Barclays Premier Reserve League South

Tottenham Hotspur reserves 0
Stoke City reserves 2

by James Knowles

STOKE City reserves moved up to second in the table with victory at Tottenham Hotspur ... their third consecutive 2-0 win.

First-team coach Mark O’Connor fielded a strong side at a cold Brisbane Road, with Andrew Davies making a welcome return in a Stoke shirt at right-back and Ibrahima Sonko starting in the centre of defence.

A slow start was most notable for the flair of Tottenham strikers Adel Taarabt and Kevin-Prince Boateng, who were both causing problems for the City defence.

However, Boateng’s most prominent moment came in his own area when he superbly denied City’s Demar Phillips with a sliding challenge midway through the first half.

A lifeless match looked set for a goalless half-time scoreline, but Phillips had other ideas.
Playing in the hole behind Vincent Pericard, the Jamaican picked up the ball on the right wing and swung in a cross that fell to the feet of Danny Pugh at the far post. The former Manchester United man coolly slotted the ball home on the half-volley to continue his good scoring form.

With the rain pelting down in North East London, the second half started at a frenetic pace. The lively Taarabt skinned Sonko and let fly with an almighty drive that rattled against Steve Simonsen’s near post.

While the post was still shuddering, Michael Tonge swung in a deep ball from the right wing at the other end. Pugh was left unmarked but he failed to control his volley, which ended up in the empty seats behind Ben Alnwick’s goal.

But the victory was wrapped up in the 56th minute. Pericard dispossessed Takura Mtandari and the ball fell to Michael Tonge. With oceans of space, the midfielder advanced before calmly slotting the ball home, sending Ben Alnwick the wrong way.

A lively end to the match saw three bookings and Spurs coach Clive Allen launch a four-letter expletive at the referee. Before the official had an opportunity to banish the Spurs manager to the stands, he had trotted down the tunnel for an early bath!

Man of the match Danny Pugh, who has made only two first-team appearances this season, both in the Carling Cup said: “I’ve been working hard all season, training as hard as I can, but it doesn’t seem to be counting at the moment so we’ll have to see what happens.

“It’s a big game against Derby next week, especially for those of us who are in and out of the team. We all need games.”

STOKE’S reserve-team fixture against West Ham United at the Britannia Stadium on December 3 has been cancelled as the youngsters are travelling to Coventry City in the FA Youth Cup on the same day.

TOTTENHAM: Alnwick, Mtanadari, Dervite (Maghoma, 45), Rocha, Gilberto (Hutchins, 45), Fraser-Allen, McKenna (Berchiche, 59), Ghaly, Daniels, Boateng, Taarabt. Subs (not used): Butcher, D Hutton.

STOKE: Simonsen, Davies, Wilkinson, Sonko, Dickinson, Tonge, Whelan, Wedderburn (Moult 62), Pugh, D. Phillips, Pericard. Subs (not used): Harrison, Diao-Jiminez, Nicholls, Urwin.