge of area, Lillie shot to produce a good save from the keeper and the ball went out for a corner.

The defence were passing the ball well out from the back and when they shifted it from right to left, Hannah Charman picked it up, played it to Faye and she fed Jessie, whose shot went wide.  The width Tottenham were playing with helped create the second goal, as Gill crossed from the right wing to find Jessie in the right spot to slot the ball home.

Spurs were enjoying long spells of possession and they survived a Brentford corner that was whipped in at the near post but was cleared. The defence was communicating well to ensure that Brentford could not find a way through.  Starting at the back, Lizzie De Asha played the ball up to Gill via Hannah and the captain's shot went just wide.  Lizzie was involved in the next attack too, with a pass to Jenny and then onto Faye, who struck a rising shot that hit the bar and went in to make it 3-0.

Brentford tries to hit back before half-time with a corner, but Spurs cleared the danger before breaking forward themselves.  Sam played in Faye again and her shot again struck the bar, but this time bounced out to Gill, who drew a save from the keeper with her follow-up shot.

At the break, Spurs took a well-earned breather and set about producing the same again in the second half, but Brentford had other ideas and a long ball over the top nearly caught Tottenham out, but Athena Yennaris and Lisa McCabe in goal dealt with the problem.  A corner to the home side had to be cleared off the line by Gill to preserve the lead, but then the play switched to the other end and Dom Clarke, Lillie and Sam put together a good string of passes to get the ball into the Brentford area, but the ball went wide.

The confidence of the three goal lead saw Spurs play the ball around and Faye held the ball up well before passing to Dom, who set up Jessie for a shot that was well saved.  Brentford were pushing forward  and put Tottenham under a spell of sustained pressure with two corners resulting in shots off target and another that Lisa had to punch away.  From a further corner the ball was played in and deflected off Jenny Curtis on it's way in to bring the score back to 3-1.

Straight from the kick off Spurs exerted pressure on the Brentford side and Sam Garner's cross was tucked past the keeper by Jessie to complete her hat-trick.

Faye and Hannah moved up the pitch exchanging headers and at the end of the move, Hannah hit a shot that struck the base of the post.  Brentford then broke on the Spurs goal and produced a shot that flew over.

The play was getting strung out now, but the Tottenham team were exploiting the spaces that opened up and when Sam broke on the right wing once more, her cross found Jessie who tapped in the fifth Tottenham goal.  Spurs were using Sam to good result on the right and Dom played her up the line to cross, but there was not a Tottenham head to meet the ball.

A moment of panic near the end almost let Brentford in for a second goal, when a call for off-side went unheeded and the Bees striker was through on goal, but Lisa made a good save to keep the shot out.

With Spurs pushing up on the home goal, a free-kick was earned outside the area and substitute Amy Bruce took it and sent the ball just past the post.

This was a good all-round team performance and one which got it's just result.  All credit to Brentford, who played well, but met Spurs on a good day.

JUNE CLARKE

Other results : - 

West Ham Youth  3      Hendon Reserves  2    
Enfield 3rds  2    Harpenden Res.  9

A see-saw game saw West Ham win, but Spurs came within inches of taking all three points given a bit of luck.

Spurs were quick off the mark, with Cas brown playing the ball forward for Faye Callaway to flick the ball on to Jessie Richards, who hit a low early shot past the West Ham keeper to give Spurs the lead.  That could have become two, when an 11th minute incisive pass by Lillie Chapman put Faye away, but her shot curled just wide of the goal.

West ham strung some good passes together and in the 23rd minute put a forward through on goal, but her shot flew over the top and then two minutes later, a header went wide from the visitors, when a good cross came in.  Jessie hit a shot just wide in the 32nd minute and then, two minutes later, brought a save from the keeper with her feet, as she put in a low drive.

