The Under-12 Blues team started the new season as they ended the old one – playing faultless, passing football and dominating the game.   For long period, the visitors were pinned down to a defensive role, and indeed two of the goals were scored in injury time.

Alison Woodward opened the scoring after five minutes.  Though playing in defence, she came up for the corner, collected the ball and netted with a long high effort.  A few minutes later, Chloe Smith doubled the lead when she got the ball from a clearance and, from just inside the area, put a shot into the corner, past the goalie.  For the rest of the half QPR were held back and had only one or two players outside their own penalty box. 

There were few counter attacks and the back four of Nicole Hall, Samantha Delves, Monique Thompson and Ally  limited serious attempts to a handful.  Georgia Miller and Chloe foraged down left and right wing respectively, but without success.   2-0 at half time.

For the second half, Loren Humphreys came on for Sam.  The scoring resumed straight away.  Chloe won a tackle and centred to Louisa Fox who scored from the pass.  Next Lou sent Georgia away who made a strong run and shot, to make it four.  A bit later the same partnership, the same method, and the same result, for Georgia to notch up her second, after 50 minutes.

Meanwhile, QPR see seeing more of the ball. Goalkeeper Naomi Coulson was called into action and responded with secure saves.  Monique’s long throws were a constant irritation and the midfield trio of Jemma McCarthy, Jessica  Johnson  and captain Phoebe Guiver pushed forward as Spurs regained control.

Two injuries, to Nicky and Ally, led to the latter being taken off after 54 minutes and Sam returning.  Almost immediately Phoebe cleverly lobbed the ball over the opposing keeper as full time approached.  However the game was not yet over and Jess was to be rewarded for her energetic performance with two late goals.  For the first, she intercepted a pass, ran forward and beat the keeper from close in.  The eighth goal followed a long throw, an overhead pass and Jess again scored in the same manner to complete the match.

This was an excellent result for the League.  The defence played the offside rule consistently and the corner tally was 10 to nil.  It is difficult to remember any serious mistakes from the Blues players and the injured Amy Runciman will be all the more anxious to get back.

Alison said after the match, "We played well for this first match and the future looks good" and no doubt manager Paul Fox would echo this.   

The Spurs Ladies Under-12 Blues' visit to Denham was more rewarding that last season, with today's win being better than the draw last time around.  However, the match did not open well for the visitors, who went a goal down after four minutes.  For the rest of the half Spurs kept up their attacking mode, but found the home team difficult to control on the break.   After a defensive re-shuffle, the main attacking Denham player was slowly neutralised, but it took nearly until half time to get the equaliser. 

From a free kick outside the penalty area, Louisa Fox shot a high ball into the roof of the net.  Previously both Lou and Phoebe Guiver had gone close and Jessica Johnson had made an unsuccessful run with the ball to the goal line.

One all, at half time.  From the re-start, Spurs resumed the offensive.  The Spurs defence - any four from Nicole Hall, Samantha Delves, Jemma McCarthy, Monique Thompson, Loren Humphreys and Alison Woodward - were systematically winning the ball and kept the danger to a minimum. 

The visitors took the lead when Lou got a pass from midfield and put the ball past the goalkeeper, into the corner of the net on 37 minutes.  After that, Georgia Miller and Chloe Smith were regularly sent forward by midfielders Jess and Phoebe.  The corner tally was mounting up as the pressure told.

Unexpectedly the home team equalized, with 15 minutes to go.  The same Denham player evaded tackles to put the ball past goalkeeper Naomi Coulson.  Spurs applied themselves again.  Monique’s long throw-ins and Jemma’s forward passes added to the efforts of the forwards.  Nicky, Sam, Loren and Ally marshalled the defence.

The decisive moment came in the 50th minute.  Phoebe fought determinedly for possession of the ball and sent Lou away.  Her shot could only be parried by the keeper and Chloe was there to net the winner.  The visitors continued with the initiative and the whistle went with Spurs still on the attack.

