Birmingham City v Spurs Reserves Match Reports

There were Spurs debuts for new signings James Wilson and Elisha Showumni as Spurs eased through this match to overcome Birmingham City with a 4-0 score-line.

Tottenham’s good start saw Reiss Russell-Denny volley Calum Logan’s cross wide and gained control, but Caleb Sanders got space on the right and the full-back drove a rising shot against the bar and then he was on the end when the ball came back into the box, diving to head the ball up onto the bar again.  Birmingham’s Yusuf Ahmed was booked in the 18th minute for a wild swipe at Rio Kyerematen’s shin, with Spurs winning a corner from the free-kick that brought a goal-line clearance from Pele Argenese-McDermott’s header.  Kyerematen made good space in the box to drive an effort wide with one of the few chances in the first half.

When Reiss Russell-Denny had a shot blocked away for a corner, it was taken short and worked on the left wing from where Matthew Craig put an inviting ball into the box and James Rowswell looked to get a flick on it to take it past the keeper just before half-time, but it went straight through and Spurs were ahead two and a half minutes before the break. 

Bettaker showed good skill to get into the box from the left wing and the ball was laid back for Eubank, who blazed his shot way over the top.

At the start of the second half, Showumni came inside to crash a left foot shot straight at the Birmingham keeper, Rowswell headed a corner just wide and in the 60th minute James Wilson did well to lay the ball back to Rowswell on the right whose cross was headed in by Kyerematen, who stooped to nod the ball past O’Sullivan.   

Rowswell then tested the keeper with a shot before Cassanova closed down a defender as the keeper tried to play the ball out, with the Spurs captain going down, but not being given a decision in his favour.  With 15 minutes to go, the rain started to pour down and when a Brum move broke down in the Spurs box, Russell-Denny launched a long ball forward for Wilson, who found the keeper close to him outside of his box and lofted the ball over him only to see it drop a couple of feet wide.  Lehane had just come on and fired a low shot at goal that the keeper saved with his leg, directing the ball up into the air and he was quick to get up and push the ball over the bar.

With the match about to hit the 82 minute mark, King’s perceptive pass to Lehane saw the striker turn his marker and get into the box before setting it up for Rio Kyerematen to smash the ball low past the keeper’s right hand to make it 3-0.  In the build-up Reiss Russell-Denny had gone down and had to be helped off, leaving Spurs to see out the last five minutes with ten men, having used all their subs.

Three minutes from the end, a long left wing cross was glanced at goal by Ahmed’s head but Bloedorn got down to it quickly as it came off the wet turf, with the keeper getting down well to a low shot from outside the box as the clock hit 90 minutes.  Leo Black played in Rio for another shot but O’Sullivan denied him his hat-trick with a low save to his left, but three minutes into added time, a corner came in low and as it bounced up sub Luca Furnell-Gill shot across goal and into the far side of the net to make it 4-0 with a well-controlled effort. 

Deep into added time, Maddox received a needless yellow card for pulling Leo Black back by his shirt, with the match ending in a solid performance and good win for Spurs.

Spurs : – Carey Bloedorn, Maeson King, Calum Logan (Eli Upson 66), James Rowswell (c) (Luca Furnell-Gill 78), Pele Argenese-McDermott, Matthew Craig, Dante Cassanova, Elisha Showumni (Leo Black 58), James Wilson (Ellis Lehane 78), Reiss Russell-Denny, Rio Kyerematen.
Unused sub. : – Samuel Archer.
Birmingham : –  Will O’Sullivan, Caleb Sanders, Jack Quirk    37 (Henry Pearsall 77), Billy Burrell (c) (George Wynne 72), Trea Briscoe, Louie Rea, Zaid Betteka, Cobi Maddox    90+5, Alezandro Da Silva, Eubank (Nikolai Degtiarev 71), Yusuf Ahmed    18
Unused sub. : –  Shea Birmingham (GK), Godfred Boakye.

Adel Taarabt was showing his skills, but his finishing didn’t match his ability on the ball as he slashed wide when well placed, then Spurs were 0-2 down with Gary O’Connor leaving his marker to meet another De Ridder cross, this time from a free-kick, to slide the ball past Button with 13 minutes gone.

Button was in the right place to save a shot straight at him by Mutch and then again from Wilson, before play moved to the Birmingham end as David Hutton’s corner dropped for Mtandari to shoot, but there were too many bodies in front of him to get it through.  Taarabt once more showed that he needs to sharpen up his shooting skills as he blazed over from long distance, but it came just before Tottenham scored after Fraser-Allen’s 33rd minute cross was volleyed home by David Hutton at the far post as he ran in unmarked.