As play broke to the other end, a low shot deceived the stand-in Spurs keeper Sarah Hocking to bring the scores level with 35 minutes gone.  A slick move between Hannah Charman, Jessie and Faye ended up with Faye's shot being well stopped by the Irons keeper, with the ball rebounding to Jessie quickly and her reaction volley could only be directed over the bar.  A minute later, with 38 minutes on the clock, Lillie Chapman drove in a shot from 25 yards, which the keeper held.  

A painful clash saw a West Ham player carried from the field and Dom Clarke struggled on with a back injury.

Just four minutes before the break, West Ham took the lead, when a right wing cross was converted at the near post.  Spurs tried to level up the score before the break, but when Faye played Gill Blackmore in, her shot was saved.

The second half was a different affair.  The breeze that had been behind West Ham dropped and Spurs started to put some passing moves together.

Straight away, Jessie hit a shot on the turn from 25 yards, which the keeper stopped and then Faye hit a shot from Karen Mandel-Butler's long pass that went over the bar.  Seven minutes into the half, it looked as though West Ham might go further ahead, but a lob over Sarah drifted over the top and then Faye broke away at the other end to test the goalie.

13 minutes into the half, Hannah Charman won a header on the edge of the West Ham area and as the ball dropped, Faye hit a strike that flew low past the keeper to make it 2-2.  Three minutes later, Gill put in a cross from the right wing that hit the far post and as Jessie ran in to try and get on the end of it, the ball bounced over her head.  A good pass through the middle of the pitch in the 52nd minute, saw Faye latch onto it and lift the ball over the advancing goalie to put Tottenham ahead 3-2.

The lead only lasted six minutes, when a ball in from the left wing saw a West Ham forward turn and hit a low shot into the bottom corner of the net to equalise.  Gill brought another save from the keeper, after Hannah showed good skill on the left wing to play her in, but with twelve minutes left, West ham took the lead once more with a shot from the left across Sarah and into the net.

It was almost 4-4 three minutes later, when Gill lifted a high lob and the flight of the ball caught the keeper out, but she was relieved to see the ball bounce back into play off the crossbar and then a minute later, Spurs came even closer to drawing the game back, when Faye hit a fins shot from the right hand corner of the area that tore into the top corner, but the ref whistled for a foul after the ball appeared to hit the back of the net.

The game was put beyond Spurs' reach three minutes from time when Sarah got a hand to a low shot from the left, but could not keep the ball out.

It was a well-contested match and we hope the West Ham player who was injured will soon be back in action.

To view photos from the match, click here.

Other results : - 

Brentford Res.  1      Hendon Reserves  1    
Long Lane Reserves  0      Harpenden Res.  15      
Enfield 3rds  1    QPR Reserves  10      

Spurs racked up a big score against a sporting Long Lane Reserves side in this League game at Fred Knights.

Jessie Richards showed Tottenham's intent in the first minute, when she cracked a shot that the keeper saved well.  With eight minutes on the clock, Faye Callaway opened the scoring with a curling shot that beat the keeper and four minutes later, Spurs doubled their lead with a neat passing move through Gill Blackmore to Jessie, who ran on and had her first shot saved, but netted the rebound.  Faye's strong running was unsettling the Long Lane defence and a 14th minute shot rattled the bar, but the ball bounced down kindly for Jessie Richards to score the third Spurs goal.  The visitors had a couple of chances when they were through on goal and one high ball had to be headed away by Dom Clarke.

However, the Spurs attack was rampant today and in the 21st minute Gill made a good run past a Long lane defender and squared the ball for Faye to hit goal number four with a flick of the outside of her foot.  The same combination produced the fifth and Faye's hat-trick from inside the six yard box.

Tottenham passing game was really clicking today and a move from goalkeeper Lisa McCabe to Dom, then Gill and onto Jessie took the ball from back to front and ended with a good save by the Long Lane goalie.  Gill's work was exemplary and her low pass to Jessie brought another shot and another save, but Faye was on hand to put the ball into the net and make it 6-0 in the 32nd minute.

