MILES SEES RED AS RESSIES LOSE
Phil Matthews reports from Brisbane Road
Ten-man Derby County Reserves went down 1-0 to Tottenham's second string on Wednesday night in a Barclays Premier Reserve League south section game played at Brisbane Road, home of Leyton Orient.
Defender Miles Addison was shown a red card on 38 minutes after sliding in on Jacques Maghoma and after that it was an uphill struggle for a young Rams side, the winning goal coming from Jonathan Obika's 66th minute penalty after substitute Jermaine Johnson had upended the same player in the box.
Derby, as has usually been the way this season, fielded a team of youth and inexperience. Spurs, for their part, were mainly lacking in terms of playing senior games, although they were able to call on the services of Ricardo Rocha and Brazilian international Gilberto.
The Rams have yet to win a game at this level while their hosts sat immediately above them in the table going into the match.
The visitors nearly crafted themselves a goal with eight minutes on the clock with Paris Simmons bursting into the area before picking Henrik Ojamaa out with a good pass. The Tottenham defence did their job though and prevented the Derby striker from getting a shot on goal.
Aaron Dillon was denied five minutes later from a far post finish by Gilberto after good approach play down the left by Greg Mills.
The way seemed to be open for Danny Rose to put the hosts ahead in the 18th minute but he fired high and wide when an on target effort seemed easier.
Kyle Fraser-Allen was unlucky to see his powerful drive hit the post on 19 as the two sides took it in turns to create chances.
Simon Dawkins was denied at the expense of a corner on 36 as the game went through a lull after a decent start.
A low free kick wide of the post by Matt Richards was the best Derby could manage in reply and the odds turned in favour of the home side in the 38th minute as Addison was red carded after sliding into a tackle on Jacques Maghoma with his studs showing.
Spurs failed to exploit their one-man advantage in the remaining minutes of the half, leaving the game goalless at the break.
With the England match live on TV, a crowd numbering less than 50 made for little atmosphere and gave the contest the feel of a behind-closed-doors training game. Disappointing as one of the aims of Premier Reserve League football is to prepare younger players for the big match atmosphere.
Good approach play by Spurs opened up the Derby defence on 52, but Dawkins missed his kick at the vital moment. A mistake by Jason Beardsley caused the Derby defence problems but Jake Kean in the visitors' goal was quick to deny any shooting opportunity.
The luckless Dawkins burst through the Rams backline on 65 but he ran out of pitch before he could get his shot away and Derby's luck finally ran out in the 66th minute when Jermaine Johnson upended Jonathan Obika in the box. Obika took the penalty and cooly slotted it home.
Playing over half the match with a one-man disadvantage was always going to be an uphill task but the young Rams did tremendously well against an admittedly misfiring Tottenham side to keep the score down to a more than respectable level.
One save by Kean as the game drifted into stoppage time emphasised their desire not to be humiliated.
Derby County Reserves: Kean, Forde, Beardsley, Booth (Johnson 46), Addison, Dudley, Dillon (Connolly 73), Richards, Ojamaa, Simmons, Mills. Subs: Keane, Garton, Severn.
Tottenham Reserves: Forecast, Smith, Gilberto, Archibald-Henville, Rocha, Dervite (Obika 46), Fraser-Allen, Mtandari, Dawkins (Mason 73), Rose, Maghoma (Cox 46). Subs: Jasson, Kasim.
Referee: Andrew Salisbury (Wiltshire).
Attendance: not given.
