camden town  -    
newham womens  -    
hampstead  -    
joybabe  -    
garston reserves  -    
hackney women reserves  -    
kikk  -    
katabella  -    

camden town  -    
newham womens  -    
hampstead  -    
joybabe  -    
garston reserves  -    
hackney women reserves  -    
kikk  -    
katabella  -    

The game was abandoned due to this injury as the very helpful parents and team manager were not going to move Sophie until professional assistance came which took 1 hour and 45 minutes to arrive.
 
Miss Jackson (who was in a lot of pain for this time) sustained the massive major trauma playing as she always does, with full commitment.  This is a massive blow to the Reserves and it was hard to stand there and see such a popular and influential player go through so much pain for far too long.
 
The parents of Dee Gilbert and Charlie Archer were amazing in comforting Sophie and looking after her injured leg by keeping her still and holding her leg still the whole time. The players collected their coats and kept Sophie warm whilst we all waited for the ambulance to arrive as well as taking turns holding Sophie's hand as she went through her very painful ordeal.
 
Sophie has a broken ankle and is being operated on this evening to put a plate into the ankle.  We pray her recovery is a speedy one with no ill effects, as we will all like to see her enjoying her football back at Spurs next season.   
 

paul clark

camden town  -    
newham womens  -    
hampstead  -    
joybabe  -    
garston reserves  -    
hackney women reserves  -    
kikk  -    
katabella  -    

After last week’s injury stopping game, Spurs Reserves had another crack at Fulham Compton and the chance of making the Quarter finals of the Russell Cup.

The weather was just like last week, sunny, warm and a little strange as it felt the same.  But this game was not even close as Fulham had brought a full squad with new faces and a look of determination.

Spurs preparation for this game was very good and we went to work very early in this crunch game with faultless performances from Amanda O'Neill, Dee Gilbert and Natalie Arbuckle in the first 45 minutes with Dee being the most influential.  The action was nearly all down Fulham’s half as Spurs attacked hard through Samantha Garner and Tasha but with little reward, corners galore with Leesa Shileds swinging in some quality balls, but not enough conviction kept the game 0-0 at half time. 

In the second half Spurs had the wind behind us and the sun on our backs as the onslaught continued but a double half time change for Fulham Compton proved troublesome and moving into a 4-3-3 formation was a brave attempt to grab a goal.

10 minutes in saw a change for Spurs as Natalie Arbuckle came on to help calm the team and just at the right time.  With Natalie not being on the pitch for 10 minutes, another corner for Spurs gave the breakthrough needed as the clearance fell to Dee, who calmly picked her spot and fired a low driven shot through the crowded area and into the keepers right hand corner to make it 1-0 Spurs.

Spurs then were put under a bit of pressure as the next 25 minutes seemed to go on forever, but with the midfield battling hard and Dee still playing quality balls into good area’s Spurs still looked strong and in the last 10 minutes were in control with Fulham Compton doing a lot of running but no real cutting edge.

Tottenham were looking a little battle torn after their hard season and have had to contend with injury in the last couple of weeks and a shuffle around of players putting one or two players out of position with Sophie Jackson now on crutches, along with Geena Gordon and Beth Richards with concussion, it really was headaches all round, but Sasha Kelly dropped into right back and was fantastic and Samantha Garner stepping into Sophie's shoes gave everything like Sophie had done all season.  But Dee was sensational and this young star will surely star on the biggest stages for Spurs Ladies and has made a great start this season by showing what she is capable of doing, so keep an eye out over the years for this player.  

Natalie Howard played her best game for us; she was great when we played KIKK LFC, but today she took her game up another notch, so with both full backs on fire my captain (Mary Griffiths) and the ever dependable Leesa supported our fantastic midfield duo of Laura Gardner and Fran Hussey, who look like they are getting the form back that started out title challenge; both are so hard working, a credit to the team.

With so much support our goal keeper (Polly) put the icing on the cake with her TOTAL dominance of her area and the longer the game went on the more our No. 1 striker got her skilled running legs on terrorising the Fulham centre back and should have had a hat-trick and more, but worked tirelessly and unselfishly for the whole 90 minutes.  I thank you Tasha Ademakinwa (keep that retirement on ice kid) with Amanda playing that all important centre forward roll, she got a lot of the ball and played Tasha and Sam in so much the opportunities looked endless from our experienced tower of strength so it was a great game from start to finish. 

Fulham Compton are a great team and it was a great game as it finished 1-0 to Spurs Reserves.

Special mention to Mary who led her troops from start to finish, giving a great all round performance, but my player of the match goes to Dee Gilbert.

paul clark

camden town  -    
kikk  -    
newham womens  -    
hampstead  -    
joybabe  -    
garston reserves  -    
hackney women reserves  -    

The first half was very even in terms of possession but not at all in terms of attacking as Spurs dominated in Bushey’s defending third and the chances came as soon as the second minute, when Tasha Ademakinwa’s fantastic strike beat the keeper, but not the post and again on eleven minutes, when Tasha forced a good save out of the keeper, winning a corner from her venomous drive.

Again and again Tottenham attacked and again the woodwork saved Bushey, when a fantastic header crashed of the underside of the bar, then on 33 minutes Tasha had a one-on-one with the keeper, but as she went round her the keeper's outstretched hand just pushed it wide, but we had won another corner, the seventh in 35 minutes with Bushey not even getting close to a corner in that time.

The agitated Bushey manager twitched his assistant's flag a few times in the first half denying us further opportunities, but a lapse of concentration let Bushey in and the first real shot from them caught us cold and a shock to the system as we went 0-1 down.  It was a great shot and it needed to be to beat our fabulous goalkeeper, who had made a couple of top drawer saves, but we were not phased as we had created umpteen chances and would surely put three or four away?

