WEST HAM UNITED
FOOTBALL PROGRAMMES &
Collectables through the Decade
theyflysohigh : Steve Marsh
A Pictorial History
1997-98 F.A. Premier Youth League (South)
Manager : Tony Carr
NEW YOUTH LEAGUE
Twelve of the FA Carling Premiership teams and four from the Nationwide First Division have joined together to form a new competition which will be called the Premier Youth League. The clubs are divided into two sections - South and North. The South Section comprises Arsenal, Chelsea, Crystal Palace, Queens Park Rangers, Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham United and Wimbledon whilst that in the North is made up of Barnsley, Coventry City, Derby County, Leeds United, Middlesbrough, Nottingham Forest, Sheffield Wednesday and Sunderland. A series of fixtures has been arranged whereby every team in the southern section plays each other twice on a home and away basis as well as every team in the north once (giving four further home and four extra away matches), thus making a total of 22 fixtures. There is then a play-off stage to the competition when the first club in the south meets the eighth one from the northern section, the second from the south meets the seventh from the north, etc. The eight winners of these ties then progress to the second round, and the four winners move onto the semi-final stages. The final will be a two leg affair to decide the eventual winner of the Trophy.
Matches are scheduled to be played on Saturdays throughout the season with an extended winter break around the Christmas period and a spring break between the play-off stages of the tourney around Easter.
As a consequence of Tony Carr managing and travelling with our Premier Youth League side, whose fixtures clash with a majority of those of our South East Counties League team, it has become necessary to appoint a coach-in-charge for that side and we are delighted that Peter Brabrook has accepted the task.
Newton, Bartley, Partridge, Henry, Alexander, Finn, Carrick, Etherington, Brayley
Byrne, Fernley, Purches, Coyne, Keith, Miller
SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY
Upton Park
5 - 3 (Alexander 2, Bartley, Byrne, Carrick)
13 September 1997
Finn
Purches
Keith
Coyne C.
Henry
Partridge
Etherington
Byrne
Alexander
Carrick
Bartley
The kick-off of our FA Premier Youth League campaign was delayed one week because of the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales on Saturday 6 September when our trip to Middlesbrough was cancelled as a mark of respect in common with the majority of sporting occasions that day.
We therefore welcomed Sheffield Wednesday to Upton Park - the fixture being moved from our Chadwell Heath Training Ground, its original venue.
We took the lead after eight minutes when Danny Bartley headed on a cross from the right to Shaun Byrne who netted with a powerful left-foot shot. Within a few minutes, Byrne turned provider as his cross to the back-post was headed home by Danny Bartley. Having previously gone close on a couple of occasions, Gary Alexander finally got into the act when he scored with a left-foot shot from close in. Within a minute of the second-half, Alexander once again found the net as he slotted home at the second attempt following a right-wing cross from Craig Etherington. From then on we began to lose our way somewhat and Wednesday, who had tested goalkeeper Neil Finn a number of times, finally breached our defence to score. In a number of end-to-end exchanges both teams might have added to their tallies but it was the young Owls who added to their account to cut the deficit to 4 - 2. With ten minutes to go
we finally regained our composure and once more held a three goal margin when Michael Carrick finished off a move down the left as he crashed home a right-foot shot after eluding his marker. But Wednesday weren't finished yet and with five minutes left scored a third goal when Finn failed to intercept a through ball.
SUNDERLAND
Charlie Hurley Centre
0 - 1
20 September 1997
Finn (Richards)
Purches
Keith
Coyne C.
Henry
Partridge
Etherington
Briggs
Fernley (Brayley)
Carrick
Gray
The long trip to Sunderland's training complex proved a fruitless one as a solitary goal for the home side was enough to secure the points. Because of the 11 am kick-off, Tony Carr's side had travelled up to the North-East on the previous day. Although our youngsters were a little lightweight in stature as well as experience, especially up front, they nevertheless gave a good account of themselves in a match that produced a number of chances for both sides. The only goal came midway through the second-half when unfortunately Stephen Purches was caught napping in defence and an opponent got inside of him to head home a cross past half-time substitute goalkeeper schoolboy Lee Richards, another newcomer to our youth section set-up, replacing Neil Finn who suffered a knee injury. Apart from that set-back we were worthy of a point as our lads played quite well and although the end result provided nothing, Tony Carr said he was not too disappointed with the performance which he hopes will prove good experience in the development of a number of our first-year trainees' careers.