The corner tally was five to one for Spurs and the few off-side decisions were split equally.  After the match, Jemma said that the match had been "challenging, but with good skill and good luck", they had won in the end.  Manager Paul Fox  commented that the opposition had put up a good fight, but Tottenham's consistency paid off.

The THLFC Under-12 Blues continue their campaign with a third successive win and by a substantial margin. 

The scoring started early with a goal in the second minute.  Amy Runciman, Chloe Smith and Louisa Fox were involved in a passing sequence before Phoebe Guiver netted from just inside the box.  Another goal followed a few minutes later when Georgia Miller latched onto a goal kick and quickly put in a shot before the goalie got back into position.  A repeat incident found Chloe able to take advantage of a poor clearance and score her first goal.

Harpenden were more or less kept in their own half for the whole of this session.  Nicole Hall was able to make several passes down the left wing, and Samantha Delves and Jemma McCarthy foraged up into the action.  Monique Thompson kicked a huge ball into the opposing goal area and Lou just hit the side netting, the near-miss of the match.   Amy and Jessica Johnson also went close.

Three-nil at half time and Loren Humphreys, who started as sub, came on for the second half.  The pressure continued with two more quick goals.  From a long ball, Lou, who was played onside by poor positioning, put the ball in the net and Chloe also added to the total by a shot into the corner of the goal.

With Harpenden again pinned back, a series of corners were won.  Monique and Jemma went up for these and, at the other end, Spurs goalie Naomi Coulson at last got a touch of the ball in the 40th minute.

Three goals came in the last fifteen minutes.  Georgia passed through to Phoebe who put a high ball into the net, then Lou made a long run to put a shot past the goalkeeper, and finally, from a pass across the area, Georgia had an open goal to score her second.  

Spurs finished on a high note, with more attacks featuring Amy and Jess and Sam.  From Lou’s corner, Phoebe headed just over the bar.  The midfield was in total control and several passing moves caught the eye.   

The Spurs girls won 10 corners with no reply, but also were caught offside on nearly as many occasions.  They had most possession of the ball, with Naomi being called upon only once in the game.

After the match, captain Phoebe Guiver said, “We played some good football and scored some good goals.  We did deserve to win.”  Assistant manager Les Smith commented, “After last week’s disappointing game, the whole team produced an excellent performance.  We look forward to the next matches with confidence.”

The Spurs Ladies Under-12 Blues took three points from their visit to Harvesters on a bright Autumn afternoon.

Loren Humphreys began on the bench and play in the first half was dominated by Spurs, who had about 70% of possession.  It was 10 minutes before Georgia Miller sent in a long powerful shot that swept over the goalie to open the scoring for Tottenham.

Later in the half, reserve goal keeper Alison Woodward had the first of her few touches of the ball, as the defence  of Nicole Hall, Samantha Delves, Monique Thompson and Jemma McCarthy, kept the home team comfortably at bay.  Passing moves from all four players followed the defensive action, pinning back the Harvesters who were trying hard throughout.

Midfield players Jessica Johnson, Amy Runciman and captain Phoebe Guiver also collected many balls but made less  impact than usual against a packed home defence. 

The score remained 0 -1 until half time, after which Loren came on and Nicky went off.  Before long, Chloe Smith  managed at last to capitalise on one of her breaks down the right wing, to run and put the ball past the advancing goalie.  Spurs kept up the pressure with Louisa  Fox, Amy and Chloe again, all going close.  Pheobe headed one cross just over the bar.

At the back Jemma was heading the ball away and tackling the occasional Harvesters attackers and Jess was consistently blocking the forward passes.  Sam and Loren were strong in support.  Monique’s many long throws beat the offside trap and  started more assaults on the home goal.  Ally was called upon to make two important saves in the goal.

