Spurs Legends Match Reports

Spurs Legends trekked to Yorkshire to play members of the Yorkshire Spurs Supporters club.

An early attack from the Supporters Club forced the Spurs keeper to a low save at his near post, then a ball out to the right brought at 25 yard effort from actor Ralf Little that rattled the crossbar.  Eight minutes in, Paul McVeigh opened the scoring stroking home a volley at the far post from Andy Turner’s pin-point left wing cross.

Ralf Little received a pass form Mark Falco in the right hand corner of the box and the defender got to him a little too late, upending him and conceding a penalty.  David Howells converted it to make it 2-0 in the 12th minute, but a couple of minutes later a loose pass from Stuart Nethercott almost allowed the Yorkshire Spurs back into the game, with the skipper sliding his shot just wide.

Turner was using his pace to find space on the left wing and in the 18th minute sent a cross sailing over the keeper and into the net.  A McVeigh ball into the box was superbly taken down by Mark Falco and turning on it, he struck the keeper’s left hand post, but Turner was there to tuck away the rebound for the Legends’ fourth goal in the 26th minute.  Just two minutes later, Ralf Little put through Pascal Chimbonda for a sublime lob over the keeper for 5-0, then the Legends added another in the 39th minute following a good link up with Chimbonda playing Little in on the right and his low finish beat the keeper at his near post from inside the box. 

Into the second half the Supporters Club keeper made a very good save from a header at a corner and later a defender blocked Little’s shot that looked like it was heading in.  A breakaway in the 68th minute found Jon Wilkinson in space slotting the ball past the Spurs goalie.   With 16 minutes to go a free-kick was planted onto the head of Chris Biggs and unmarked he put his header into the net.  In added time, a loose ball put McVeigh away and he played it to Pascal Chimbonda before playing three passes between them across the six yard line until McVeigh found the net to round of an entertaining game played in very hot conditions.

Yorkshire Spurs : –  , , , , , , , Jon Wilkinson, Chris Biggs
Spurs Legends : – , Andy Turner, Pascal Chimbonda, , , Brian Statham, Kevin Watson, Ralf Little, David Howells, Mark Falco, , Paul McVeigh
Subs. : –  .

[From the YouTube video posted by Gavin Penrose].

Yorkshire Spurs hosted the Legends team for the second year running at Tadcaster Albion FC’s ground.

The match ended in a  4-1 win for the Legends in the rain, with the Yorkshire Spurs consolation goal netted by John Tomlinson.  More importantly, the gam raised £8,426 with the money going to the Menfulness and Prostate Cancer UK charities. 

Yorkshire Spurs : –  , , , , , , , , , John Tomlinson, .
Spurs Legends : – Neil Sullivan, Pascal Chimbonda, , Michael Dawson, Kevin Watson, , David Howells, , , Paul McVeigh
Subs. : –  , , .

[From the Yorkshire Spurs website].

Yorkshire Spurs welcomed the Spurs Legends team for the second year running at Tadcaster Albion FC’s ground.

The match was raising funs in aid of Prostate Cancer UK and collected a brilliant £11,580.

Yorkshire Spurs : –  , , , , , , , , , , .
Spurs Legends : – , Pascal Chimbonda, , Stuart Nethercott, , Kevin Watson, David Howells, , Darren Caskey, Paul McVeigh
Subs. : –  , , .

[From the Yorkshire Spurs website].

Marine AFC was the venue as the Yorkshire Spurs took on Spurs Legends with the £8,137 raised from the game going to the JE3 Foundation and the Children’s Heart Surgery Fund.

The match ended in a  4-1 win for the Legends in the rain, with the Yorkshire Spurs consolation goal netted by John Tomlinson.

Yorkshire Spurs : –  , , , , , , , , , , .
Spurs Legends : – Neil Sullivan, Pascal Chimbonda, Stuart Nethercott, Michael Dawson, Michael Brown, Kevin Watson, David Howells, Mark Falco, , Paul McVeigh
Subs. : –  , , .

[From the Yorkshire Spurs website].

Spurs Legends won their fourth successive match with a narrow win over West Essex FC in Chingford.