That became seven in the 37th minute, when Gill had a shot stopped by the busy keeper, but the bouncing ball was hooked in by Gill for a deserved goal.  Three minutes after, Gill resumed her role as a creator, with a slide-rule pass to Jessie who was through on goal and shot low past the keeper's dive and that became 9-0 right on half-time, as Faye followed in Jessie's shot at the far post to knock the ball home.

The visiting side made some tactical changes at the break and looked much more solid.  In fact, their confidence rose when they took advantage of some slackness in defence and scored with six minutes of the half gone.  From a Spurs corner, Jessie Richards scored to make it 10-1 and the Long Lane keeper, who had a torrid time in the first half found more work awaiting in the second half, but she kept most of the efforts out, with Sam Garner, Amy Bruce and Gill testing her as the game reached the 70 minute mark.

Faye brought up her double hat-trick with another strike on the turn from close range with ten minutes left and three minutes later, the Long Lane keeper brought off a marvellous save to deny Gill with a fingertip save pushing the ball over the top, when it looked odds on a goal.

Another passing move led tot he twelfth goal.  The defence moved the ball to the midfield and on to Katie Taylor, who passed on to Gill.  The captain got her shot on target, but was denied by a dive from the keeper, but unfortunately, she hit the post and let go of the ball.  Hannah Charman was on hand to put the loose ball in the net and after some debate, the referee pointed to the spot.

It was a thoroughly satisfying performance for the team, who showed exactly what they can achieve when they put their football together and Long Lane were unfortunate to meet the Spurs Reserves on a day like today.

Other results : - 

Hendon Reserves  6    Enfield 3rds  1    
Harpenden Reserves  6      Brentford Reserves   0      
QPR Reserves  0      West Ham Youth  4        

To view photos from the match click here.

A shaky start from Spurs needed a goal to settle them down and it came 10 minutes into the match when Lillie Chapman's through pass was converted clinically by Jessie Richards.

Spurs almost doubled the lead when an offside shout when unheeded by the ref and Gill Blackmore ran through to slide her shot just past the post.  The remainder of the first half raised few chances in an unusually quiet local derby.  Changes had to be made in the Tottenham team at the break, as Faye Callaway and Jenny Curtis picked up injuries and Sarah Hocking and Mel Berry took to the field in the second half.

Sam Garner moved into attack and got on the end of a pass from midfield, but just missed the target with her shot.  Spurs came even closer in the next attack, with a corner that was cleared to Kerry Daniells and her 25 yards strike crashed against the bar.  Another change came with an injury to Jessie Richards and she was replaced by Becky Andrews.

The midfield was dominating now and Gill put Hannah Charman through, but again the shot lacked direction as it finished wide of the post.  Sam got an effort on the goal when Lillie got the ball to her at a corner, but the Enfield keeper saved well.  The second goal had been a long time coming, but Gill was alert to a deflection off a defender and the Spurs captain put the shot away to make it 2-0.  And Gill then could have made it three when Sam Garner was brought down in the area, but the spot-kick was saved by the keeper. 

The defence were playing as a unit to deny Enfield a sight of goal and they also instigated a good move when the ball was passed to Lillie, then onto Gill and she produced a run and shot, but once more the goalie kept her effort out.  However, Sam was following up and showed her predatory instincts by scoring Tottenham's third.

Spurs were pushing forward relentlessly and another cleared corner was fired back at goal by Dom Clarke from 25 yards, but it narrowly missed the goal.  With the ball being played around at the back, Spurs suddenly switched play and Kerry played it to Becky who put Hannah through and her shot also went close.

With the corner count building, another Tottenham cross was cleared and Becky put the loose ball back across goal, where an Enfield defender unfortunately turned it into her own net to make it 4-0.

Enfield finished with a flourish though and when a shot came in from outside the box following a corner, Lisa McCabe made a good save to protect her clean sheet.

So, another good showing by the reserves, who are settling into a pattern of play which suits the players in the side and is becoming very effective.

JUNE CLARKE

Other results : - 

Hendon Reserves  7     Brentford Res.  1      
West Ham Youth  2     Harpenden Res.  3      
Long Lane Res.  0    QPR Reserves  5