The defence was tiring now and, as the final whistle neared, Lou collected a through-ball and shot low in the corner of the net to make it three.  In the 66^th minute, Georgia swivelled past three defenders to complete the scoring with her second of the match.  4-0, with Spurs winning more than ten corners without reply.  There were surprising few offside decisions.  The Blues keep their unbeaten record and go to the top of the League table.

After the match, Jemma who had an outstanding game, said, "We started off slowly, but picked up in the end to come up with a good result.  I look forward to the return match, at home, next week."

Team Manager Paul Fox added, “The game was played on a 9-a-side pitch which restricted our style of play, but we deserved our win.”

On this showing, without being complacent, it could be said that the team deserve their position at the top.

This match between the teams at either end of the league table resulted in the expected win for the on-form visitors.

The scoring opened after three minutes when Chloe Smith sent in a hard low shot from near the touchline into the net but Hemel equalised within a few minutes with a scrambled goal that left goal keeper Naomi Coulson unsighted.  Some long throws by Monique Thompson threatened a break though on several occasions, with Jessica Johnson in particular going close.   However, it was Chloe who added her own and the team’s second with a ball into the corner of the goal after 12 minutes.

The defence was blocking out the home attackers and before long, despite the bright start, they were pinned back  into heir own half.  Nicole Hall stopped one of the few forays into the Spurs penalty area.  Before half time Louisa Fox scored the first of her four goals when she received a long throw and slipped the ball past the oncoming goalie.  This period was marked by Spurs players getting caught in an offside position, but not always affecting the play, it seems.  Despite protests, the decisions stood.

1-3 at half time, and after the break, Alison Woodward, who had distributed the ball well, came off to be replaced by the substitute, Jemma McCarthy.   Spurs maintained the pressure with some excellent passing moves down both wings.  The midfield of Amy Runciman and Jess were intercepting numerous balls and it was Jess who scored early in the second session.  Then Amy benefited from a pass by Lou to put the ball above the goalie into the top of the net.

Jemma and Samantha Delves were orchestrating the defence and Sam made some overlapping runs to initiate attacks.  On the other wing Georgia Miller had the beating of the defenders and Chloe was a constant menace, forcing several good saves.  Ally came back on as Sam was rested and played further up from then on.  Nicky also pushed up as the attackers tired.

Hemel had tried several players and changed their goalkeeper - to no avail - in the last quarter, as Lou scored three goals, with two shots from close in and one long effort.  Phoebe Guiver worked hard in the middle of the field, winning the ball and passing it on.  She headed one of Lou’s corner kicks just over the bar.

Spurs ended as they had begun, on the offensive, but now getting into on-side positions more regularly and running forward to challenge the retreating Hemel defence.  The corner count showed seven to nil, with the possession largely the preserve of the visitors.  The Spurs goalie touched the ball only twice, despite all the constant efforts of the home team to get equal. 

Naomi said after the game, “The team played well, which is the basic reason why I had so little to do.” 
Spurs stay top the table.

The Blues defence, in this match played on a blustery, cloudy, afternoon at Royston, faced two completely different  problems in each of the halves.  At first, playing up a slight slope, but against a strong wind, they found that any high balls were likely to come back to them, while in the second with the reverse conditions,  it was easy to over-hit the kicks.   So it was quick, close passes for the first session –  Monique Thompson and Nicole Hall interplayed the ball with Alison Woodward and Jemma McCarthy,  then usually a forward pass, up to the midfield or attack,  followed.

The first goal indeed originated  from the back.  Monique’s long throw, from near the centre line, found its way to Chloe Smith in the third minute and she hit the ball past the keeper.   Monique herself  then got on the score-sheet when she steered a corner by Louisa Fox into the goal.  The midfield was beginning to dominate the match with Cambridge pinned into their own third of the pitch.  

Naomi Coulson, in the Spurs goal got round the strong wind problem on the few occasions when she was called into play.   She took short goal kicks which went to Ally or and Nicky in particular, then onto Jessica Johnson and captain Phoebe Guiver who carried the momentum forward.  Amy Runciman completed the scoring in the first session when she converted a loose ball in the box into a successful shot.

