After a pre-match downpour and a strong wind blowing up during the match, the game was not played in ideal conditions. Added to this an eccentric refereeing performance and the point that Tottenham gained was hard earned and well deserved. Within eight minutes of the start, Tottenham had threatened the Raiders goal. Lucy Auguste won the ball in mid-pitch and strode forward to hit a 20 yard shot, that the keeper saved. Within two minutes, Spurs had taken the lead. The ball was with Samrawit Bereket, who had a nasty clash of heads in the first five minutes and she fed it square to Auguste. The tall midfielder was about 20 yards out and Lucy unleashed a low shot that skidded off the wet turf and beat the dive of Davis, the opposing keeper. Redbridge thought they had equalised on 17 minutes, as a free-kick went across the six yard box and was bundled in at the far post, but the referee had seen an infringement. It was short respite for Tottenham, as in the next attack, Nicky John broke in from the Raiders right wing and beat Tina Hills with a cross shot. It was the winger's day, as five minutes later, a corner was blocked and fell to her to prod over the line from close range. Tottenham tried to gather themselves and gradually got back into the game. A neat move in the 29th minute started with Lucy Auguste finding Steph Lappen on the left wing. Breaking into the box, Steph beat three players, before coolly pulling the ball back across the goalmouth for Samrawit Bereket to slot home from five yards out. Straight from the restart, Tina was stretching to save from a shot by Pavett and denied John her hat-trick with a brave one-on-one save just after the half hour. However, it only delayed the inevitable, as with three minutes remaining until half-time, John got away on the right side of the box once more and her cross-cum-shot squirmed off Hill's hands and in. However, Tina redeemed herself with a brave dive to take a cross at the feet of an on-rushing attacker, while one last effort before the break saw Auguste force Raiders keeper Davis to hold onto another 20 yarder. Turning round at 2-3 down, Spurs now had the advantage of the wind at their backs. It proved to be useful, as much of the play was heading towards the Raiders goal for the majority of the half. Ten minutes into the second period, sub. Tiffany Ellis crossed with her first touch and Gill Blackmore hit a shot that the goalie did well to save. With 64 minutes on the clock, Lucy let go an almighty left foot drive that rocketed past the post by inches and would have uprooted the goal had it hit it ! Spurs maintained the pressure with a Sparrow free-kick that just eluded Ellis and Lappen, then Tiffany had a chance, when she blocked a clearance and hit a shot just over the bar. It looked as though the series of corners Tottenham earned had got them a 70th minute equaliser, when one on the Spurs left was swung in by Steph Lappen and it evaded everyone and dropped in at the far post. However, to the total amazement of everyone present, the referee blew for an infringement, which wasn't at all clear on watching the incident. It lead to a period where the whistle dominated and play was ragged with Hills having to save a couple of free-kicks from the edge of the box - one awarded for carrying the ball out of her penalty area and signalled as an indirect free kick !! Spurs maintained their efforts to grab an equaliser and from another late corner, a Raiders defender slammed the ball against her own crossbar. Just when it looked as though it would be a home win, Lappen got the ball out on the left wing and she put in a cross which gathered pace off the pitch and slipped through Davis' grasp and into the net. There was little time after this goal for much more action and the final whistle blew on an eventful match. It was a much changed side form last week and this might explain some of the lack of cohesion in the first half, but the Spurs Ladies put in a spirited second half showing that deserved a point. Raiders will feel as though they should have taken all three points, but in the end the pressure told on them and a draw was probably a fair result overall.
