Tottenham Hotspur Ladies FC -

Under-12s reports 2004-05

In their first 11-a-side match together, the Spurs girls ran out winners with goals from captain Zoë Jackson 4, Aimee Rose 3, Sinnead Gurry 2, Lindsey Cockle, Lucky Di Biasio, Paige Barnard and Tessa Osborne.

Spurs U12s opened their league campaign by defeating Harvesters by an eight-goal margin at Fred Knights.  But whilst the number of goals bagged was impressive the performance itself was a little disappointing with some players looking jaded after their first week back at school. 

The first Spurs goal came after some good work by Lindsey Cockle set up Eleanda Taladianou for a tap-in, then a fine tackle by the determined Belinda Sugarman played in Eleanda, who, this time, returned the compliment to Lindsey who tapped in from close range.

The score became 3-0 when a Zoë Jackson header was pounced on by Aimee Rose and she fired the ball home with the keeper stranded and it was Aimee who got number four with a shot that was too hot to handle.

The pick of the goals came from newly recruited Lucky Di Biasio, who blasted the ball into the roof of the net from just inside the area.

Lindsey made it 6-0 with a neat lob over the Harvesters defenders and an own goal from a Zoë Jackson corner rounded off the scoring in a match that saw Spurs struggle against a well-regimented offside tactic by the dogged Harvesters side.  

Kevin Fenn

Spurs started the fight back with Aimee Rose foraging for an opportunity in the penalty area and latching onto a pass to drive past the goalkeeper from close range.  The goal coming just before half time it was just the lift the team needed before embarking on the second half.

Tottenham upped the tempo and pegged Cambridge in their own half for most of this second period but found the well-organised Cambridge team difficult to break down.  However, Zoë Jackson did manage to break through after ten minutes from the restart and steered the ball home to the delight of her teammates.

The goal set up a thrilling finale with Spurs trying to force an equaliser but Cambridge City held firm and Spurs were defeated.

Woman of the match was Paige Barnard who was magnificent throughout with her organisation and encouragement.

KEVIN FENN

Spurs Under-12s got back on track with a win over a stubborn Stevenage Borough Vixens side.

Tottenham's passing was on the mark almost immediately and Aimee Rose was presented with the first opportunity, which went narrowly wide of the goal.  A neat move between Lindsey Cockle and Aimee set up Eleanda Taladianou for a shot that rose above the bar in the eleventh minute.

On 18 minutes, it was Lindsey's turn to have a shot slide past the post and then three minutes later, Tottenham broke the deadlock with a goal from Aimee Rose.  Tayla Goodman held the ball up well on the left flank, fed it inside to Sinnead Gurry and her lay-back was hit goalwards by Aimee, although there might have been a slight deflection that took it past the diving keeper.

Spurs were pushing forward and Lindsey set-up a chance for Paige Barnard, stepping forward out of defence, to blast just over the top.  In the 25th minute, Lindsey again caused trouble for the Vixens defence and in tackling her, the ball fell to Aimee, who curled her shot over the keeper to give Tottenham a two goal lead.

The second half was a more equal affair with Stevenage tightening up their defence and battling hard to stop any further goals, while Nicola Davey had a quiet time in goal, without being troubled by a shot all match.

In shoring up the defence, the Vixens conceded space in midfield, which Spurs made the most of, but they were unable to convert the chances they created through wayward finishing and good goalkeeping.

Shots rained in from Eleanda and Aimee, but these went over the bar and other chances for Lucky Di Biasio and Lindsey were well stopped by the keeper.

It was an impressive display by the midfield and the defence in keeping the visitors out of range and the forwards worked hard to make space for the ball to be received and linked play well, to earn a well-deserved victory.

Barking Ladies  0    Enfield Town Ladies  7
Harvesters  2    Cambridge City  2
Hitchin Town Belles Purples  0    Watford Ladies  2
Queens Park Rangers  15    Garston Ladies Blues  0

Spurs Under-12s' hopes of getting anything out of this game evaporated with a two goal first half blast from QPR.

The slick QPR outfit broke down Spurs with some good passing and movement, while Tottenham were hindered by some players arriving late after traffic problems on the North Circular Road.

However, even after Sinnead Gurry had given Tottenham a chance to get back in the game at 1-2 with a scorching shot from just inside the QPR half, the hosts hit Spurs on the break and only Nicola Davey's good saves denied them from further goals.

Two late injuries to Zoe Jackson and Jodie Fenn meant that any comeback was beyond them and the side slumped to a big defeat.

