Tottenham Hotspur Ladies FC -

Under-13 Whites match reports 2005-06

The most difficult part of the game for Spurs seemed to be adapting to the blustery wind conditions, which favoured the side kicking up the pitch and this caused the ball to run on too far on several occasions.  An early Rhiannon Kelly shot brought a save from the Princes Park keeper, but this was Rhiannon's last action of the match, having suffered from a heavy cold all week, she retired from the action.

Spurs took the lead in the 17th minute, when Zoë Jackson moved forward for a corner and glanced in a header at the near post to confound the Princes Park defence.  Chloe Gunn was putting in a lot of effort in the middle of the park, almost latching onto some long goal-kicks and being denied by the goalkeeper as she was through on one occasion.  Just before half-time, Leasha Ngotho fired in a shot that the keeper had to take high up.

The Tottenham defence of Jodie Fenn, Zoë, Paige Barnard and Stephanie Smith had been tidy in the first half and when Vanessa Hassans and Tessa Osborne were brought on, they stood firm too. 

In the second half, there was more space for the midfield of Chloe, Laila El Haddad, Lindsey Cockle and Andrea Edobor to make use of and their passes and runs through the Princes Park defence lead to many anxious moments for the visitors.  Chloe moved onto a fourth minute free-kick over the defence and lobbed the keeper, but the ball went agonisingly just wide and then four minutes later Leasha picked up a loose back pass and pulled a save out of the keeper.

The pace of Chloe down the flank allowed her to put in a cross that left Lindsey inches away from a picture-book goal and then another similar cross saw a defender slice the ball just over her own bar.  The ball was being moved better by the Spurs side and apart from collecting a couple of long through balls, Nicola Davey had little to field.

It was Chloe who wrapped up a place in the semi-final with an astute lob over the keeper from 35 yards out that made it 2-0 and game over. 

A good result for Spurs despite not playing to their full potential.

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Having lost to Cambridge City in the previous season's final, the girls were determined to give their best shot at over-turning a side who had beaten them 0-3 only a few weeks before.  With the wind being a major factor, the home side played with it at their backs in the first half.  The Spurs defence coped with an injury to Paige Barnard and the pressure applied by City, who used the wind well, but failed to trouble the Spurs goal too often.  While a series of corners were won, the ball was cleared by the Spurs defence, although the ball rarely found it's way upfield towards the City goal.  Nicola Davey was called upon to make a couple of saves and the solitary first half goal came when Tessa Osborne cleared off the line, but when the ball came back into the area, it fell nicely for a Cambridge forward to shoot into the net after 24 minutes to give them a 1-0 half-time lead. 

The second half saw the wind favour Tottenham and their use of the long ball over the City defence paid dividends, with a string of corners and Andrea Edobor whipped them in left-footed from the right hand side to cause problems for the home defence.  It was her shooting prowess that got Tottenham back into the game though.

Picking up the ball on the left of midfield, she ran into the Cambridge half and unleashed a towering shot from fully 35 yards to beat the keeper's save and make it 1-1.  Spurs pressed forward with little pressure this half on our defence, and the corners coming into the area still provided City with difficulties in clearing into the face of the wind.

Sixteen minutes into the half, a low through pass cut through the Cambridge defence and Leasha Ngotho ran through to calmly shoot under the keeper to put Tottenham ahead for the first time in the match.  A third nearly followed shortly after, when Andrea's in-swinging corner was kneed goalwards from within the six yard box by Rhiannon Kelly, but the keeper made an instinctive save on the line to keep the ball out.

With time ticking away, Cambridge threw players forward and managed to break into Tottenham's half, with some good tidying up work by Zoë Jackson and Stephanie Smith preventing them getting through and near the end, they did manage to break past the Spurs back line and Nicola came out to save the shot and then the final whistle blew to give Spurs a place in the final, where they will meet QPR.

As always, it was a close match with Cambridge and THLFC would like to thank them for their hospitality and the good spirit in which the game was played.

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The first half had been fairly even, with Vortex having the better opportunities, with an air shot at a low cross in the seventh minute reprieving Tottenham.  A fierce shot on the break from the pacy Hopewell striker just cleared Nicola Davey's bar and the Tottenham keeper was called upon to make a number of interventions to prevent the opposition taking the lead.  Tottenham's sole opening came ten minutes before half-time, when Katie Goodland's cross was just missed by Chloe Gunn as she ran into the area.

The American girls' experience showed in the second half, when they breached the Spurs defence twice.  Sixteen minutes into the half, a through ball split the defence and the pace of the Vortex striker took her to the ball before Nicola and she slipped the ball past her for a 1-0 lead.  The win was consolidated near the end, when a Vortex player headed in a corner to round off a 2-0 win in a well contested friendly match.

We wish the Vortex girls well on the rest of their tour of London.

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KEVIN FENN

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Paige Barnard captained the side and provided the vocal encouragement from the defence line until an ankle injury forced her to be substituted.  Her replacement Vanessa Hassans stepped in well and her partnership with Lucky Di Biasio was encouraging as both grew in confidence as the game went on. 