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NOTTINGHAM FOREST
Chadwell Heath
2 - 1 (Garcia 2)
27 September 1997
McAlpine
Moore
Angus
Coyne C.
Wells
Partridge
Briggs
Keith
Fernley (Foyewa)
Cole
Gray (Garcia)
After the disappointment of suffering their first defeat the previous week our FA Premier Youth League side bounced back on with a 2-1 victory over northern visitors Nottingham Forest at Chadwell Heath. The Forest youngsters had taken the lead in the sixth minute when following a corner they found the Hammers net and maintained their advantage into the second-half although we had gone close when a shot just went the wrong side of the upright.
Twelve minutes after the interval break young Australian triallist Richard Garcia came on as a substitute. Within a minute he chased a through ball down the middle and with his first touch met it on the bounce to fly home an equaliser from relatively close range. A quarter-of-an-hour later Garcia was again on hand to capitalise as his persistence pressurised the visiting goalkeeper into miscuing his clearance thus enabling our young striker to take possession before rounding the defender to net the winner.
DERBY COUNTY
Baseball Ground
2 - 0 (Fernley, Garcia)
4 October 1997
O'Reilly
Moore
Miller
Henry
Coyne
Partridge (Taylor)
Etherington
Keith
Carrick (Foyewa)
Fernley (Iriekpen)
Garcia
Although the Young Rams had yet to record their first points of the competition we were nevertheless worthy winners by two goals to nil. The Derby youngsters started brightly and hit a post but gradually we turned things around to get on top. Danny Fernley unfortunately wasted our best early opportunity following a great through ball from Chris Coyne, but then broke away again before bringing a good save from the home goalkeeper. At the other end Robert Miller did well to head off the line following a missed corner by Alex O'Reilly. For the third time in the half Fernley was again denied in the 41st minute as he once more brought another excellent save from the Derby keeper but two minutes later got some satisfaction from his endeavours as he fed a ball to Garcia, who turning inside the area eluded his marker before toe-poking a well taken goal into the net.
Fifteen minutes into the second period Fernley and Michael Carrick exchanged passes before the latter laid a through ball into the path of the former who bent a shot around a defender, as well as the goalkeeper, into the far corner of the goal to wrap up the points for our second successive win in a week. It was also just reward for all the youngsters' hard work in the previous hour's play.
MIDDLESBROUGH
Tollesby Road
1 - 3 (Keith)
11 October 1997
Richards
Cooper
Keith
Henry
Coyne
Partridge (Foyewa)
McFarlane
Briggs
Fernley (Iriekpen)
Bartley (Gray)
Gray
Although due for a break we arranged to meet Middlesbrough in the away fixture that had been postponed on the first Saturday of September as a mark of respect when the funeral took place of the late Diana, Princess of Wales. Coming under early pressure we might well have been two down in the opening six minutes but debutant goalkeeper Lee Richards made a brilliant save early on in a one-on-on-one confrontation as Middlesbrough broke clear whilst David Partridge was then called upon to head the ball off our goal-line when his co-defenders were stretched.
Just as we were settling down and getting on top the home youngsters struck to give themselves the lead. Joe Keith then saw his defence-splitting pass find Eddie Gray, who had run through the midfield, but as the youngster was about to shoot he was dispossessed by a last second tackle to give the northerners an interval lead.
Two quick goals in the opening four minutes of the second period gave Boro a comfortable cushion and killed the game for ourselves. With fifteen minutes to go our man-of-the-match Keith scored an excellent consolation goal to pull one back for us.