We played our hearts out and gave everything.  We changed formation, transitions and used all our subs but could not get the goal until the 75^th minute when substitute Natalie Arbuckle headed the ball past a very static keeper.  1-1.  Then the sucker punch with 10 minutes left.  Nobody wanted to tackle the attacking midfielder and a quick switch of play gave the opportunity for a well placed curling shot which was harsh on us, but very well executed for Bushey to regain the lead 1-2.

The linesman's flag upset all around, as what seemed to be good attacks were deemed offside, but in the 90 minutes plus we created enough but just did not finish.  The determination to win was faultless, but it just was not going to be our day.

Next season we will be better prepared and we will be a true force in all competitions.

Well done the Reserves on reaching the quarter finals; one more league game left and hopefully a trophy for that.

Managers player of the match was Laura Gardner.

paul clark

camden town  -    
newham womens  -    
hampstead  -    
joybabe  -    
garston reserves  -    
hackney women reserves  -    
kikk  -    
katabella  -    

The goal brought the best out of both teams and we had a game on our hands; not wanting to be out-done.  Whilst Brentford were being out-played at this stage, the pressure was put on Spurs, but with quick breaks on such a big pitch, the possession was well kept by Tottenham.

Two goals in as many minutes made Spurs wobble for a bit, but soon regained the composure and not just put up a good defence again.  A fine performance in the shape of Amanda O'Neill, who controlled the central corridor so well catching Brentford off side more than once, but who also found the energy to get forward as well, Beth Richards and shared left back roles from Natalie Howard and Sasha Kelly, all attacked with real purpose and most importantly without fear.

The last 30 minutes gave excellent viewing as the crowed stayed to see the outcome, as Spurs drove forward and were prepared to shoot from range, with Sasha Kelly running through the middle third, dancing round every challenge then unleashing a smashing shot which the Brentford keeper had to put round the post.  The same came from Natalie again and Sam Garner, with Spurs always looking a threat.

With one first-teamer in Jess Richards, we had a threat going forward on the left of real pace and control and a very welcome player in Becky Shephard from our Under-16 team playing up front in her first Women’s game alongside the very talented and very quick Tasha Ademakinwa, which did not turn out to be a baptism of fire for the talented young player, who showed some very good touches and a lot of composure.  She fitted in perfectly and proved herself masterfully in the forward role in a team that (just like Becky) just love playing football.  Behind her Natalie rolled in and out of the midfield linking up with our two holding centre midfielders of Samantha O’Brien and Fran Hussey who took no prisoners covering every blade of the park.

With few defenders available, Beth found it hard going to leave her defensive duties to play like she naturally does with calculated runs, so she had to be a little more patient, but was, as always, very effective and great to watch as she linked up so well with Sam Garner both managing to get crosses over to our front players.

In goal for Spurs was Chelsea (not the whole team!), a very late arrival to the set up, but has been fantastic since joining.

Chelsea had recently injured herself and was told not to play for a few weeks, but such is her desire to play for Spurs, she brushed her problems away and put in a first class performance with very noticeable drop kicking the ball not just up to, but over the half way line.  Very impressive.

Final score: Brentford 2-1 Tottenham Hotspur Reserves

My player of the match was Sasha with her tireless energy and her direct positive attitude and approach to the game.

paul clark

We were expecting a hard run and got it from a very committed Hutton team.  The first half had some fantastic forward play from Spurs as these young ladies piled on the pressure right from the start. 

But the goal did not come until the 38^th minute when a perfect diagonal ball was struck and buried by Sasha Kelly, my Thursday player of the match, who finished off a great move with the most exquisite of touches.

Hutton tried to respond, but could not finish although they did pull a save from our young goalkeeper Chelsea Spurrier in the dying minute of the half.

The second half really was quite thrilling, as both teams drove on, but the scoreless second half was more about the different styles between the two teams as they both search for goals.

The game finished with an injury to the Hutton goalkeeper in the 90^th minute and we all wish her a speedy recovery.

 Player of the match: Amanda O’Neill

paul clark

camden town  -    
newham womens  -    
hampstead  -    
joybabe  -    
garston reserves  -    
hackney women reserves  -    
kikk  -    
katabella  -    

Last game of the reserves season saw a re-arranged game against Newham Womens with the extra spice of another game in our division between KIKK verses Camden starting at the same time which both games would decide who come second in our league. KIKK were already crowned champions and Newham could not do any better or worse than fourth, so second was up for grabs and with Spurs overpowering goal difference a win today for them meant Camden had to at least draw against KIKK, the league champions !

Spurs pressed Newham, but the visitors put up a lot of resistance.  Tottenham started off slowly after the first burst, but after 20 minutes got a deserved lead, then did not look back.  The one sided game is no disrespect to Newham who came and gave us a good game.  Ttheir away form this season has not been great, but they are such a strong team you never know what you are going to get.

So we didn't took anything for granted and when we got our nose in front we slammed home as much advantage as quickly as possible.

Samantha O’Brien scored first and later grabbed another three netting four in total, Natalie Arbuckle smashed a well deserved goal, but also had three other assists and with Sasha Kelly grabbing two, Tasha came off the bench to whack her first hat-trick of the season and Leesa Shields drove a 30-yarder into the bottom corner, the 11-0 score was well deserved with some great play.

The other result did not go our way with Camden beating KIKK 3-1, which meant Spurs Reserves finished third, but have already applied for Division one and with fingers crossed we may just get what we truly deserve.

paul clark

camden town  3     kikk  1    
newham womens  -    
hampstead  -    
joybabe  -    
garston reserves  -    
hackney women reserves  -    
katabella  -