Newcash United (Away) 01.09.2024

A bright afternoon on Tyneside started with an early free-kick for Newcash that dropped for Isak in the Spurs box, but he hesitated and the ball was cleared and then a fifth minute corner when Dragusin did well to stop Barnes looked to race away past him, went beyond the far post and Son tried to take the ball out. Isak took it off him and crossed to the far post but managed to hit the bar with a mis-cued chip. Newcash also went close in the ninth minute when Pope’s hoof out was controlled by Gordon and his ball across to Barnes saw him cut in to curl an effort just wide of Vicario’s left hand post.

When Spurs were in possession at the back, Newcash dropped off and it was almost being played at walking pace and when we played a ball forward it was providing some joy in getting past the last man. And from an 11th minute corner, that’s what Romero did, heading past Pope, but being offside. The home team were looking to work on breakaways and Romero slid in to stop Gordon for a corner that caused a bit of a situation when Vicario didn’t get a full punch on the ball needing Romero to block the incoming shot from Longstaff for another corner.

There was a long break in play as the linesman Ian Hussin pulled his thigh and had to be replaced by the fourth official in the 21st minute. When play restarted Spurs made a good move, passing the ball from the back through the midfield to isolate Kelly on the right with Odobert running at him, but having made room to shoot in the box, he hit it high over the angle. Then another move opened up a shot for Sarr through the middle of the defenders on the 18 yard line that Pope got down to, but didn’t know much about, as the ball squirted away for a corner. Spurs were on the front foot now and Odobert had a shot blocked after Spurs had worked the ball nicely, followed by a curling shot from Sarr that Pope pushed wide. Son was pulled back when Son nut-megged Kelly and the former Bournemouth defender received a yellow card. The free-kick was recycled and played in front of Pedro Porro for a shot that was a couple of feet too high.

From a Newcash corner, Spurs cleared and Dejan Kulusevski ran half the length of the pitch to win a corner at the other end. It was very cleverly worked as it was played in to Son, who played it out to the edge of the box for Porro to fire in a shot that hit Dragusin, otherwise it would have caused the keeper a  problem. A yellow card for Sarr for a foul on Kelly and then a free-kick was given when Udogie barged over Livramento that Sours headed away, but when the ball came back in following a throw-in, it was played across from the left and Barnes lifted a bouncing ball wide to Vicario’s left to hand the home team the lead, much against the run of play. It was highly disappointing as it was Newcash’s first shot on target, but we were a little bit slow to react to the quickly taken throw.

Spurs looked to break the nine-man Newcash defence and Longstaff brought down Udogie from behind for a yellow card and a free-kick, which was played  in short to Kulusevski in the box, but his first touch was heavy and he lost the ball. It was nice to see some more inventive free-kicks though.  Right before half-time Spurs worked a move up the left and Maddison went down when Burn trod on his foot, but the referee, who was in no position to see, decided to not award anything.

The second half started with Isak being offside to a through ball by Livramento, but when the same two linked up a minute later, Isak was through and only a fine sliding tackle by Dragusin that blocked the ball saved the day. At the other end Porro played the ball right through the six-yard box, with Son unable to reach it and when Newcash came away with the ball Bissouma pulled back Barnes to get a booking.  However, on replay, it looked like Barnes had a considerable handful of Biss’ shirt before he was pulled back. Meanwhile, Joelinton and Longstaff continued to make a foul each, but having already been booked, the referee was afraid of pulling out another yellow for them.

Eight minutes after the break, Johnson’s cross deflected off Kelly’s arm and Odobert came in at the far post but could only manage to knee the ball wide just beyond the far post. Bissouma made a great turn deep in his own half and played a straight ball to Son, who fired in a shot that Burn blocked and when it was won back, it was moved left for Maddison to curl a low shot. Pope fluffed his save, pushing it wide to Johnson on the right of the goal and he managed to hook it back into the six yard box, where Burn smashed it into his own net from just in front of the goal-line. It had been coming and it was a massive mistake by Pope who failed to use his feet well enough to get across to Maddison’s effort.

The pressure was telling on the home players as Guimaraes followed his other three team-mates into the book for a rash foul on James Maddison, but from the free-kick, central 25 yards out, Porro drove the ball over the angle. Again, pressure on Kelly won the ball and Johnson puled a ball back behind Sonny this time and then on the other flank, Livramento played the ball to Udogie when he was closed down.  When Newcash got near the Tottenham penalty area, Romero made an excellent challenge to hook the ball off Longstaff and then, as they moved the ball out to the left, Murphy’s shot was beaten out by Vicario at his near post. Spurs were still energetic and Maddison’s tackle took the ball off Guimaraes (just after he had been booked for a scything challenge on the Newcash captain), but when it got to Odobert on the left, he was shepherded out. Then Spurs broke again and Odobert came inside this time, having his shot blocked wide, then Johnson robbed Gordon, who then tried to bring him down but couldn’t. It gave Brennan space to run into and play a low ball into Son that was intercepted by Guimaraes, prodding the ball just wide for a corner. Murphy did manage to foul Porro and he took the free-kick that was bouncing around the box for Maddison to aim for the keeper’s top right-hand corner, although Pope did move his feet this time to push it over. Again, when this corner came out, Porro hit a shot that Pope tipped over which brought a shot from Johnson, who moved the ball onto his left foot and then lifted it too high.

Much like the first half, a break gave Newcash the lead again. A straight ball through to Murphy saw his run into the box end with a square ball for Isak to tap in.  A simple goal that Spurs need to be awake to.

With just under 10 minutes left, Bergvall and Bentancur replaced Maddison and Bissouma in an attempt to get an equaliser. The game got stagnant with Newcash sitting back and going down to win free-kicks. In added time, Johnson got away and played the trademark ball into the goalmouth, but nobody was there in a light blue shirt. Kulusevski got the ball when Burn sliced a pass as he slid to get to the ball and he tried to play in Werner to his left, but the ball was behind him and Johnson was in a lot of space to his right.

And that was it. Two decent shots and two goals for the home team and like the Leicester game, a lot of possession was not turned into goals, albeit  without Solanke or Richarlison, but we have to find a way even when that is the case.  It is likely that neither of the goals might have been conceded if Micky van de Ven hadn’t suffered an injury in training.

Without Richarlison and Solanke, it left Tottenham light up top and with Will Lankshear injured and Jamie only out on loan, finding a stand-in would have meant dropping down to the Under-18s.  The much reported need for another forward failed to be realised in the transfer window, so it must be hoped that the two-week international break allows one of them at least to make a return to the team.  Comparing this result with last season’s match at the Geordies, it was much closer (i.e. not 0-4) and for long periods the home support were on the backs of their players for the lack of involvement in the game.  However, when we are on top in a match, we have to learn to to make that count.  Ange’s substitution at half-time brought Johnson on to give the Newcash defence a tough time, but, again, that amounts to nothing if we can’t get the ball in the net against any side, let alone one expected to be in the top ten come the end of the season.

Stanford Rivers

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