QUEENS PARK RANGERS
Chadwell Heath
1- 3 (Gray)
18 October 1997
Richards
Cooper
Walker (Birch)
Wells
McFarlane
Partridge
Briggs
Keith
Fernley
Gray
Garcia
Having completed the opening sequence of matches against the northern teams in the F.A. Premier Youth League our youngsters have embarked on the 'winter section' of the competition where they play all the teams in the southern section on a 'home-and-away' basis. Our first fixture in this grouping was a home match against Queens Park Rangers on Saturday 18th October. The opening exchanges resulted in early end-to-end action with Richard Garcia unlucky not to give us an eighth minute lead but two minutes later Eddie Gray beat two defenders before firing home from twenty yards to put our lads in front. Five minutes later, however, the visitors were level when some bad defending resulted in a free header being netted following a free-kick on the left. With the game twenty minutes old we had a corner which was quickly cleared up-field, down Rangers right flank, and a cross into our penalty area was dropped by goalkeeper Lee Richards who saw the ball slotted past him.
The game was finally settled in the West Londoners' favour when Richards missed another centre as he came off his line and the ball was netted at the far post.
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TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
Chase Lodge
2 - 3 (Garcia 2)
25 October 1997
Finn
Cooper (Hudson)
Miller
Coyne C.
Henry
Partridge
Byrne
Bartley
Briggs
Gray
Garcia
Our youngsters wondering by the time of the final whistle how they had lost out for the second successive game. In the opening fifteen minutes we created numerous chances only to see Spurs take a shock lead in the 23rd minute following a David Partridge conceded free-kick.
We finally drew level six minutes before the interval when Garcia turned on the ball, beat his marker and rocketed his shot home from 20-yards.
Twelve minutes into the second period Garcia ran at the Spurs' defence before blasting home a great shot from the edge of the area.
A speculative cross from the left resulted in a Tottenham equaliser as the ball sailed over Finn's head before bouncing in off the inside of the post. With ten minutes to go Chris Coyne lost possession in midfield and with our defence wide open Finn came out to tackle but in the process conceded a penalty which was converted to give the North Londoners a rather lucky victory.
WIMBLEDON
Chadwell Heath
3 - 1 (Foyewa, Henry, McCann)
1 November 1997
Richards
Moore
Keith
U'ddin
Henry
Partridge
Briggs
McCann
Cole
Boylan (Foyewa)
Garcia
Our third fixture in the Southern Section of the FA Premier Youth League was a home game against Wimbledon on Saturday 1st November.
Completely against the run of play the visitors took the lead in the 60th minute when Lee Richard made a save at the far post but was unable to stop them scoring from the rebound. With twelve minutes to go we finally got a deserved equaliser when Cole's low cross was headed home by Anthony Henry. Further good work by Cole gave McCann the opportunity to put us in front with two minutes to go and right on the final whistle Garcia and Cole combined to show outstanding skills to set up substitute Foyewa to make it 3-1 in our favour and a far better reflection of a good display by our lads.
SOUTHAMPTON
Staplewood
1 - 3 (Alexander)
8 November 1998
O'Reilly
Newton
Angus
Wells
Henry
Partridge
Etherington (Briggs)
Keith
Alexander
Bartley (Gray)
Byrne
We travelled to the South Coast for our match with
Southampton. Early exchanges were end-to-end with both teams playing some good attacking football.
In the 28th minute a Shaun Byrne pass split the home defence and Gary Alexander ran through to take the ball on before scoring. The Saints equalised just before the interval and took an early second-half lead when Andrew Wells was beaten in the air following a free-kick. Continuing to play attacking football substitute Eddie Gray seemed likely to score but his shot was blocked which enabled the Southampton youngsters to break out of defence and snatch a final clincher as our rearguard failed to deal with a ball into our box.
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ARSENAL
London Colney
0 - 3
22 November 1997
O'Reilly
Miller
Byrne
Wells
Coyne
Keith
Briggs
McFarlane
Bartley
Boylan (Cooper)
Hudson
By the end of our visit to London Colney for a FA Premier Youth League fixture against Arsenal, the home side had proved why they are top of the Southern Section table. The Young Gunners took the lead in the ninth minute when a shot from just inside our box into the right-hand corner of Alex O'Reilly's goal gave our young 'keeper no chance. After 15 minutes we had our first real opportunity as Danny Bartley scored what looked like our equaliser only for his effort to be ruled off-side by the referee. Despite more chances coming our way for the remainder of the half our lads were not able to capitalise and break down the home side's defence.
