Space between posts is tough loam ground (9)
I believe the answer is:
goalmouth
'space between posts' is the definition.
(the goalmouth is the area around a goal)
'tough loam ground' is the wordplay.
'ground' indicates anagramming the letters (grind the letters ).
'tough'+'loam'='toughloam'
'toughloam' is an anagram of 'GOALMOUTH'.
'is' is the link.
(Other definitions for goalmouth that I've seen before include "patch often worn on pitch" , "that keeper guards" , "strikers aiming to get there" , "keeper's area" .)