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Match details
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Report
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Bury Town 3-1 Stevenage AthleticSaturday, 1 January 1972
Southern League Division One North Referee: Attendance: Scorers: Own goal (45) Stevenage team
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Match coverage
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Stevenage Gazette, Thursday, January 6, 1972
Sharpen up that defence, Athletic
Bury Town 3 Stevenage Athletic 1
TWO GLARING DEFENSIVE lapses in the first 18 minutes of Saturday's game put a swift end to Stevenage's hopes of avenging their Boxing Day defeat. From then on they were powerless to prevent Bury from completing their first Southern League double of the season.
At one stage, in fact, Stevenage looked in danger of being overwhelmed. They rallied to reduce the arrears with a remarkable goal just on half-time, but yet another blunder by an unconvincing defence allowed Bury to clinch the points midway through the second half.
If Stevenage want to improve their present lowly position in the Southern League, they must tighten up a defence that was so often reduced to a state of panic in this match. The Athletic rearguard seemed to be settling down last month, but in their two games against the Suffolk side they have slipped back into their old ways.
Making his debut was new signing Tony Butcher, in his comeback to football after a lengthy suspension. But although the forward line was certainly more impressive than the shaky defence, Butcher had little chance to show the same kind of goalscoring form he did in his Chelmsford days.
Centre forward David Spillane did enough to show that he is developing into a real asset to Stevenage, but Jose Whishaw often spoiled otherwise good work by a tendency to take on too many defenders at once.
It was not a happy afternoon for Keith Hargreaves, the man who only recently had a seven-day suspension. He was booked for a first-half foul on winger Geoff Porter, and later in the game he wasted Athletic's best chance, blasting the ball high over a gaping goal.
PERSISTENCE
Stevenage made a lively start, forcing two first-minute corners on the right, but Bury quickly stamped their authority on the game with two goals scored by midfield men.
After only nine minutes, Trevor GARDENER, almost on the by-line, squeezed an angled shot into the net, with Alan Collier, obviously anticipating a cross, moving off his line.
Nine minutes later, two Bury forwards were left unmarked in a crowded penalty area, and one of them - John MANSFIELD - had the simple task of pulling the ball past Collier from a few yards out.
A gift goal right on the interval put a grateful Stevenage side back into the game. The persistence of Chris Long forced the home defence into confusion. Although goalkeeper Rodney Slack appeared to have the ball in his hands, Long forced it away from him into the six-yard box, where it bounced into the net off the legs of centre half Bob HEFFER.
Substitute Ray Dingwall replaced the injured Tony Gregory on the hour, but within four minutes Stevenage's fate was sealed.
Gardener was fouled by Steve Gear 25 yards from goal. Leading marksman Mick BOGGIS hit the free kick past the not-too-well-organised defensive wall, and the ball sailed inside Collier's post. The startled keeper never moved.
The message comes through loud and clear - Stevenage must stop the dreadful defensive errors that have cost them 20 goals in seven league away games this season.
Sharpen up that defence, Athletic
Bury Town 3 Stevenage Athletic 1
TWO GLARING DEFENSIVE lapses in the first 18 minutes of Saturday's game put a swift end to Stevenage's hopes of avenging their Boxing Day defeat. From then on they were powerless to prevent Bury from completing their first Southern League double of the season.
At one stage, in fact, Stevenage looked in danger of being overwhelmed. They rallied to reduce the arrears with a remarkable goal just on half-time, but yet another blunder by an unconvincing defence allowed Bury to clinch the points midway through the second half.
If Stevenage want to improve their present lowly position in the Southern League, they must tighten up a defence that was so often reduced to a state of panic in this match. The Athletic rearguard seemed to be settling down last month, but in their two games against the Suffolk side they have slipped back into their old ways.
Making his debut was new signing Tony Butcher, in his comeback to football after a lengthy suspension. But although the forward line was certainly more impressive than the shaky defence, Butcher had little chance to show the same kind of goalscoring form he did in his Chelmsford days.
Centre forward David Spillane did enough to show that he is developing into a real asset to Stevenage, but Jose Whishaw often spoiled otherwise good work by a tendency to take on too many defenders at once.
It was not a happy afternoon for Keith Hargreaves, the man who only recently had a seven-day suspension. He was booked for a first-half foul on winger Geoff Porter, and later in the game he wasted Athletic's best chance, blasting the ball high over a gaping goal.
PERSISTENCE
Stevenage made a lively start, forcing two first-minute corners on the right, but Bury quickly stamped their authority on the game with two goals scored by midfield men.
After only nine minutes, Trevor GARDENER, almost on the by-line, squeezed an angled shot into the net, with Alan Collier, obviously anticipating a cross, moving off his line.
Nine minutes later, two Bury forwards were left unmarked in a crowded penalty area, and one of them - John MANSFIELD - had the simple task of pulling the ball past Collier from a few yards out.
A gift goal right on the interval put a grateful Stevenage side back into the game. The persistence of Chris Long forced the home defence into confusion. Although goalkeeper Rodney Slack appeared to have the ball in his hands, Long forced it away from him into the six-yard box, where it bounced into the net off the legs of centre half Bob HEFFER.
Substitute Ray Dingwall replaced the injured Tony Gregory on the hour, but within four minutes Stevenage's fate was sealed.
Gardener was fouled by Steve Gear 25 yards from goal. Leading marksman Mick BOGGIS hit the free kick past the not-too-well-organised defensive wall, and the ball sailed inside Collier's post. The startled keeper never moved.
The message comes through loud and clear - Stevenage must stop the dreadful defensive errors that have cost them 20 goals in seven league away games this season.