After the interval we were slow to get into our stride and were punished two minutes atterthe restart when a long ball to our far post was headed home under O'Reilly's body. Three minutes later the Gunners wrapped up the points when a shot from outside the penalty-area beat our defence for the third time.
CRYSTAL PALACE
Chadwell Heath
0 - 2
29 November 1997
O'Reilly
Moore (Purches)
Keith
Forbes
Wells
Partridge
Briggs
Hudson (Foyewa)
Alexander (Henry)
Cole
Coyne
(Joint issue with Ipswich Town SECL)
It took only six minutes for Crystal Palace to take the lead at Chadwell Heath when from a free-kick floated into our penalty box they were given a free header from which they scored. A half-time team talk by Tony Carr lifted his side to adopt a more positive attitude after the break and opportunities began to come our way. The best of these fell to Jamie Coyne who missed an open goal when set-up by Gary Alexander who after a run down the left crossed into the middle to give the young Australian his chance to level the scores. Coyne's misery was compounded a little later when he lost the ball in midfield to an opponent who ran on from well out before beating Alex O'Reilly with a left foot drive to extend the South Londoners' winning margin.
CHELSEA
Cobham
3 - 3 (Boylan, Byrne, Garcia)
6 December 1997
Rees
Newton
Miller
Coyne C.
Wells
Partridge
Coyne J.
Byrne
Garcia
Boylan
Keith
Seven days later a much better performance against Chelsea in an away game saw us race into a three goal lead when Richard Garcia and Shaun Byrne netted in a four minute spell with less than twenty minutes gone before Lee Boylan added a third with almost half-an-hour's play left. We should have extended our advantage as chances fell particularly to Boylan but Chelsea changed things around to come back with a trio of late goals - the last with just sixty seconds to go.
QUEENS PARK RANGERS
Away
3 - 2 (Carrick 2, Boylan)
13 December 1997
O'Reilly, Moore, Keith, Coyne C., Henry, Forbes, Briggs, Gray, Carrick, Boylan, Byrne
No Programme Issued
Having completed the opening sequence of matches against the northern teams in the F.A. Premier Youth League our youngsters have embarked on the 'winter section' of the competition where they play all the teams in the southern section on a 'home-and-away' basis. Our first fixture in this grouping was a home match against Queens Park Rangers on Saturday 18th October. The opening exchanges resulted in early end-to-end action with Richard Garcia unlucky not to give us an eighth minute lead but two minutes later Eddie Gray beat two defenders before firing home from twenty yards to put our lads in front. Five minutes later, however, the visitors were level when some bad defending resulted in a free header being netted following a free-kick on the left. With the game twenty minutes old we had a corner which was quickly cleared up-field, down Rangers right flank, and a cross into our penalty area was dropped by goalkeeper Lee Richards who saw the ball slotted past him.
The game was finally settled in the West Londoners' favour when Richards missed another centre as he came off his line and the ball was netted at the far post.
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
Chadwell Heath
17 January 1998
Postponed : Waterlogged Pitch
WIMBLEDON
Plough Lane
1 - 2 (Boylan)
31 January 1998
Rees
McFarlane
Keith
Uddin (Cooper)
Wells
Partridge
Coyne
Briggs (Hudson)
Boylan
Fernley (Foyewa)
Byrne
We played our first match of 1998 in the FA Premier Youth League when we visited Plough Lane to meet Wimbledon.
The opening encounters were evenly balanced and then some good inter-passing in the 16th minute led to Shaun Byrne hitting a fine shot which the Wimbledon 'keeper could only parry into the path of Lee Boylan who made no mistake to give us the lead. Most of the play was confined to the mid-field where Ryan Briggs impressed for us, but Wimbledon came back into contention and drew level when an unstoppable shot from forty yards flew into our net.
