AXA FA Youth Cup, 4th roundTues 12 December 2000Arsenal 3 (1) Middlesbrough 1 (1)Arsenal: Craig Holloway; Israel, Moritz Volz, Ben Chorley,
Ryan Garry (Sebastian Svard h-t); Steven Sidwell, Rohan Ricketts,
Jerome Thomas (John Spicer 75), Jermaine Pennant; Jeremie Aliadiere
(David Bentley 80), Carlin Itonga Scorers: Itonga 20,88, Sidwell 83 Middlesbrough: Sam Russell; Keith Gilroy, Liam Smith, Paul
Crager, David Murphy; Philip Gulliver, Jamie Cade, Stephen Brackstone,
Craig Dove; Leon Ryan, Stewart Downing Scorer: Dove? 30 Subs: Jonathan Agbatar, Ross Turnbull, Anthony Storey, Andrew Kelly, Chris Garbutt
Ref: P Melin (Surrey) Another reasonably entertaining game at a rainlashed, windswept Highbury last night, between the two teams that contested one of the semi-finals of the competition last year. Arsenal were worth the win, though Middlesbrough made them work hard for it, and the young Gunners had to wait until the final 10 minutes before they got the winning goals. The first half ended even on goals, though I thought Arsenal had the better of it, both in terms of posession and chances - 4 to 2 clear cut opportunities that I can recall. The first came when Thomas's pass allowed Itonga to beat the offside trap for once and race clear. His final touch however was a shade heavy and gave the keeper the chance to block bravely at his feet. He did somewhat better for the goal though, first working himself some space on the edge of the area with a clever turn, and then exchanging passes with Aliadiere to leave him one on one with Russell. Again it looked as though the keeper had a chance to block at his feet, but the young striker reacted quickly to toe-poke the ball past him and into the net. Soon afterwards it should have been 2-0 when Pennant's pace got him past a defender and he pulled back a superb cross from the byline which picked out Aliadiere unmarked in the middle. However, from about 10 yards out he didn't quite time his header properly and directed it straight at the keeper who made an easy catch. Just before half time another chance arose when a defensive mistake allowed Thomas to run through down the left. A ball across the 6yd line would probably have brought a goal with Aliadiere and Itonga running in, but Thomas went for glory and lashed a shot wide of the far post. At the other end, Middlesbrough had a rare early chance when a cross in from the right was touched on and reached Brackstone I think in the middle, but he blazed a 15 yard shot over the bar. The visitors' height advantage was causing the Arsenal defence problems from set pieces and it was from a corner that they got the equaliser about 15 minutes before the break. I think it was one of the big centre halves who was left unmarked, and his header bounced into the ground and up against the crossbar. There was a bit of a scramble at the far post, and the ball somehow squeezed over the line off the post, I think it was Dove who claimed the last touch. The second half was more evenly contested, and in the worsening conditions somewhat more error-strewn. Arsenal brought on new signing, the young Danish defender Sebastian Svard to replace Ryan Garry at centre back. Can't remember a great deal in the way of clear cut chances, though there were a few. A couple I remember for Arsenal: once when Thomas broke clear down the inside left channel I think after another mistake, with only Russell to beat but seemed to anticipate the keeper coming out and diving at his feet, and ended up dinking the ball straight into his arms. Then, I think following a corner and a goalmouth scramble, the ball reached Pennant about 10 yards out. He had time to take careful aim, but his shot was blocked a couple of yards in front of the line by a defender. At the other end, there was another almighty scramble following a corner after Holloway dropped the slippery ball, but Volz I think eventually hoofed off the line. The keeper did somewhat better soon afterwards when Gilroy fired in a tremendous 25 yard shot which looked goal bound until Holloway just tipped it round the post. Finally, with less than 10 minutes left and the match delicately balanced, Arsenal got the crucial goal. Pennant slanted in a cross from wide on the left which picked out Sidwell making a run unmarked into the area, and left the midfielder with an easy header which he glanced into the net from just outside the 6yd line. A couple of minutes before time Itonga added gloss to the scoreline, breaking clear of the defence again to leave himself with only the keeper to beat. He took it round Russell with rather a heavy touch and seemed to have forced himself too wide, but he did well to hit a shot on the turn with his left foot from a fairly tight angle, and the ball squeezed between the near post and a defender on the line. A pretty enjoyable game despite the dire weather, and I thought Arsenal played somewhat more fluently than they did against Sunderland, and every player had a reasonably good game. The forgotten man Aliadiere (I assume he's been injured prior to now) had a good game and is more of a target man. He did particularly well flicking balls on, but has a good touch on the floor as well. Itonga again showed good pace, some nice touches and finished well for both his goals. The new wonderkid David Bentley came on for the last 10 minutes, so didn't have much time, but a couple of lovely touches and passes hinted at why he's rated so highly. Pennant had possibly the best game I think I've seen from him, and Thomas also showed more of the tricks he's capable of while on the ball, though I think he tends to hang on to it too long. In midfield, Ricketts and Sidwell had reasonably tidy and solid games again, the latter keeping up his record for important FA cup goals. In the middle of defence Garry was replaced at half time by Svard, I don't know whether through injury or because Howe & Banfield wanted a proper look at the new signing. Svard looks a good player though early on at least he got himself into trouble by trying to overplay too much in his own half. Chorley, more from the old school of British centre halves, again had a solid game, and Israel and Volz also both played quite well, at the back as well as going forward. Holloway had a couple of embarrassing moments towards the end when he dropped the ball, but conditions were difficult. On occasion his goal kicks reached the half way line but were then blown back into his own half. Derek
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