Early goals in each half gave Tottenham the lead on two occasions, but they were pegged back by their West London counterparts in an entertaining friendly match at White Hart Lane. There was a crowd of around 300 watched this open and flowing game that was played in a very sporting spirit, providing a fine advertisement for the women's game.
Tottenham took an early lead when Lucy Auguste was released through the middle and she steered the ball past the Chelsea goalkeeper in the second minute. It was a great side for the home side and the crowd really got behind them.
They were lucky to keep their lead however, as only a fantastic save from Spurs keeper (and Chelsea fan !!) Tina Hills denied Chelsea's Ana Wagner. Clean though, she hit a fierce shot, which Tina deflected up and onto the bar before the ball went over the top. The respite was short-lived though and in the 11th minute, a run down the right lead to the equaliser. Hills made another good stop from a low drive, but the rebound fell kindly to a Chelsea player on the edge of the six yard box and she netted to make it 1-1.
Although a good natured game, Spurs suffered two injuries that required long stoppages, when Zoella Freeman got a facial injury and Lucy Auguste got a bad attack of cramp. The players were making the most of the wide open spaces at the Lane, but the springy turf took a lot out of the legs.
After 26 minutes, Lucy fired a rocket shot skimming past the post from 25 yards and later Chrissy Oshodi ended a good passing move with a rising shot over the bar. It wasn't all Spurs, with Lorraine Sparrow having to make an important clearance in front of goal from a low cross, but on the break Spurs threatened the goal, but were denied by a save at Lucy Auguste's feet with Oshodi putting the loose ball wide of the mark. Just before the break, Ruth Waghorn was taken out on the edge of the box and the ref awarded a free-kick to Tottenham. Kelly Herrett took it and the 18 yard effort was well fielded by the keeper.
The Blues almost went into the dressing room 2-1 up, as Wagner stole in behind the Tottenham defence to hit a volley from four yards out, but it went cleared the bar.
The second half had an even more electric start for Spurs, with Zoella Freeman racing through onto a ball down the middle and chipping the keeper to see the ball hit the underside of the bar and cross the line to restore the home side's lead. However, the story of the first half was replicated again, when Chelsea equalised eight minutes later. The ball was played into the box and a neat control and turn gave Chelsea striker Karina Grimshaw the opportunity to blast the ball past Toni Munro, on in place of Tina Hills.
Almost straight from the kick-off Tottenham pressed on and gained a corner on the right wing. From it, Auguste used her left foot to good effect and the ball in was low, surprising the defence, but it bounced off the post and out. After fifteen minutes of the half, Freeman went on a mazy run and produced a dangerous ball into the box, which the Chelsea defence did well to get away.
With both sides pushing for the winner, the ball was played into the box to try and create something, but the clearest opening in the time remaining fell to Grimshaw again, as she was clear on goal, but hit her shot well wide of the target.
Both sides played the match in an attacking style with good passing football and the crowd were treated to a