In the second period the only real danger to our goal came from set pieces and it was from a corner on the right that Wimbledon finally broke the deadlock when they got a free header to nod home the winner.
SOUTHAMPTON
Chadwell Heath
2 - 2 (Boylan, Cole)
14 February 1998
Rees
Purches
Keith
McFarlane
Uddin
Goodwin
Briggs
Cole
Garcia
Boylan
Hudson (Birch)
After the mid-winter break our FA Premier Youth League team returned to action when Southampton were the visitors to Chadwell Heath on Saturday 14th February.
The game started with neither side giving anything away in the opening twenty minutes in a tight encounter. We broke the deadlock in the 25th minute when Lee Goodwin took a free-kick and found Lee Boylan on the edge of the penalty area. The young Irish striker's excellent knockdown was latched onto by Joe Cole who deftly controlled the ball before shooting home into the far corner of the net to put us in front.
Ten minutes into the second-half Anthony McFarlane won an important ball before beating two opponents. An accurate pass found Cole out on the right wing and once again the Young England international star showed his skills before getting to the byline. Cole cut back the ball to Boylan who scored from close range. Our youngsters now looked well in control but their composure was disturbed by a disputed penalty decision. The converted spot-kick enabled the South Coast club to reduce their arrears to bring them back into contention. As the final whistle approached our lads began to look tired whilst the young Saints pressed forward and began to dominate. In the dying minutes, just as it looked as though we would hold on, we conceded a free-kick. The ball was kicked high into our penalty box and although Rees saw the danger and came out to intercept, he was just beaten by an opposing player who got in front of him to head home for an equaliser.
ARSENAL
Chadwell Heath
2 - 0 (Angus, Boylan)
28 February 1998
Bywater
Moore (Birch)
Purches
Coyne
Iriekpen
Angus
McFarlane
Briggs
Brayley (Coyne J.)
Boylan
Garcia
Arsenal, the leaders of the Southern Section of the FA Premier Youth League were the visitors to Chadwell Heath and a spirited performance by our youngsters led to a well-deserved victory over a side who had only been beaten twice so far this season.
A wind-swept pitch meant that neither side could get on top in the first forty-five minutes as play was confined to the midfield resulting in a tight stalemated situation.
The second-half saw the Hammers begin to take a grip on proceedings and start to have a cutting edge as well as denying the visitors any opportunity to have a shot on target.
After fifty-five minutes our period of pressure was finally rewarded when a right-wing cross from Ryan Briggs found Steveland Angus waiting at the far post and the youngster picked his spot to nod home with a textbook header.
The young Gunners seemed devoid of ideas as our lads began to take complete control of the game in the final third of the match. With six minutes to go we got a well earned second goal when second-half substitute Jamie Coyne won a header that ran on to his fellow Aussie countryman, Richard Garcia, who played in Lee Boylan to fire home a right foot shot into the bottom right corner of the net. FA Premier Youth League
CRYSTAL PALACE
Mitcham
1 - 1 (Purches)
7 March 1998
O'Reilly
Purches
Keith
Partridge
Iriekpen
Angus
Briggs
McFarlane
Boylan
Carrick
Byrne
Third-placed Crystal Palace were our hosts at Mitcham for our match in the Southern Section of the FA Premier Youth League. The young Eagles had won five and lost three of their previous eight home fixtures and had the better of the early exchanges but were let down by poor finishing. As our lads settled down we then created a couple of opportunities the best chance of which fell to Lee Boylan. It looked like we would take the lead but Michael Carrick's shot hit the crossbar before being cleared. At the other end of the pitch it seemed as if Palace would grab the lead themselves but the ball, fortunately for us, went just past the upright by the closest of margins for a goal-kick.
Half-time came with the deadlock still unbroken. In the 57th minute we finally went in front when Shaun Byrne's left wing cross was met by Ryan Briggs whose header was cleared off the goal-line. The youngster then had a second chance as he latched on to the rebound but once again his effort - this time a shot - was cleared. The ball broke clear to Stephen Purches, who had moved up from the back, and he made no mistake to put us into the lead. Steveland Angus then became our hero when he got in a great saving tackle to dispossess two Palace players who were heading for goal.