After twenty minutes of the game the midfield won possession and Laila El Haddad provided the perfect through ball to split the Luton defence and Leasha Ngotho raced through to finish with a powerful shot. 

Five minutes later, Leasha again timed her run to beat the defence and this time provided a touch of class by side-footing the ball across the keeper to claim her second. 

Just after half time Spurs failed to clear the ball from deep and allowed Luton to get back into the game at 2-1, which was disappointing as Spurs had looked in control to that point and conceding a goal at that time was a disappointment. 

However Spurs did look reasonably comfortable in the second half and it was no surprise when they added a third with Katie Goodland cutting in from the left and lifting the ball over the keeper. 

KEVIN FENN

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Spurs defended deep from the start as QPR displayed the form that has made them champions this year with some crisp passing and cutting pace.  Spurs defended reasonably well at the start with Zoë Jackson showing her athleticism and Chloe Gunn and Stephanie Smith tracking their players well.  

Spurs had rode the early pressure well and started to make some inroads further up field with Rhiannon Kelly always dangerous on the counter and Leasha Ngotho providing the pressure up front.  However, just as Spurs had started to settle, a QPR midfielder was given far too much space and had time to thread a through ball to split the defence.  The Rangers attacker was first to react stroking the ball to the side of Nicola Davey and into the back of the net. 

Spurs have made many comebacks this season, but unfortunately on this occasion there seemed to be no thrust from within.  There followed a period where QPR were in the ascendancy, looking to add to the score and Spurs had to make a number of clearances, but gave the ball away cheaply. 

QPR added a second just as Lindsey Cockle was preparing to go on as substitute.  The defence stood static as a ball was threaded through to their pacy striker and only Jodie Fenn reacted, but was unable to win possession and the ball was netted. 

After the break Spurs started the brighter with the intention of getting back into the game early.  Chloe Gunn won possession and advanced before letting fly a shot from twenty yards that flew just wide of the target.  Rhiannon had made some some good runs down the left, but was injured as she challenged for the ball in the box.  Play resumed with a corner that Rhiannon headed just over the bar, but the player was withdrawn from the game as the injury proved too painful to continue.  

As Rhiannon received treatment, Spurs conceded a third when the defence failed to intercept a ball from the right and it was tapped in at the far post.  Tottenham saw out the remainder of the game, but it was QPR rejoicing at the final whistle and the Spurs players left reflecting on a disappointing performance. 

Congratulations to QPR and a speedy recovery to Rhiannon Kelly who fractured her arm in the game.

KEVIN FENN

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Spurs fielded an experimental line-up, featuring Zoë Jackson in attack, with Lucky Di Biasio filling her place in defence and Leasha Ngotho and Jodie Fenn taking positions up in midfield.  The changes seemed to work well in the early stages, with Spurs mounting a number of attacks.  Zoë went close in the first minute after Lindsey Cockle had set her up for a shot, but a goal came shortly after when Stephanie Smith's cross from the left wing found it's way to Leasha at the far post just inside the box and she unleashed a fierce shot past the Watford keeper to give Tottenham the lead.

Spurs proceeded to take the game to Watford and Lindsey had a shot blocked before Nicola Davey was first called on to save a shot from the visitors.  With Tottenham's passing keeping Watford on the back foot, the girls had several chances, but failed to test the Hornets goalie and the visiting defence worked hard to protect her with some fine blocking to Lindsey and Zoë efforts, before Chloe hit a shot wide from 20 yards.  Having come on as a substitute, Andrea Edobor produced a trademark shot from 30+ yards that just cleared the crossbar on the half hour.  Almost straight from the clearance, Spurs attacked again and a great run on the right by Chloe Gunn and her low ball into the six yard box found Lindsey, with the goal in front of her, but her shot went over the bar.

Watford stepped up their game in the second half and with some Spurs players being replaced at the interval, the game swung towards the Tottenham goal and keeper Sian Osmond had to make a save at her near post to keep Watford out.  Tottenham realised they had to take the game in their own hands and both Zoë and Chloe produced saves from the Watford goalie, while 10 minutes into the second period, Lindsey rounded the keeper with good foot-work, but was tackled just as she was about to shoot.

On 15 minutes, Watford won a corner and when it came into the area, the ball was not cleared and a Watford player struck a shot that went in off the post to make the score 1-1.

With ten minutes left, Lindsey raced into the area on the left and her cross-shot went wide of the goal, agonisingly just in front of Leasha.  The visitors still pressed forward and Sian had to make a save at her near post with her feet to keep the scores level.

As Spurs strove for the winner, Andrea flashed an effort across the face of goal and Jodie Fenn fed Zoë, who struck a fine shot, but it missed the angle of the goal by a foot, to leave the two teams to share the points at the end.

It was a good, exciting match, played in a good spirit, that entertained a fair sized crowd, including many passers-by who stopped to watch the game.

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