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Pavlyuchenko Nets Winner for Spurs
Pavlyuchenko Nets Winner for Spurs
Tuesday, 3rd Aug 2010 21:41

A deflected Roman Pavlyuchenko goal on the hour mark was enough to give a Tottenham XI a 1-0 victory over a young Town team at Portman Road. The Blues were second best for the most part against a Spurs side including Ledley King for the first 45 minutes.

Town named very much a second string side with Chris Kiwomya in charge and Roy Keane in the stands. Arran Lee-Barrett was in goal with Jack Ainsley skippering from right-back, Shane O’Connor on the left and Troy Brown and Tom Eastman in the centre.

Conor Hourihane took up the holding midfield role with Colin Healy and David Cawley ahead of him and Lee Martin on the left and Reggie Lambe on the right. Ronan Murray was the lone frontman.

Pablo Couñago and Jon Stead were named amongst the substitutes, while Gareth McAuley and Jon Walters were spotted chatting to Ben Thatcher by the Britannia Stand.

Tottenham’s similarly young side included three big names England man King, Roman Pavlyuchenko and Younes Kaboul. Former Town loanee Giovani Dos Santos was with the senior squad in Portugal.

The game’s first chance fell to Spurs in the fifth minute, Tom Carroll’s cross from the left flying just behind Jon Obika at the far post.

Pavlyuchenko forced Lee-Barrett into the first save of the match on nine, the ex-Hartlepool man coming off his line quickly to block. From the corner, Paul-Jose M’Poku’s header deflected out off his own player.

Three minutes later, Lee-Barrett parried Pavluychenko’s shot from the edge of the area with the visitors continuing to dominate the game.


Town’s first chance came in the 22nd but Lee Martin’s 20-yard freekick deflected harmlessly into Ben Alnwick’s arms with Troy Brown looking for any slip-up.

The Blues were coming more and more into it with Colin Healy increasingly influential in midfield and in the 26th minute Cawley was unlucky to get too much on a pass which would have put Lambe in on goal.

Just after the half hour, Arran Lee-Barrett saved Shane O’Connor’s blushes after the full-back’s scuffed backpass had put Pavlyuchenko through on goal. Lee-Barrett was again quick to react and came off his line to toe the ball away. Soon after, Dean Parrett’s shot from the right was deflected behind.

On 34 Ronan Murray struck a strong shot from the right, which Alnwick pushed behind.

The impetus moved back towards the visitors as half-time approached and Parrett struck an effort which Lee-Barrett grabbed at the second attempt. At the other end, Jack Ainsley’s cross-shot flew over.

The Premier League side had had the better of the half and the opportunities, but the largely young Blues had done well to keep the game goalless and had created one or two half chances on the break.

Town switched Colin Healy for Billy Clark at the break, while Ledley King made way for the visitors.

Tottenham’s Ryan Mason shot into the sidenetting in the 55th minute, then soon after Obika won a corner, which Kaboul headed over.

N’Poku tried a cheeky effort from wide on the right but Lee-Barrett was alert and tipped the ball wide.

The visitors went ahead right on the hour mark when Pavlyuchenko struck a low shot which was easy for Lee-Barrett until it struck a Hourihane, completely wrong-footing him. Prior to the restart, the Blues swapped Hourihane, Murray and Martin for Dunbar, Couñago and Stead.

On 65 Spurs striker Ryan Mason unleashed a powerful strike, which Lee-Barrett parried away, Brown reaching the loose ball ahead of Obika.

Jamie Griffiths replaced O’Connor, who had moved to left midfield after the earlier subs, before Parrett forced a save from Lee-Barrett. Then at the other end Reggie Lambe’s strike from the edge of the area was pushed wide by Alnwick.

Lambe went close again on 77 when a corner from the right reached him at the back of the box but his shot flew well wide.

Couñago almost threaded in Stead, then almost immediately played in Lambe on the left, Alnwick saving the Bermudian’s low strike with his foot. Town were coming back into the game in the latter stages after half largely run by the Premier League side.