Taarabt did better when he exchanged passes with Mtandari and as he shaped to shoot, Doyle dashed out at his feet to save.  He was the architect of the second Spurs goal in the 39th minute, as he beat three men in the box and Lifted the ball over the keeper for Tomas Pekhart to head into the net.  Spurs still had to be alert and Button needed to dive to push Mutch’s 30 yard effort past the post in time added on at the end of the first half.

The second half saw long periods of stagnant play, but Tottenham took a 3-2 lead with a goal in the 52nd minute, as Kyle Fraser-Allen played the ball through to Taarabt to slide the ball past Doyle and into the net.  The young Frenchman then almost created a fourth, as he put Hutton through, but his left foot shot went just wide.

With a minute gone past the hour mark, Birmingham got another equaliser.  And once more De Ridder was the man who opened the Spurs defence to cross for O’Connor to rise at the far post to head back into the top corner for 3-3.

As both sides battled away, the game reached a bit of a stalemate, but three minutes from the end Tottenham came closest to grabbing a winner, as Taarabt and Pekhart played in Mtandari, who hit a shot from the edge of the area that was blocked by the Blues defenders and a draw was the final result.

Teams :
Birmingham City –  Colin Doyle, Jared Wilson, Rafael Schmitz, Martin Taylor, Franck Queudrue, Ashley Sammons (Jamie O’Brien 57), Daniel De Ridder, Garry O’Connor, Jake Jervis (Jamie Sheldon 78), Jordan Mutch, Semih Aydilek (Joyce 46)
Subs not used : Lyness, Hubbins
Spurs –  David Button, Chris Gunter, Cian Hughton, Yaser Kasim (David Hutchins 78), Troy Archibald-Henville, Joe Martin, Kyle Fraser-Allen, Takura Mtandari, Tomas Pekhart, Adel Taarabt, David Hutton (Jon Obika 78)
Subs not used :   Oscar Jansson, Alex Olsen, Ryan Mason
Attendance : –  ,

Spurs Reserves fell to a 0-1 defeat to Birmingham City Reserves at St. Andrews in the Football Combination.

Teams :
Birmingham City –  .
Sub. not used : .
Spurs –  Tony Parks, Danny Thomas, Paul Price, Kenny Dixon, Simon Webster, Ian Culverhouse, Robert Brace, Ally Dick, Mark Bowen, Allan Cockram, Micky Hazaard
Sub. not used :
Attendance : –   ,

A 1-0 away win by Birmingham City Reserves shocked Spurs with Dean Sturridge scoring the winning goal.

Teams :
Spurs –
Sub. not used :
Birmingham City –  Tony Coton, Linney, Moran, Martin Kuhl, Gibson, Hawker, Sturridge, Hinchey, Goode, Archie Gemmill, Francis.
Sub. not used : Howles
Attendance : –   ,

Spurs won 2-0 at home against Birmingham City Reserves.

Teams :
Spurs –
Sub. not used :
Birmingham City –  Tony Coton, Kurila, Hawker, Hinchey, Brady, Lees, Linney (MacDowall 75), Dark, Ivey, Goode, Francis.
Attendance : –  ,

Spurs Reserves put in a good performance at St. Andrews to take the points off Birmingham City Reserves 3-2 in the Football Combination.

All the Spurs goals came in the first half with Gerry Armstrong, Stuart Beavon and Tony Galvin found the net.  There was an expected response from the Blues after half-time, with two goals scored to make the score-line uncomfortably close.  Jimmy Bolton came on as a substitute to make his first Football Combination appearance.

Teams :
Birmingham City –  .
Sub. not used :
Spurs –  Milija Aleksic, Peter Southey, Chris Hughton, Paul Miller, Paul Bowgett, Stuart Beavon, Tony Galvin, Garry Brooke, Gerry Armstrong, Tom Heffernan (Jimmy Bolton 67), Mark Falco
Sub. not used :
Attendance : –   ,

Goals from Martin Chivers and John Pratt earned Spurs Reserves a 2-1 win over Birmingham City Reserves at the Lane.

Teams :
Spurs – Ian Cranstone, Phil Beal, Gary Anderson, Keith Osgood, Wayne Cegielski, John Pratt, Neil McNab, Mike Dillon, Martin Chivers, Chris McGrath
Sub. not used :
Birmingham City –  .
Sub. not used :
Attendance : –   ,

It was a Chris Jones goal that earned Tottenham a 1-1 away draw with Birmingham City Reserves at St. Andrews.

Teams :
Birmingham City –  .
Sub. not used :
Spurs – Ian Cranstone, Ian Smith, Gary Anderson, Wayne Cegielski, Steve Walford, Mike Dillon, Jimmy Neighbour, Neil McNab, Chris Jones, Phil Holder, Chris McGrath
Sub. not used :
Attendance : –   ,

Birmingham City Reserves claimed a 1-0 Football Combination win at White Hart Lane against Spurs.