The pitch was very wet and this hindered the Spurs team, that caused John Lacy and Stuart Nethercott both to slip over in the opening few minutes.  Terry Gibson also suffered the same fate, handing the ball to the opposition to launch a quick attack that Gareth Howells had to read and come off his line to claim the ball at the feet of a West Essex striker.  The keeper was alert to push away a shot at full-length before the game moved to the other end, as Ruel Fox was tackled as he was about to shoot, winning a corner in the process.  This was out behind for another, which caused the keeper problems, forcing him to push the ball against the bar at the near post.

Andy Sinton’s snapshot from 25 yards rattled the crossbar and he was involved with Fox to set up Justin Edinburgh with a shot that he pulled wide.  Spurs we repushing hard for a goal with Mark Falco and Sinton going close, with Falco looking to latch onto Edinburgh’s downward header from Paul Miller’s free-kick, only to be robbed by a timely tackle.

It was 37 minutes when Fox did well on the left to give Edinburgh the chance to cross and Falco took the ball down and past two defenders before finding the back of the net.  The lead was protected by a flying block by Nethercott to a goal-bound shot.

The second half begun with West Essex striking the post ten minutes in and having two other opportunities before equalising following a break down their right wing.  The lead was restored in the 75th minute, with a handball in the box allowing Sinton to fire the ball in from the penalty spot.  The Legends tried to manage the game by keeping the ball and four minutes from time, Flaco almost put the result beyond doubt but his left foot shot from 20 yards struck the post.

West Essex FC : –
Spurs Legends : – Gareth Howells, Paul Miller, Tony Galvin, John Lacy Stuart Nethercott, Garry Brooke, Justin Edinburgh, Terry Gibson, Ruel Fox, Andy Sinton, Mark Falco
Subs. : –  Andy Edmonds, Micky Jarrett, Micky Southam, Trevor Wilkinson.

Kevin Watson made his Legends debut in midfield alongside David Howells and others who took part were Mark Falco, Justin Edinburgh, Tony Galvin and Garry Brooke in a 3-3 draw with Badshot Lea.

Teams :
Badshot Lea –  .
Subs not used :
Spurs –  , Justin Edinburgh, , Tony Galvin, , , David Howells, Kevin Watson, Garry Brooke, Mark Falco
Subs not used :
Attendance : –  ,.

The Spurs Legends side had to fight back from going behind 0-3 to come back in storming fashion to win 10-5 at Ebbsfleet United FC against a side representing the Development of Pancreatic Cancer Research charity, who were managed by former Spurs midfielder John Pratt.

After only 18 minutes, the Legends were three goals down and only had an Andy Sinton shot that brought a good save from the keeper and a David Howells header that went wide to show for their efforts at the other end of the pitch.  Mark Stimson got the team off the mark in the 35th minute, sliding in Glen Southam’s cross, but within a minute DPCR had gone 4-1 ahead.  However, Howells and Southam cut the lead to 4-3 by the half-time whistle.

It took five second half minutes for Andy Sinton to cross for David Howells to equalise with a shot and from then on, Spurs were in control.  Clive Wilson’s cross in the 52nd minute was put into his own net by a DPCR defender and then right-footed efforts from Glen Southam and sub Micky Jarrett both found the net.

There was 63 minutes on the clock when Southam played a ball over the defence for Sinton to run onto and score the eighth Spurs goal.  With 12 minutes to go, DPCR reduced the lead to 8-5, but Jarrett’s ball in was struck home from just inside the 18 yard box by Stuart Nethercott and having dribbled past two defenders, substitute Micky Southam, who came on for his brother, fired home past the goalie to make the final score 10-5.

Teams :
Spurs Legends –  Tony Tillbrook (Gareth Howells), Tim O’Shea, Tony Galvin (Neil Smith), Andy Polston (Micky Jarrett), Stuart Nethercott, Warren Gravette (Steve Johnson), Clive Wilson, Mark Stimson, Andy Sinton, Glen Southam (Micky Southam), David Howells
Sub not used : – Garry Brooke
Development of Pancreatic Cancer Research XI : –
Subs not used :
Attendance : –  .

A high-scoring match saw Spurs run out 7-5 winners against the Friends of Dan Newman in a game for the Cardiac Risk for the Young (CRY) charity.