Well into injury-time the home side managed to get a share of the points when from a goalmouth scramble they managed to force the ball over the line to draw level.
CHELSEA
Chadwell Heath
1 - 0 (Foyewa)
14 March 1998
Rees (Richards)
Newton
Burch
Uddin (Cooper)
Iriekpen
Angus
Briggs (Hudson)
Byrne
Foyewa
Carrick
Garcia
A young Hammers side was always well in control for the visit of London rivals Chelsea to Chadwell Heath on Saturday 14th March. It was somewhat surprising that the half-time whistle came with the scores still level and no goals having been scored as in the first fifteen minutes Richard Garcia was unlucky to see his shot from outside the penalty-area fly just over the crossbar whilst Amos Foyewa was denied as his effort was cleared off the visitors' goal-line. It looked as if it was going to be one of those days when after the break a combination of passes between Garcia and Michael Carrick ended with the latter hitting an upright with his strike. Finally, it fell to Foyewa to break the deadlock when he held off a challenge and let fly from 25-yards out to give the visiting goalkeeper no chance. Seven days later a trip to Coventry City's ground was also rewarded with maximum points. Our lads started off by having the best of the play against a hard-working side. But it wasn't until the 60th minute the deadlock was broken when Stephen Purches broke out of defence down the right into the Coventry area before picking out Amos Foyewa who only had to tap the ball into the net to score. Five minutes later a free-kick by Grant McCann found Coyne, who got well up at the far post, to head the ball back across goal for Aussie striker Garcia running in from the other side to knock the ball home
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COVENTRY CITY
Highfield Road
2 - 0 (Foyewa, Garcia)
21 March 1998
Bywater
Purches
Miller (Birch)
Coyne
Iriekpen
Partridge
McFarlane
McCann
Foyewa
Garcia
Byrne
The trip to Coventry City's ground was also rewarded with maximum points. Our lads started off by having the best of the play against a hard-working side. But it wasn't until the 60th minute the deadlock was broken when Stephen Purches broke out of defence down the right into the Coventry area before picking out Amos Foyewa who only had to tap the ball into the net to score. Five minutes later a free-kick by Grant McCann found Coyne, who got well up at the far post, to head the ball back across goal for Aussie striker Garcia running in from the other side to knock the ball home.
LEEDS UNITED
Chadwell Heath
3 - 3 (Garcia 2, Carrick)
28 March 1998
Bywater
Newton
Birch
Coyne C. (Uddin)
Goodwin
Partridge
McFarlane
Briggs (Coyne J.)
Bartley
Garcia
Carrick
Against Leeds United we let a two-goal lead slip as the visitors finally went home after salvaging a point from a 3-3 draw.
As early as the second minute we took the lead when Francis Birch made a run and crossed into the Leeds United penalty-area where Richard Garcia was waiting to power home his header. Fortune smiled on the Leeds' custodian when he was well beaten by Anthony MacFarlane's rocket-shot from thirty yards but the youngster's effort came back off the crossbar to keep the margin down to a solitary goal. Following a move down the left the northerners drew level when bad marking led to an easy equaliser. Two minutes before the interval we again took the lead when a long kick upfield by Stephen Bywater was flicked on by Danny Bartley for Carrick to score. Ten minutes into the second-half Bartley was again the provider when he played Garcia in for the young Aussie to net his second, and our third, of the game.
Bywater then made an excellent point blank save to deny Leeds but a couple of enforced substitutions resulted in a disruption of our rearguard and Anwar Uddin in attempting to clear into touch gave the ball to an opponent whose crossfield pass was hammered home past Bywater's outstretched hand with nine minutes to go. The visitors drew level in the final few minutes as our defence failed to clear their lines from another cross which was headed home at the far post by an unmarked Leeds' player.
BARNSLEY
Chadwell Heath
0 - 0
4 April 1998
Bywater
Purches
Keith
Coyne C.
