Stevenage 0 Tottenham 0 FA Cup 5th Round

After a fiercely competitive 5th Round tie at Stevenage, Tottenham are grateful to be returning to White Hart Lane for a replay with the winners going through to a home match against Bolton Wanderers.

Stevenage 0 Tottenham Hotspur 0

Team: Cudicini; Dawson, Kaboul, Nelsen; Walker (Kranjcar), Livermore, Parker, Bale, Rose (Lennon); Defoe, Saha  Subs (unused): Friedel, King, Khumalo, Luongo, Dawkins

Tottenham put out a strong team but with concerns over the prospect of facing a barrage of high balls and crosses from Stevenage, they opted for an unfamilar 3 - 5 - 2 formation with three centre backs, Kyle Walker and Danny Rose out wide and Gareth Bale having a roving role in central midfield.  Ryan Nelsen was starting his first match for the club.  Stevenage started with the same side as won at Sheffield Wednesday in midweek which contained both former Spurs reserves, Chris Day in goal and Ronnie Henry at right back.

Stevenage started with a purpose and quickly showed their intention with a series of high balls into the Spurs' box which brought an early challenge on Carlo Cudicini as he came to collect the ball.  Stevenage worked hard and were quicker to the ball, giving the Totttenham players little time to play their usual passing game.  This resulted in Tottenham playing long balls out of defence towards a forward pairing of Jermain Defoe and Louis Saha which saw the ball coming straight back at Spurs.

The first occasion that Spurs created any danger came after sixteen minutes from Rose on the left who put in a low cross to the near post which Defoe touched wide.  Stevenage continued to be first to the ball in midfield and their constant snapping at the heels of Spurs players unsettled them as their passing was poor.  While Stevenage were busy all round the pitch the Spurs central defence coped well and were strong when challenging for the high ball.

The Spurs play, and even the team formation, suggested that much of their focus in preparation had been to cope with the aerial threat that they expected, and received, from Stevenage but had not thought much about how they would use the ball as an attacking force.

On twenty six minutes Saha had a shot across goal but Day was untroubled.  For a short period Totttenham made greater use of their possession by playing it out to Rose on the left who was looking to cause danger but Henry was playing him well.  After thirty three minutes Bale put the ball out to Rose and his cross was headed just over by Walker.  Then Saha was challenged as he prepared to shoot and from a free-kick Defoe's shot was blocked for a corner.

Just as it looked as if Spurs were starting to be more dominant, Stevenage broke from the corner and Tottenham were relieved to get the ball out of their area.  Younes Kaboul had a shot from a free-kick go wide as Stevenage finished the stronger, having a shot blocked for a corner with Michael Dawson putting in a vital clearance from the resulting corner in the last few seconds of the half.

At the start of the second half it appeared that Spurs were going to be more purposeful with sharper passing in midfield and a run from halfway by Bale which ended with a low shot that Day pushed away for a corner, his only save of the game.  After 54 minutes, Spurs had the ball in the net after a cross from Rose caused confusion for the goalkeeper and a defender, allowing Saha to put in a shot which was goalbound but struck Scott Parker on the line before going into the net.  Parker was flagged for being offside.

As time wore on the pitch started to cut up which made passing more difficult and Stevenage had a period around the hour mark when they caused alarm with a number of long range shots.  Rose made a good interception from a dangerous move and tried to set up Defoe.  Walker then put in  a good block on a powerful goalbound shot from the edge of the box, another shot went wide from distance and then with Stevenage's increased industry and endeavour Joe Byrom had two shots in two minutes, shooting over from distance and then a shot straight at Cudicini which he blocked but couldn't hold and Nelsen completed the clearance.

After 65 minutes, Niko Kranjcar replaced Walker and Spurs reverted to 4 - 4 - 2 with Kaboul at right back.  On 74 minutes, after a good run by Defoe, a Bale cross found Saha but his shot was weak.  Aaron Lenon replaced Rose for the last ten minutes with Bale moving to left back.  A dangerous cross from Kranjcar reached to Saha but he was challenged by Henry and the ball was cleared.  There was a good run and cross by Lennon and then following another run a quick passing movement set up Defoe but his weak shot went wide.

Stevenage continued to show commitment and in the final minutes Spurs were very aware that a mistake could see them out of the Cup and were satisfied with a return to White Hart Lane for a 5th Round replay.  Stevenage were thoroughly deserving of that replay as they worked hard throughout and were never overawed by  playing a Premier League side.  They were well prepared and the players and manager deserve all the praise for their efforts and their performance which brought credit to League One. 

Tottenham - The Stevenage Connection

Tottenham travel north in the FA Cup 5th Round tie to play Stevenage in their first ever competitive match.  Although the two clubs are geographically only twenty two miles apart, historically in terms of football they are poles apart but there are a number if interesting connections between them.

Stevenage, formerly Stevenage Borough, was formed in 1976, Tottenham in 1882.  Spurs, members of the Football League since 1908, Stevenage gained promotion to the Football League for the first time in August, 2010.  In their first season they achieved promotion to League One, defeating Torquay United in the play-off Final at Old Trafford.  Stevenage are currently sixth, once again in a play-off position.  Their home is the Lamex Stadium, renamed in 2009 as previously it was called Broadhall Way.