KEVIN FENN

Cambridge City  6    Enfield Town Ladies  0
Garston Blues  1    Watford Ladies  13
Hitchin Town Belles Purples  1    Harvesters  0
Stevenage Borough Vixens  1    Barking Ladies  1

It was Tottenham who were quickest out of the blocks with Laila El Haddad scoring her first of the season after just 50 seconds, with a shot from inside the penalty area.  It was soon two after Tessa Osborne passed through for Aimee Rose to shoot past the Hitchin keeper to extend the lead in the fifth minute.

This should have been the signal for Spurs to press home their early advantage, but keeper Nicola Davey was called into action to twice deny Hitchin when they broke away.  In the 11th minute, as kick out was returned back into the area and a shot flew past Nicola to put the Belles back in the game.

Spurs almost restored their two goal advantage with a 24th minute Aimee Rose chip over the keeper, but it floated across the face of goal.

Into the second half, the Hitchin keeper made a good save from Aimee and with nine minutes remaining, the Belles broke away to nip in and force home a ball that bounced back off the Spurs keeper.

It looked to be heading for a draw, when out of the blue, quite literally, a winner came Tottenham's way.  Rhiannon Kelly took a lay back from Lindsey Cockle and hit a very high lob that flew in over the Belles keeper for the winner.

It was a very close game and was played in a sporting spirit by both sides.

Barking Ladies  0    Cambridge City  2
Enfield Town Ladies  1    Queens Park Rangers  1
Garston Blues  4    Harvesters  5
Watford Ladies  6    Stevenage Borough Vixens  0

Spurs had chances galore in the first half against Garston Blues, but had to rely on a handball in the area to get them off the mark.   Aimee Rose converted from the spot as Spurs took control and it wasn’t long before Lindsey Cockle added a second from close range. 

Conditions were not ideal, but the girls remained focused and were rarely troubled at the back. Further goals in the second half from Lindsey, Aimee (2), Tessa Osborne and Zoë Jackson put the game beyond reach of Garston.

KEVIN FENN

Harvesters  3    Barking Ladies  3     
Cambridge City  2    Stevenage Borough Vixens  0
Enfield Town Ladies  5    Watford Ladies  0     
Queens Park Rangers  17    Hitchin Belles Purples  0    

Hitchin Belles Purples  1    Garston Blues  2     
Barking Ladies  2    Queens Park Rangers  12
Stevenage Borough Vixens  2    Harvesters  1
Watford Ladies  1    Cambridge City  1

Aimee Rose produced another fine hat-trick to take her league tally to twelve this season and it was her inspired performance that saw Spurs take the points against a spirited Barking side.

After a sluggish fifteen minutes Spurs increased the tempo and gradually forced Barking back into their own half. Aimee thought she had scored when she tucked home from close range but the referee decided that the goal was offside. However, it was literally minutes before Aimee put Spurs ahead with a similar effort.

Her second was a fantastic turn with the ball as she somehow ghosted by the defender before unleashing a shot that gave the goalkeeper no chance.

Soon after the break Spurs were caught off guard as Barking stepped up a gear, breaking through the defence and beating Nicola Davey from just inside the penalty area.

Spurs kept their concentration and tightened up at the back with Lucky Di Biasio playing well at the heart of defence. In the midfield Zoë Jackson made some great runs from deep linking well with attack. However it was Sinnead Gurry who increased the lead with a tremendous turn and strike from the eighteen-yard line that screamed past the Barking goalkeeper.

Aimee Rose finished off the job with a neat strike inside the box to complete her hat-trick.

Cambridge City  2    Queens Park Rangers  2
Enfield Town Ladies  -    Garston Blues  -     
Harvesters  0     Watford Ladies  1     
Stevenage Borough Vixens  0    Hitchin Belles Purples  1    

Awaiting match report.

Hitchin Belles Purples  0    Barking Ladies  1     
Enfield Town Ladies  5    Harvesters  2    
Stevenage Borough Vixens  0    Queens Park Rangers  14    
Garston Blues  0    Cambridge City  12    

Palace took the lead early in the first half, capitalising on a powerful surge by their forward to fire past Nicola Davey. However the lead evaporated minutes later when Lindsey Cockle found space and cleverly lobbed the ball over the goalkeeper. 

After half time Rhiannon Kelly was introduced to the attack and made some fine runs down the left channel, one of which culminated with a clean strike to make it 2-1.  Palace struck back almost immediately with a counter attack which saw the ball squeezed home from close range. 

Spurs saw their lead restored when Aimee Rose found space in the Palace area to rifle the ball away and minutes later Rhiannon Kelly sealed the victory by scoring her second.

Cambridge City  3     Hitchin Belles Purples  0    
Enfield Town Ladies  7    Stevenage Borough Vixens  1    
Queens Park Rangers  4    Watford Ladies  2     
Garston Blues  1    Barking Ladies  0