Iriekpen
Partridge
McFarlane (Hudson)
Carrick
Foyewa (Cooper)
Garcia
Byrne
Barnsley were the visitors to Chadwell Heath but traffic problems caused them to arrive late resulting in a delayed start to the match. Gale force winds then made for a very poor game as both sides found it difficult to control the ball. In the first fifteen minutes our best opportunity fell to Chris Coyne but his shot was off target. We finally did get the ball in the net but Richard Garcia was adjudged to have handled before scoring.
Barnsley nearly snatched the lead with a shot from outside the penalty-area but with Stephen Bywater well beaten the ball struck the foot of the post to keep us on level terms. At the other end Garcia put Amos Foyewa through but with only the goalkeeper to beat his lob was well saved. A free-kick from substitute Ashley Cooper then found Michael Carrick, but the youngster who has just been called into the England Under-16 squad for the friendly match against Norway, wasted the chance. The visitors were rarely troubling our defence by this time and as we looked for a win decided to move Chris Coyne into attack but even the presence of the tall Australian defender upfront could not break the deadlock and so we had to settle for a share of the points.
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
Chadwell Heath
0 - 1
6 April 1998
Richards
Newton
Miller (McCann)
Coyne C.
Henry (Bartley)
Partridge
Purches
Byrne (Briggs)
Alexander (Bartley)
Garcia
Keith
Our final fixture in the initial stages of the FA Premier Youth League section matches was rearranged to take place at Chadwell Heath against Tottenham Hotspur. The opening quarter-of-an-hour started well for us, with our best chance falling to Stephen Purches. It looked as though the game would develop into an entertaining one but after the early exchanges play deteriorated as the match progressed with neither side able to threaten much. Lee Richards made the only contribution of note to the proceedings when just before half-time he tipped a Spurs' header over the crossbar. At the start of the second-half we substituted Robert Miller for Grant McCann, and shortly afterwards Ryan Briggs for Shaun Byrne, in the hope that the changes would open up the game, but their inclusion had little effect. With five minutes to go a long ball down the middle turned our defence and resulted in a Tottenham forward breaking clear. Goalkeeper Richards came out to narrow the angles but in so doing collided with the opponent resulting in a penalty forthe visitors. The spot-kick was converted to give the North Londoners all the points through a very fortunate win.
PLAY-OFF's
The competition now moves to the play-off stages which are conducted on a knockout basis commencing on Saturday 18th April. Under the formula laid down at the start of the competition by finishing in fifth place in the Southern Conference we have been drawn away against the team who finished in fourth place in the Northern Section who are Middlesbrough.
Circumstances dictated that our away match against Middlesbrough was postponed. Tony Carr and his squad duly travelled to the North East on Monday for a lunch-time kick-off the following day, 20 April. Unfortunately the journey proved fruitless as the Boro pitch fell victim to the weather and became waterlogged causing a second postponement.
After a couple of postponements, the second due to a waterlogged pitch, we finally managed to start the play-off stages of the F.A. Premier Youth League competition on Saturday 25 April with a Round One away match against Middlesbrough.
MIDDLESBROUGH : Play-Off Round 1
Tollesby Road
2 - 0 (Boylan, Coyne)
25 April 1998
Bywater
Purches
Keith
Coyne
Angus
Partridge
McCann
Alexander (Bartley)
Boylan (Carrick)
Etherington
Cole
Despite losing to the North Easterners earlier in the season in a group fixture, our lads put on a dazzling display that opposition despite us being reduced to ten men for the last third of the game. Our 2-0 victory paired us in the next round seven days later with Arsenal who had initially topped the Southern Section before deposing of Barnsley in their opening play-off fixture.
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ARSENAL : Play-Off Round 2
London Colney
0 - 3
2 May 1998
Bywater
Purches
Keith
Coyne
Henry (Iriekpen)
Miller (McCann)
Etherington
Cole
Alexander (Bartley)
Boylan
Carrick
For the second successive Saturday we travelled away this time to London Colney where once again our youngsters had most of the early play but found that the Gunners defence was very strong. The North London youngsters were a much better side than Middlesbrough had been and deserved their 3-0