Stevenage have a reputation as a Cup team, winning the FA Trophy in 2007 when they were the first team to win a trophy at the new Wembley Stadium and in 2009.  They also created a shock by defeating Newcastle United 3 - 1 in last season's FA Cup 3rd Round at their home ground.  This year's involvement in the 5th Round game with Spurs is the farthest they have progressed in the competition, having defeated Notts County 1 - 0 at their Lamex Stadium.  They have yet to concede a goal in the competition this year with three away wins against Hartlepool United (1 - 0) in the 1st Round, Stourbridge (3 - 0) and Reading (1 - 0) in the 3rd Round.

Tottenham-Stevenage Connection

• Previous Meetings - Pre-season Friendlies: 

Although the clubs have never played competitively, the ground is not unfamiliar to Tottenham as the reserve team used to play their games there during the 2000s and presumably as part of that arrangement the Spurs first team visited Stevenage for a pre-season friendly each July over a number of years.  It would have been at that ground that a number of Spurs youth players would have had a taste of first team football alongside experienced internationals.

2001  Won 8 - 1  Poyet (3), Ferguson (2), Kamanan, Freund 
The one and only goal Steffen Freund scored during his time with Tottenham - some people have bought the t-shirt. 
2002  Won 4 - 0  Anderton (2), Jackson, Rebrov
2003  Won 2 - 0  Acimovic, Postiga
2004  Won 2 - 1  Keane (pen), Defoe
2005  Won 3 - 0  Kanoute, Mido, Defoe
2006  Won 3 - 0  Defoe (2) (1 pen), Berbatov (pen) 
2007  Won 3 - 1  Keane, Bent, Taarabt

• Former Players

Two players who are regulars with Stevenage are goalkeeper, Chris Day and defender Ronnie Henry.  They both came through the Tottenham youth system without breaking into the League team but have furthered their careers away from the club. 

Now aged 36, Chris Day sat on the bench for Spurs on many occasions in League games as substitute goalkeeper but never got on to the pitch.  He came off the bench in a number of friendly matches in season 1994 - 95 and was in goal for the ill-fated 1995 Intertoto match against FC Cologne when a team of youth, reserves and loanees lost 0 - 8. 

He joined Crystal Palace for £225,000 in 1996 and has made over 300 appearances at eight League clubs including Queen's Park Rangers, Watford where he appeared in the Premier League, Lincoln City, Oldham, Millwall and Preston North End.  His greatest achievement was helping Stevenage gain League status and promotion to League 1.

Ronnie Henry is the grandson of Spurs 'Double' winning full back, Ron Henry.  Like Day, he also made a number of appearances in friendly games, including an appearance at Stevenage in 2002.  That pre-season he scored a goal in a defeat against QPR.  He made it into the League matchday squad but never progressed into the team.  He was released by Tottenham in November, 2003 but was unable to find a club.  He eventually signed for Dublin City but was released due to shortage of funds.  In January, 2004 he joined non-league Stevenage Borough, was made captain and led them into the Football League and further promotion.  He was the first player to raise a competitive trophy at the new Wembley, captaining Stevenage to FA Trophy success.

Terry Dixon was a young player with tremendous potential but serious injury problems resulted in him being released by Tottenham, aged nineteen.  He spent two years at West Ham trying to resurrect his career and in October, 2010 joined Stevenage on trial.  He made a number of appearances as a substitute as he tried to regain match fitness but the following January failed to agree terma with the club.  

Stuart Lewis was a youth team midfield player who started with Spurs but signed for Barnet in January, 2007.  After three mionths there he joined Stevenage and made 30 appearnces before joining Gillingham.

Steven Pitt, a winger, made one appearance for Tottenham in season 1965 - 66 at the age of seventeen, winning 4 - 0 against Blackpool.  He later played for Stevenage having spent time with Colchester United.

• Stevenage Managers

Stevenage have recently appointed Gary Smith as their manager to replace Graham Westley who went to Preston.  Smith is the son of Roger Smith who was a prolific goalscoring left winger reserve player with Spurs in the early to mid-1960s.   Roger's family all came from Tottenham and Gary recalls playing at his grandparents' house, next to White Hart Lane, and being able to hear the roar of the crowd from their back garden.  Despite his family all supporting Spurs, Smith supports Arsenal, another good reason to beat Stevenage.

The managers prior to Westley had Spurs connections.  In 2006, Mark Stimson, a reserve defender who made two League appearances between 1987 and 1989.  He spent four years with Newcastle United and in 2003 joined Portsmouth.  He also played for Gillingham, Southend, Leyton Orient and Barnet before taking up the manager's role at Gray's Athletic.  After a season with Stevenage, when they won the FA trophy, he joined Gillingham in November, 2007

Peter Taylor replaced Stimson but resigned at the end of the season having failed to reach the play-offs.  Taylor played 140 League and Cup games for Spurs between 1976 and 1980.  He joined from Crystal Palace in the relegation season and scored on his debut at West Brom.  He scored 33 goals before joining Orient.

Tottenham will need to take this game seriously if they are to avoid an upset.  Stevenage are confident playing on their own ground and will be fully prepared and motivated for this match, intending to ad another scalp to their giant-killing list.  Spurs have the ability and skill but will also need the desire and application.