0-3 at half time and after the break, Gemma and Ally swapped positions, but the attack resumed as usual.  Loren Humphreys came on and Ally went off after 37 minutes.

Lou was taking a number of corners as the Cambridge defence struggled hard but failed to learn from the Spurs example of playing against adverse conditions.  Georgia Miller was penetrating the left wing and sending in centres while Jess was having more success in running at defenders.  Her reward came when she tried a high ball and lobbed over the unfortunate goal keeper to make it four. 

Spurs defence was varying its play.  Gemma began to rove further up and across the field and help the left wing as well.  In the main she co-operated with Chloe who frequently dodged past the home defence onto the goal line.  Nicky, before she went off, marshalled the defence into a solid line that was rarely beaten.  Loren fitted into the pattern and played her part reliably in what was another precise performance by the defenders.

Among other goal attempts, Georgia headed the ball against the bar and Lou went close.  In the last 15 minutes, Monique scored the second of her goals.  She thumped a long ball towards the goal and her wind assisted shot bounced over the keeper.  Amy was at this time making long runs down the left like a natural left-sider.

At the final whistle Spurs had had about two thirds of the possession and the corner tally went into two figures, with barely a reply. Afterwards  Nicky said  “We all played well and supported each other.  I like to play where I am now being asked to.  It suits me fine."  Paul Fox, manager and coach, summed the match up, “Difficult conditions, but a good result." 

Spurs remain at the head of the table, unbeaten.

This HCGFL match was the second this season between the two teams, who both have excellent records for goal-scoring, and was played on a freezing afternoon in West London, the rain being just avoided.

Spurs began brightly – three passes out from the defence ended with Louisa Fox putting the ball in the net after just one minute.  The passing routine was working well and Jessica Johnson combined well with Chloe Smith to search out gaps in the home defence.   The team was experimenting with various formations and Alison Woodward was taking throw-ins as the Tottenham defence came under pressure.

However, it was the established practice of a very long throw by Monique Thompson that led to the second goal after 10 minutes.  Amy Runciman collected the ball and rounded the oncoming goalkeeper to make it 0-2. 

QPR launched a series of counter attacks.  They pulled a goal back, but overall, Samantha Delves, Monique, Ally and  Jemma McCarthy, were diligent in blocking the attacker’s initiatives.  Gemma in particular was fast enough to match the very nippy QPR forwards as they tried to push through.  The defensive covering system, supporting each other all the time, kept the ball safely out and goalie Naomi Coulson was faultless as the last defender.

Half time and the score was 1-2.  Spurs had no possible substitute and slogged on.  Georgia Miller made a series of fast runs down the left side and after one particularly dangerous dash, saw her shot hit the bar and rebound away.  Lou also went close with a header just over the top from a long pass up by Jess.

Chloe next hit the post, but got her reward when she seized on the ball in a goalmouth skirmish and netted it.   QPR came back again with a series of high balls down the centre.  Sam, Ally and Monique continuously steered these balls away from the goal.  The defenders, led by Gemma, ran forward or passed the ball up front in retaliation.  Jess was noticeable in heading the ball away and from one of the resulting attacks, a goal was scored, but ruled offside. 

At the end, Amy made a clever turn and shot directly and quickly into the goal to make it four.  But the league leaders were not finished yet.  From one of the many corners - usually by Lou -  captain Phoebe Guiver pushed through and headed the ball just over the bar.  Like Jess, she was mainly a provider for others in midfield and attack. 

At the final whistle, Spurs had notched up ten corners with only one in reply, and edged QPR regarding ball possession.  Naomi said “They had some really fast forwards, but we played well to keep them out.  Our goals were brilliant, but it was really cold for me in goal."  Paul Fox, manager and coach, commented, "Everyone played well and it was a well deserved result.”  

Spurs keep their 100% record, nearing mid-season.