Tottenham Hotspur Ladies FC -

Reserves- match reports 2006-07

The visitors started off the better, finding their rhythm and it took a crunching tackle from Dom Clarke to prevent Dynamo taking the lead, preventing a midfielder getting her shot away.  Only a deflection from Jenny Curtis which took the ball just wide of the goal stopped another shot from Dynamo and Laura May was brought into action with a low save on the half hour.

Spurs eventually found their way into the match and started stringing together some passes.  A good run down the right wing by Claire Singh ended in a cross which the keeper did well to hold.  Charley Sandford produced a drive that the keeper saved high up and another shot flew just wide from ten yards out.  Into injury time, it was Sandford again who troubled the Dynamo goal with a 20 yard free-kick that was just too high and then Singh and Katie Taylor combined on the right wing to create a cross that Lizzie De Asha met with a shot that was blocked. 

Having established a better tempo and the movement off the ball having improved Tottenham took the lead within seconds of the second half starting.  Carrie Brennan played the ball to Jessie Richards, who passed to Lillie Chapman.  With opponents closing her down, she threaded pass through to Charley, who shrugged off a challenge and hit a 25 yard shot over the keeper to give Spurs the lead with a fine strike.

Dynamo hit back and Laura had to be on her toes to make a save above her head when Dynamo produced a spell of pressure that also saw a shot hit the side netting.  The closest they came was a volley from a corner that just cleared the bar, before Tottenham created a chance for Katie that went wide after good work from Lillie and Sam Garner.  As the game came to a close, Dynamo had a shot across the face of goal, but were unable to grab an equaliser.

Against the odds, Spurs took a 2-0 lead as they started well with goals from Louise van Hamme and Gill Blackmore.  It was not long before the THLFC defence was called into action and with two good goal-line clearances from Dom Clarke and Mary Griffiths they managed to keep the score line at 2-0.  However, this was not to last and Croydon got two quick goal beating stand-in keeper Jenny Curtis to level the scores.

JUNE CLARKE

-

JUNE CLARKE

-

LIZZIE DE ASHA, ATHENA YENNARIS & REBECCA ANDREWS

Spurs started in attacking mood and continued throughout the match in the same vein.  Sam Garner was the first to smash a shot just over, then Jessie Richards was denied as her shot was charged down and when she unselfishly put the ball across the goal, nobody was there to follow it in.  Rangers started with a player short, but from a corner a shot was heading for the top corner until Laura May threw up a hand to tip the ball over.  From the resulting corner, Laura was in action again to punch the ball clear. 

Charley Sandford had a shooting chance, but the QPR keeper kept it out and Gil Blackmore and Faye Callaway were linking well in midfield to find some space on the left wing.  With Charley and Jessie developing a useful understanding together, three opportunities were created - one saved, one hitting the side netting and the other bounced back off the foot of the goal-post, as Jessie was getting her sights set on goal.

Faye was getting a lot of joy on the left and when she raced up the wing, her ball in to Charley saw a shot beaten out by the keeper.  However, it fell nicely for Jessie to size up the chance and deliver the ball over the recovering goalie and into the top left hand corner of the net to make it 1-0 in the 39th minute.

Breaking the deadlock helped Spurs take the initiative and Charley had a good run finished off with a shot from a narrow angle that bent just wide of the far post leaving the score at 1-0 at the break.

With just two minutes of the second half gone, Lillie Chapman played a slick ball down the line to set Sam away on the right wing and her cross was met by Gill on the slide to lift the ball over the Rangers keeper to double the lead.

Sam had a shot deflected over the top, Jessie had a shot half-saved by the keeper leaving the ball spinning along the line before it was cleared as Spurs pressed forward and then Sam's good work on the right wing lead to Charley hitting a low shot from a narrow angle past the keeper for the third Tottenham goal just after the hour.

Substitute Andrea Walkes first involvement was to win a tackle and the ball broke for Faye, who stretched to hit a shot that flew up over the keeper and into the net for 4-0 halfway through the second half.

As Rangers pushed for a goal, Di Gardiner made some important interceptions and Dom Clarke stood firm against the tricks used to try and get past her, while Athena Yennaris had an opportunity to play the ball out of defence with time and Jenny Curtis took the ball out with some tricky dribbles.

A couple more shots by Jessie flew just wide before Gill played an exquisite pass inside the full back for Lizzie De Asha to take on her opponent and put in a low cross that Jessie popped up to stick in to round off the scoring in a very satisfactory 5-0 win six minutes from the end.  There was even time for a goal-mouth scramble that saw Di denied and Andrea hit the rebound over the top from close range, but the win had been secured and another three points helps keep THLFC Reserves top of the league.

JUNE CLARKE

The ball was fed through to the Spurs strikers early on and with some good link up play between Jessie Richards and Charley Sandford, the ball found it's way in the back of the Luton net thanks to Jessie's finish.  However the Spurs lead did not last long and Luton put the ball out of the reach of the Spurs keeper to make it 1-1 soon afterwards.

Tottenham reacted quickly and piled on the pressure, with it not being long before they were rewarded with their second goal from Gill Blackmore.  A fine first half ended with the ball moving from Charley to Louise van Hamme, who made a good run into the Luton penalty area.  Once there, she picked out Jessie with a pass and the Spurs striker finishes neatly to make the half-time score 3-1.

As time was running down, Dom Clarke threaded a good pass through to Jessie, but on this occasion, her shot just crept past the post.

It was a good team performance and the girls richly deserve their position in the table and their 100% record.

JUNE CLARKE

QPR Reserves  6     Dagenham & Redbridge Reserves  1      

JUNE CLARKE

Hendon Reserves  2     QPR Reserves  3      
Dagenham & Redbridge Reserves  3     Luton Reserves  1      

JUNE CLARKE

Long Lane Reserves  -      Dagenham & Redbridge Reserves  -    
QPR Reserves  -      Acton Sports Club Reserves  -