It was Spurs who spent the final minutes pushing for a second, although Couñago had the chance to play Stead through on goal but the Spaniard took too long over his pass.

Town’s youngsters were second best for the most part but kept going and might have grabbed an equaliser, particularly once Couñago’s guile was introduced late on. Colin Healy was the most impressive of the senior players with Lee Martin continuing to look very short on confidence.

The standout performer for the Blues was centre-half Troy Brown, who made vital challenge after vital challenge, but overall Chris Kiwomya will be pleased with the most of his young players and the experience of facing the likes of King, who coolly strode through his 45 minutes, and Pavlyuchenko will have benefited them.

Town: Lee-Barrett, Ainsley, O’Connor (Griffiths 72), Hourihane (Dunbar 60), Brown, Eastman, Lambe, Cawley, Murray (Couñago 60), Healy (Clark 46), Martin (Stead 60). Unused: McLoughlin, Griffiths. Att: 5,770.


Photo: Action Images



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Jesney_Havoc added 21:45 - Aug 3
Lost again then....
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SurreyITFC added 21:47 - Aug 3
Well Done Troy. Keep it up and you will get a chance sooner or later.

COYB - Keano
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WREXHAM_BLUE added 21:47 - Aug 3
I think we could have justifiably called ourselves an Ipswich XI tonight too. Roll on Saturday!!
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the_gospel added 21:47 - Aug 3
Ben Thatcher? has he gone?
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Umros added 21:49 - Aug 3
Another 'Nil' then, ok, opposition better than some other fixtures but...........same old story, not scoring goals. 5,000 attendance, excellent marketing at £15 a head then!
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legoman added 22:01 - Aug 3
The match was a success if only to allow troy to shine against good opposition.
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stiffshorts added 22:05 - Aug 3
why oh why bother playing these pointless games? and at the same time ripping fans off?

who, in their right mond pays £15 to watch two 3rd teams kick a ball around?
Sorry but it's a rip off and shoudn't be tolerated.

As for Saturday?
I'm not optimistic. I'm a town fan through & through but I'm afraid we'll do well to get into the play-offs. Roy told us all at the end of last season we'd have 5 good quality players in by now. In the words of the old goat up the road, "where are ya, where are ya???"

No striker, no good centre back, old goalie, same old, same old.

I'm hoping I'm wrong but I'm expecting nothing. So. it should all be a bonus if we do well.
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cheese added 22:11 - Aug 3
I feel completely ripped off. 15 quid for two reserve sides which, as a ST holder, I could normally see for free during the season.
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Lightningboy added 22:16 - Aug 3
Can't read anything into this result..neither team had full sides out so pretty pointless really...saturday is what matters.
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StowTractorBoy added 22:17 - Aug 3
Stiffshorts I think you are being optimistic as at the moment I'll settle for 6th from bottom. Its stating the obvious but if you can't score goals you don't win matches. I was beginning to have raised hopes but if the Fulop deal has faltered as suggested on the forum and we have no striker in by the weekend we will struggle without doubt. I am not expecting us to do well but at the moment it looks like a worrying season ahead. I sincerely hope I am wrong.
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ITFCAlex added 22:17 - Aug 3
Stiffshorts - I agree with you 99%.

