Newcash United (Away) 29.10.2025

News of an injury that will keep Archie Gray out for at least a month having strained a calf muscle in training was a downer, with so many player sin the treatment room already.  It produced a bench that had James Rowswell appearing for the first time and Callum Olusesi getting a subs place with only a few minutes of first team action to his name.  In contrast, Newcash had most of their players fit.

Spurs had looked comfortable in possession in the first few minutes, but then Chris Kavanagh gave a weak free kick for a foul on Woltemade, but, when it was taken, it was played wide where Djed Spence got the ball away for a throw-in.  Then he gave another for a Porro foul on Barnes, which was a bit more justified, with this one played to the far post, which saved at the foot of the post from Thiaw, but Newcash worked the ball back out and Joao Palhinha made a top the shot. Ramsey then worked his way across the box from their left to right before getting a shot away but Porro had followed him and got a block in.

In the 12th minute, some neat first time passing from the home side opened up space to the left side of the box for Barnes, but his first time finish ended up the wrong side of Kinsky’s right hand post as far as the Newcash fans were concerned Spurs got on the attack when Toni’s pass out picked out  Richarlison and when it was worked right to Brennan Johnson in space, he skewed his cross off for a goal kick before it got near the near post.

With giants in the box set-pieces were always going to be a threat, but in the first 20 minutes Spurs defended them well.  That was until Newcash got a corner and while Djed delayed its taking by spending an age doing up his laces, it was taken before he could get back into position and Schar jumped unmarked to head low past Toni.  It raised some complaints from the Spurs players and Richi ended up getting booked for his protests.

Spurs were being closed down quickly when they were on the ball, but made space when Porro’s ball into Johnson was nodded wide to Bergvall and his low ball across the face of goal was missed by Burn and then by Richarlison behind him.  Spence retrieved the ball on the far side and was pulled down, but the ref was being swayed by the home crowd and let it go, but when Kevin knocked over Elanga it was a free-kick and Porro got booked for arguing the point.

Spurs played some quick passes around and inside the Newcash box ending with Johnson’s low ball towards the far post from the right, but too far ahead of Richarlison.  In the 39th minute, Danso stepped forward to pick up  a half-cleared cross and tried a shot, but it lacked enough power and direction to make it difficult for Ramsdale.  Two minutes later a ball was clipped in from the right for Thiaw to skew his shot and the ball popped up for Barnes to attempt a falling volley which glanced off the top of the bar on it’s way onto the crowd.

Schar committed his second foul going through the back of Richarlison and only had a free-kick against him, while Djed was wrestled to the ground again when he was advanced on the left, but no free-kick.  Thiaw was rightly booked in added time for a cynical trip stopping Simons breaking into the Newcash half.  The free-kick was played to the left, where Kevni headed back across the box for Richi to have a free header, but he put it straight at the keeper.   Xavi then pinged a shot at goal that it looked as though Ramsdale got a touch to, but there was neither a corner given or a goal-kick taken as Kavanagh blew for half-time.

90 seconds into the second half, Barnes crossed for Willock to have a free header a few yards out, but the Newcash man got it off a corner of his head and put it wide of goal when it looked easier to score.  A seemingly harmless cross into the box saw Kinsky come to punch, but not getting near it and it was a simple task for Woltemade to head into an empty goal.  The move started when Xavi was beaten to the ball by Thiaw and the Dutchman needs to be a bit more determined in winning the ball.

Kavanagh was really having a poor night, with Tonali pulling the neck of the shirt of Simons, but having to rely on the linesman to notice it.  The free-kick found Bentancur at the far post, but Ramsdale flapped it away unconvincingly.  Schar finally got booked when he pulled Richarlison down when the Brazilian turned away from him.  On the hour, Pape Matar Sarr put a shot low to the keeper’s left and he got down to save when Xavi lined it up for him on the 18 yard line, with Brennan keeping the ball in for it to be cleared away from in front of goal.  After Randal Kolo Muani and Mo Kudus came on as a subs, Djed Spence spread play to the right and Johnson knocked it back behind him for Pedro to cross, with Richarlison getting across Burn to poke a volley at goal that the keeper reacted well to push away.

Kevin Danso did very well when he knocked Elanga’s stretching volley across goal and got it just wide, ducking his head to cut it out.  Joelinton’s foul on Kudus started some pushing and shoving that got both players booked, but there was the foul by the Newcash player and then his involvement in the afters which if Kudus was solely booked for that should have meant two yellows for Joelinton, especially as his initial foul was very high and he had both feet off the floor.  Then, when Kudus fouled Elanga it was a free-kick but Burn wanted another, which I always thought was a yellow card in itself.  Kavanagh summed up a crappy performance when he ran right in front of Randal Kolo Muani as he burst forward.

So, another League Cup campaign ends with a whimper and you just wondered what might have happened if Micky was playing.  Would the two goals have been defended better with his height in defence ?  We will never know and it is an issue with the necessary rotation of players, which is not helped by having 10 players out injured.  And whether things might have been any better with a half-competent referee ?

That’s that for the League Cup gone and another opportunity to get some players playing time with it.  Not that there are many available for that anyway.

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