Teams :
Spurs – Terry Lee, Joe Kinnear, Gary Anderson, Joe Peck (Gary Mabee), Peter Collins, John Margerrison, Chris McGrath, Phil Holder, Keith Osgood, Danny Clapton, Chris Jones
Sub. not used :
Birmingham City –  .
Sub. not used :
Attendance : –   ,

The game was lacking any real quality, but Spurs Reserves turned out 1-0 winners over Birmingham City thanks to a second half Ray Clarke header from a corner flighted in by Chris McGrath.  Gary Mabee had hit the bar as the match had approached half-time, but there was little more to report as each side failed to produce anything like their true form.

Teams :
Spurs – Barry Daines, Joe Kinnear, Eddie Jones, Mike Dillon, Joe Peck, Phil Holder, Chris McGrath, Ray Clarke, Gary Mabee, Graeme Souness, Jimmy Neighbour
Sub. not used :
Birmingham City –  .
Sub. not used :
Attendance : –   ,

Spurs Reserves were held to a goal-less draw at home by Birmingham City Reserves in the Football Combination.

There was little excitement in the game, with few chances, although Ray Clarke hit the bar in the first half and Birmingham City did the same in the second period.

Teams :
Spurs – Terry Lee, Tony Want, Graeme Souness, Joe Peck, Eddie Jones, Jimmy Neighbour, Ray Clarke, Peter Collins, Phil Holder, Roger Morgan
Sub. not used :
Birmingham City –  .
Sub. not used :
Attendance : –   ,

A dominant performance by Spurs Reserves left St. Andrews with a 1-0 victory that could have been by a much wider margin.

Halfway through the second half, Mike Dillon converted Tony Want’s free kick for what turned out to be the only goal of the game.  Dillon struck the ball back past the Birmingham goalkeeper after the cross from Want had been headed out by a defender.

The woodwork was struck by Dillon and Pratt hit a shot that went close as Spurs kept up the pressure on the home goal.

Teams :
Spurs – Barry Daines, Joe Kinnear, Tony Want, Terry Naylor, John Collins, John Pratt, Jimmy Pearce, Mike Dillon, Roy Woolcott, Ray Clarke, David Jenkins 
Sub. not used :
Birmingham City –  .
Sub. not used :
Attendance : –   ,

Spurs Reserves were grateful for goals from Ray Bunkell and Mike Dillon to see off Birmingham City 2-1 in the Football Combination at White Hart Lane.

Teams :
Spurs – Barry Daines, Ray Evans, John Collins, Ray Bunkell, Mike Dillon, Terry Naylor, Neil Johnson, Phil Holder, Roy Woolcott, Tony Want, Jimmy Neighbour (John Cutbush)
Birmingham City –  .
Sub. not used :
Attendance : –   ,

Football Combination     Away     Lost     0-2

Birmingham City Reserves beat Spurs Reserves 2-0 at St. Andrews to end Tottenham’s long unbeaten Football Combination run

Spurs Reserves had gone 23 matches without defeat, but Birmingham City, having missed some good chances, scored twice in the second half to take the points, despite Tottenham fielding Mike England and Roger Morgan, who were both given the opportunity of playing time after recovering from injuries.

Teams :
Birmingham City –
Spurs –  Ken Hancock, John Cutbush, Tony Want, Terry Naylor, Mike England, Ray Bunkell, David Jenkins, Graeme Souness, Roy Woolcott, Phil Holder (John Pratt 46), Roger Morgan
Attendance : –   ,

Birmingham City Reserves’ visit to White Hart Lane inflicted the first defeat of the season for Tottenham.

Having effectively lost goalkeeper Roy Brown after just 15 minutes with a pulled muscle hampering his kicking, Spurs also had to take off Roger Hoy at the half-time break having suffered an injury during the first 45 minutes.  Andy Bish came on at the start of the second half in a re-organised defence, but they could only hold out until the last twenty minutes, when Birmingham scored three goals to claim a deserved win.

Teams :
Spurs –  Roy Brown, John Collins, Tony Want, Terry Reardon, Roger Hoy (Andy Bish 46), Ron Henry, Steve Pitt, John Pratt, Cliff Jones, Brian Parkinson, Billy Mail
Birmingham City – 
Attendance : –   , 

The Spurs Reserves’ trip to St. Andrews brought a 1-0 win over Birmingham City, thanks to Tommy Bing’s goal, that took them top of the Football Combination league table, as Bournemouth & Boscombe were defeated elsewhere.

Teams :
Spurs –  Ron Reynolds, Maurice Norman, Ken Barton, Colin Brittan, John Laurel, Ernie Walley, Tommy Bing, Micky Dulin, Len Duquemin, Alfie Stokes, Terry Dyson
Birmingham City – 
Attendance : –   ,