David Howells scored to give Tottenham the lead with six minutes gone, before crossing for substitute Dave McDonald to narrowly miss with a diving header.  Howells was on the spot in the 18th minute to dink the ball over the keeper as he came out, when put into a good position by Mark Falco’s pass.  Friends got a goal to make it 2-1 and had a lucky escape when Clive Wilson lifted the ball over the keeper, but the ball bounced up onto the underside of the bar and out.  Falco was also denied by the woodwork when he hit the outside of the post, but the upright assisted his 35th minute effort on the way in to make it 3-1.

The second half started well for the Friends of Dan Newman, who scored twice to peg Spurs back at 3-3 with 55 minutes played.  However, two Spurs goals around the 67 minute mark from a James Bunn header and a poacher’s goal from inside the goalmouth by Micky Jarrett regained Tottenham’s lead at 5-3.

Then Steve Smart buried a 75th minute penalty given for a handball into the bottom corner and the score was brought back to 5-4 five minutes later.  Bunn then added his second of the game, hitting a 25 yard free-kick past the keeper.  A couple of minutes before the end, the Friends of Dan Newman pulled a further goal back, but the score stayed 7-5 until the final whistle.

Teams :
Spurs –  Ian Walker, Terry Naylor, Tony Galvin, Stuart Nethercott, Mark Stimson, Garry Brooke, Paul Allen, Clive Wilson, David Kerslake, Mark Falco, David Howells
Subs used :  John Lacy, James Bunn, Mickey Jarrett, Trevor Wilkinson, Micky Southam, Andy Edmunds, Dave McDonald, Steve Smart
Friends of Dan Newman –  .
Subs not used :
Attendance : –  ,

The Spurs Legends took on North London side Greenhearts at Ware FC and ran out 11-1 winners.

Two early opportunities to open the scoring were missed by Garry Brooke before Mark Falco was unlucky to see a delicate chip beat the keeper, but not the crossbar, but he found the net in the 25th minute with a well-struck volley from David Kerslake’s cross.  Ian Walker left the goalkeeper’s gloves and created Falco’s second goal with a cross and then netted himself with a fierce half-volley.

After half-time, Clive Wilson crossed for James Bunn to head home number four and then was only denied another goal by a fine stop by Greenhearts keeper Chris Cawthorne.  Trevor Wilkinson scored to make it 5-0 and then a Mickey Jarrett double and another from Bunn brought it to 8-0 with a quarter of an hour to go.

The visitors got a consolation goal, but Spurs finished strongly, with 11 year old Zak Johnson scoring from a Bunn cross before Clive Wilson scored and Jarrett’s hat-trick goal made the final score 11-1.

Teams :
Spurs Legends –  Ian Walker, David Kerslake, Tony Galvin, Stuart Nethercott, John Lacy, Garry Brooke, Paul Allen, Clive Wilson, Mark Stimson, Mark Falco, Andy Edmunds
Subs used : –  Tony Tillbrook (g/k), James Bunn, Mickey Jarrett, Trevor Wilkinson
Greenhearts –  Cawthorne, , , , , , , , , , .
Subs not used :
Attendance : –  ,.

Cliff Jones’ Celebrity XI were well beaten by a Spurs Legends side who showed their ability in an 8-0 win at Waltham Abbey FC’s Capershotts ground in a match to raise funds for Violet Reynolds Son Rise program – a charity for a local four year old girl with autism.

The Celebrity side featured actor Phil Cornwell, BBC’s DJ Nihal, author Paolo Hewitt and TalkSport broadcaster Paul Hawksbee, while the Legends who turned out were a selection of former Spurs first teamers from the 70s and 80s, with some other players who were on the club’s books and they showed their class as they over-powered Cliff Jones’ XI in front of a large crowd.

It only took five minutes for Tottenham to take the lead, with David McDonald finishing off Stuart Nethercott’s set-up from the right and twelve minutes later David Howells coolly finished to double the advantage.  The FA Cup winning midfielder then grabbed his second after another ten minutes, seizing on a David Kerslake effort that was saved to find the net and then before half-time, Howells rounded off his hat-trick from the penalty spot after being fouled in the penalty area.

Ian Walker had flown in form Miami where he was coaching keepers aged 8-16 and those coming out of college football and he was under-worked, despite hard work from a determined Cornwell and Hawksbee, so, at half-time, he came out on field as Tony TiIlbrook (a regular in goal for the Legends) took over.  His first action was to fire a shot narrowly over from Andy Edmunds’ cross and towards the end of the game, he showed good technique as his volley flew close to goal.

