What a difference a day
makes, Sunday pouring with rain in Newcastle; Monday dry, mild evening
in Stevenage. I tried a new ploy to avoid the queue, but without
success, only one turnstile open twenty minutes before kick off.
However, all was not lost at least they still had team sheets, a first
at Stevenage, but I had to pay 20p for the single sheet. Surely a team
sheet could be given to anybody that asked, bearing in mind the
admission fee of £5, they were always free at St. Albans.
The match kicked off
at 7 o'clock and Spurs fielded a fairly experienced team, including
four of the substitutes from the previous afternoon's game, against a
more youthful Coventry side. The opening minutes were quite
frantic without much pattern to the play from either side. Then
Bunjevcevic, back in his more accustomed centre of the back three
role, played a great ball up to Kamanan, who headed it down, for
Sherwood to drive his shot from 20 yards just over the bar.
During these initial
phases Bunjevcevic strolled forward to spray several fine long passes
across the pitch, but due to lack of control or good closing down by
the lively Coventry team nothing came of them. One of these passes
was neatly put away by Rebrov only for the referee to disallow it,
presumably for minimal contact with the Coventry centre back
Davenport.
The constant
hurrying by the Coventry youngsters was not allowing Spurs the time to
settle and therefore they could not get their passing game going.
When Coventry got possession they mounted several swift attacks, which
forced Keller to make several fine saves. A foul by Thelwell on
Zuniga, after clever play by the striker, gave the visitors the chance
to put pressure on the Spurs goal. The driven free kick was
deflected into the air and Davenport stabbed the loose ball home, from
two yards out.
For the remainder of
the half Coventry continued to enjoy the better possession, McSheffrey
having their best chance to double their lead, when he was put clean
through. The visitors must have been pleased with their first
half performance and deserved to go in one up.
Gardner, who had
been his usual calm, assured self, throughout the first half, started
the second period very hesitantly. First Toner had to make a
good covering tackle following a mistake by Gardner and then he
allowed Zuniga to pinch the ball away from him, when he looked in
control of the situation. This proved a costly error as Zuniga
took two paces before letting fly from 25 yards. Keller got his
hands to the ball and tried to push it round the post,
unfortunately it dropped just inside the goal; two-nil to Coventry.
At this stage the visitors were buzzing and it looked like they would
go on to win the game.
However football is
never that simple, a shot from Piercy was deflected, Rebrov and a
defender fought for the ball, which fell into the path of Sherwood and
he shot from point blank range. Brush the Coventry keeper,
parried the ball but was unable to prevent him following up
to stab the loose ball into the net.
This obviously
lifted the home team, whose passing became much crisper. The
main beneficiary of this was Kamanan. First he had a rasping
drive turned aside by Brush, after linking well with Rebrov and
Sherwood. Then Kamanan turned provider, when his left wing cross
was met by Sherwood, but he could not keep his shot down and clipped
the bar from four yards. Next Kamanan got on the end of a
Thatcher free kick, but put his header just wide.
Spurs were now in
the ascendancy, with chances coming thick and fast. Rebrov
headed over from a Piercy corner. Then Bunjevcevic started
another attack with a cultured pass through the middle, Sherwood
deftly flicked the ball into the path of Kamanan's surging run and he
controlled it well before hammering the ball home from 20 yards.
The several hundred supporters showed their appreciation for a well
worked goal.
The Spurs side
went in search of a winner, which was a complete turn around from only
a few minutes before when they trailed by two goals to nil.
Rebrov initiated another attack by spreading the play out wide on the
left to Thatcher, his deep cross was met beyond the far post by
Sherwood. He headed the ball back for Rebrov to run on to it and
dispatch a first time shot into the back of the net.
There was still
enough time left for both sides to have further chances to add to the
score line, before the final whistle, but neither was able to do so.
Whilst it was very
good to win after trailing by two goals and certainly good to
watch, questions should be asked about the lack of urgency shown early
in the game by an experienced Spurs team. The younger Coventry
team played well and looked likely winners , until that rather
fortuitous first goal they conceded.
There were several
notable performances, particularly from Bunjevcevic, again in his
mask, he looked assured throughout and his passing is exceptional.
Kamanan had a good second half, but he must learn to hide his
frustration better than he did in the first half. Sherwood had a
good game and his experience helped the younger players around him.
Ciaran Toner played in a more advanced midfield role which allowed him
to make some good runs, whilst he helped out the defence with a couple
of well timed covering tackles. Rebrov took his goal well, had
another unluckily disallowed and was often involved in the best moves.
However what can a player of his class gain from these type of games ?
Surely he is only playing to keep match fit before returning to where
he belongs the first team.
One last comment -
where have all the sinks in the gents gone ? They have
been missing for the last two games now, so any chance of them
returning soon Stevenage?
TOTTENHAM : - Keller, Piercy,
Thatcher, Thelwell, Gardner, Bunjevcevic, Leonhardsen,
Sherwood, Kamanan, Toner, Rebrov.
Unused subs : - Kelly, Consorti, Galbraith, Snee, Sutton.