Who's the old goalie? Murphy and Fulop are 27, Lee-Barratt is 26 and McLoughlin is about 12.
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emergencylime added 22:23 - Aug 3
Bit of an own goal by the board for charging so much. £15 a head and only 5000 in. Stands to reason they could've charged a fiver and got 15000 in, surely, and a better atmosphere at that.
Reminds me of the Man U v Wolves match... everyone sing along... "42 quid to watch the reserves!"
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djbreeze added 22:26 - Aug 3
Money aside, i thought the 'more of a reserve team' we stuck out tonight put in a very good account and defended really well, spurs has pace and power but we did well i thought.
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Happy2bBlue added 22:27 - Aug 3
I rarely feel the need to be negative about the Town must must say I am quite an unhappy2bblue tonight. What a Rip off! £15.00 for a friendly reserve match. Having followed the team around for all the pre-season matches so far and with tickets already purchased for Middlesboro and Exeter, this was 30 quid I could have done without spending. Unfortunatley we had only three players on show tonight that could compete at this level. surely Keano must have known this so what was point. Congrats to ALB & the centre backs for stopping it from being a cricket score. Embarassing all round.
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Mark added 22:31 - Aug 3
Surely the match was a breach of trade descriptions: a charge of £15 to watch Ipswich managed by Roy Keane, when clearly it was Ipswich Reserves managed by Chris Kiwomya!! Ronan Murray the lone front man?! Dear oh dear. Ipswich should reimburse the fans for this one.
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MyBlueHeaven added 22:32 - Aug 3
who's David Cawley - anyone got info on him?
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hellotosh1967 added 22:50 - Aug 3
i thought both reggie lamb & troy brown had top class games this evening
and now im really looking forward to going to middlesborough on saturday
come on you blues
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BlueMaverick added 22:55 - Aug 3
Yeah I thought Cawley looked decent!! I was in South lower but sure it was Fulop i could see sat having a chat with Prisken, whilst Civelli, his missus and little boy were there too! I cant believe they bothered to print programmes either - oh dear!!!
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SouperJim added 23:02 - Aug 3
15 sniff for a reserve game and I had to watch the whole thing through giant black safety nets with massive black poles blocking the view. Still, it's only a 100 mile round trip. Fantastic work ITFC.
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budgieplucker added 23:04 - Aug 3
I have to agree with all the comments on entrance fee. 15 quid was a bit steep for loyal fans turning out to give the kids a bit of support. SORT IT OUT CLEGG. Having said that it will have been a good experience for the young lads. Thought both the centrebacks played very well for Town. The new Irish lad Hourihane also looked very good in the holding midfield role and provided the centre backs with a lot of cover. Healy looked assured in the middle of the park. Other than that we did look second best. It does say a lot though when at home we play a very young lad on his own up front. At four foot nothing tall Ronan would have had to have been something very special to have given Ledley King any worries.

Over the two home friendlies I think Luke Hyam, Troy Brown and Connor Hourihane all look excellant prospects and I don't think any of them would let us down if we were forced to play them and indeed on Saturdays performance Hyam could become a regular.
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Wickets added 23:12 - Aug 3
Print programmes!! i can beat that the stall near Sir Alf produced a badge for the match, i was in my usual spot in Sir Bobby stand but i reckon it cost me more than a championship game as my season ticket is a concesion but no concessions in the Sir Bob on the night. Add to that we had to peer through the safety netting that was not removed, no one told me it was restrictive viewing game!! What is happening to the club i love??? Ripping off their loyal supporters!!!!
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steve01777 added 23:21 - Aug 3
I think most comments on this news feed sums up most of us............ £15 for this game is a complete joke (don't get me wrong I would gladly pay the £30 a ticket for our home games as I alike most here to see us play) but come on what a rip off and 5000 fans cannot be muppets to pay that. And an earlier post bemonned why he has to pay £15 when he is a season ticket holder. Surely a 25000+ crowd a week would have a better atmosphere at £20 a ticket. Bums on seats equals profit and more atmosphere empty seats mean just that and sod all profit. GET A GRIP GUYS UPSTAIRS AS YOU ARE STARTING TO PISS THE PAYING PUBLIC OFF
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hadleighboyblue added 23:24 - Aug 3
The club seem to be seriously lacking in good PR these days , a real rip off charging £15 to watch the reserves .

The club should realise the fans are important to the club and goodwill is priceless
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Redmond added 23:35 - Aug 3
Troy Brown Is The Future. He was one of the best players on the pitch, blocks,tackles and general game and also who has a bright future is RL he is a wonderful young talent
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itfcblue27 added 23:57 - Aug 3
Does anyone know anything about that safety netting? Was it supposed to be taken down? Is it permanent?

The view from some seats meant that you ended up with two black poles right infront of the opposite goal!
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