Substitute James Bunn volleyed the Legends’ fifth goal in the 53rd minute and Mark Falco. made it six on the hour when he took a bouncing ball down in the box to swivel on it and find the net with a shot that beat the keeper and a defender on the line.  When Mark Stimson was brought down by a celebrity in the box, Howells again finished unerringly from the spot to take his personal haul to four goals for the afternoon, with the scoring rounded off by Bunn taking a back-heel from Howells to find the net from outside the area in the 65th minute.

Teams :
Spurs Legends –  Ian Walker, David Kerslake, Andy Edmunds, Stuart Nethercott, John Lacy (Tony Tillbrook 46), Garry Brooke (James Bunn 46), David McDonald, Mark Stimson, Mark Falco (Micky Southam 61), David Howells (Tony Galvin 80)
Manager : – Dennis Bond
Celebrity XI  –  , , , , Anthony Costa, Theo Delaney, DJ Nihal, Paolo Hewitt, , Paul Hawksbee, Phil Cornwell.
Manager : – Cliff Jones
Ref. : –  Neil Morris (Bayford)
Linesmen : –  Mark Taylor (Harlow); Paul Hewlett (Ware)
Attendance : –  ,.

For some photos from the game, click here.

Southgate County beat the Spurs Legends 3-2 at Potters Bar Town FC in a keenly contested game.

The home team went 2-0 ahead early on through Ken Middleton (5 mins.) and Martin Payne (8 mins.), but Spurs pulled level when James Bunn’s low 25 yarder ended up in the bottom corner of the net on 11 minutes and Trevor Wilkinson’s instant control of Paul Moran’s cross was followed by a shot from 10 yards that beat the Southgate County keeper in the 20th minute.

Both sides could have added to the score before the break, but Spurs could not break through the County defence, even with Les Boughey joining the action, leaving the home team to grab a winner in the 65th minute through Ben Stones.

Teams :
Southgate County –   , , , , , , Martin Payne, Ken Middleton, Ben Stones, , , .
Subs not used :
Spurs – Tony Tillbrook, Stuart Nethercott, Tony Galvin, Mark Falco, Andy Edmunds, David Kerslake, Paul Moran, James Bunn, Steve Smart, Micky Jarrett, Trevor Wilkinson
Sub : Les Boughey
Attendance : –  ,.

Spurs legends travelled to play former Spur Andy Sinton’s side Fleet Town in Hampshire and were beaten 1-3 at Calthorpe Park.

Spurs went close through David Howells and Les Ferdinand, but it was Espen Baardsen who took the applause as he kept the Legends in the match with some fine saves, but could not stop Fleet going ahead in the 34th minute.

In the second half, Garry Brooke went close with a free-kick, but the home team went 2-0 up with 52 minutes gone.  A penalty was converted by David Howells to half the deficit, with Baardsen doing his best to keep the score the same at the other end.  However, Fleet finally broke through and made it 3-1, although a cross from Andy Sinton brought a late Tim O’Shea header that went just over.

Teams :
Fleet Town –  .
Subs not used :
Spurs –  Espen Baardsen, David Howells, Richard Cooke, Tim O’Shea, Tony Galvin, Clive Wilson, Mark Falco, Garry Brooke, Steve Smart, Neil Smith, Les Ferdinand
Subs  :  Glen Southam, Andy Sinton
Attendance : –  ,.

.

Spurs Legends took on the Old Carthusians at Charterhouse School in Godlaming, Surrey for the Charterhouse in a match in aid of Southwark Charity.

Captain Martin Chivers allowed the opposition to play with 15 men, after the weather deteriorated and the game was so one sided.  Among the goal-scorers were Mark Falco with three and Steve Perryman, who scored with a low dipping volley and was man of the match.

Teams :
Chalgrove School –
Spurs –  , , , , Perryman, Falco, Chivers,
Attendance : –   ,.

Spurs Legends played Hendon in a charity match for the John Groom Home for the Disabled.

Teams :
Spurs –  Shreeves, Miller, Perryman, Pratt, Coates, Peters, Gary Stevens, Brooke, Falco, Gerry Armstrong, Chivers, Galvin
Hendon –  , , , , , , Peter Taylor
Attendance : –   , .