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Stevenage Borough 3-0 Boston United
Tuesday, 2 August 2004, 7.45pm
Friendly
Referee: Gary Lewis
Attendance:
Scorers: Dannie Bulman (19, 53 pen), Own Goal (82)
Friendly
Referee: Gary Lewis
Attendance:
Scorers: Dannie Bulman (19, 53 pen), Own Goal (82)
Stevenage team
Starting XI
1: Andy Woodman 4: Rob Quinn 17: Mark Rogers 5: Jason Goodliffe (c) 15: Dannie Bulman 14: Matt Hocking 7: Jon Brady 8: Michael Brough 20: Jon Nurse 10: Brian Quailey 21: George Boyd |
Used substitutes
37: Anthony Elding (for 20, 75) 11: Craig McAllister (for 10, 75) 3: Jamie Gould (for 5, 83) 24: Gary Schillaci (for 4, 83) 18: Ritchie Hanlon (for 15, 86) Unused substitutes 25: Shaun Batt 26: Darren Williams 13: Lee Farrow |
Stevenage Borough FC official website
Playing with commitment and panache, Borough recorded their third pre-season victory against League opposition. Making excellent use of the flanks, the home side looked purposeful, bright in attack, well-balanced in midfield and serene in defence, and converted their chances with a flourish often absent last season.
Borough began with Mark Rogers, Matt Hocking and Jason Goodliffe as the back three from left to right, with George Boyd and Jon Brady wide, Rob Quinn and Michael Brough central and Dannie Bulman popping up behind the front pair of Jon Nurse and Brian Quailey. The side looked sharp and were encamped in the Boston half for the first ten minutes, with an early chance nodded wide, Quailey brought down after a neat turn, Nurse firing in a snapshot and Boyd launching a left-wing cross which was sliced by a defender into the 'keeper's arms.
Nurse and Quailey were linking well, a potent mix of muscle and pace. A Boston corner after a cleverly delayed ball from David Noble was a rare interruption to Borough's territorial dominance. After 19 minutes some determined play led to a spell of pinball in the area, and BULMAN proved the wizard by forcing the ball into the far corner. It was nearly two five minutes later when Boyd fed Brough, who took the ball wide before shooting past Abbey's right-hand post. Then Boyd cut in from the left and forced a corner after characteristically neat control. Once or twice in the match George beat two players then beat himself, but Boston were soon deploying two men to try to negate his threat, which was potent throughout.
One of Boston's occasional forays was denied by an exquisite Hocking tackle on Thomas; Greaves shot weakly after he had been set up following McCann's free-kick. Martin Carruthers hit a fierce close-range shot which Andy Woodman reacted well to push away; he was flagged offside. Just before half-time Carruthers bore down on goal but finished poorly. His fellow forward Jason Lee, a man once famed for his distinctive haircut (a few retro chants of 'He's got a pineapple on his head' could be heard at points, even though Lee has shaved off his famed coiffure) looked strong and played some neat flicks, but was largely subdued by Rogers and Goodliffe.
A clash of heads after 35 minutes led to the unfortunate withdrawal of Greaves, clutching a bleeding brow.
HALF-TIME: Stevenage 1 Boston 0
Boston made two changes at half-time, and as the half wore on increasingly sent on unnumbered players. It didn't seem to help them much as Borough, while conceding a little more territory, continued to dominate. Lee's header after a powerful left-wing cross from Thomas landed on the roof of the net, but the visitors' hopes of getting back into the game sank on 53 minutes when Quailey played in Nurse, who ran on powerfully into the area and was brought down by a defender who simply couldn't keep up. Dannie BULMAN scored his and the team's second with a penalty which Abbey, diving to his right, touched but couldn't keep out of the bottom corner of his net.
Around the hour the play became a little scrappy and referee Mr Lewis seemed to be blowing for infringements he had previously let go, although overall he played advantage well and refereed sensibly. Jon Brady was catching the eye at this point with his changes of pace and neat touches.
Michael Brough shot narrowly over after more good work from the Quailey-Nurse combination. George Boyd shot well over twenty minutes from time when deciding to have a go himself. A few minutes later, an early cross from him might have been productive as Borough got men forward in numbers, another thing they were not always good at last season. Nurse should probably have scored when Bulman pulled the ball back to him, but shot directly into Abbey's arms. Sir Jase might also have netted when the Boston defence obligingly retreated to allow him a shot, which loped gently wide.
The game picked up again after a double substitution, Nurse and Quailey deservedly warmly applauded as they made way for Anthony Elding and Craig McAllister. The latter was almost immediately one-on-one with Abbey and the ball was briefly loose before it was clutched gratefully by the man with the shiny green jersey. Elding made a superb turn and bore down on goal, only to lift the ball over. Within a minute Abbey twisted to push a deflected shot by Rob Quinn up and onto his bar, whence it rebounded and was hacked clear.
On 82 minutes Boyd broke again down the left, and with Elding's arm raised to claim a far post cross, the ball arrowed into the near post and seemed to cannon off a Boston head into the net, with Craig McALLISTER in close attendance.
There was still time for Elding to smack a powerful shot which Abbey kept out well; for Lee to receive the only booking of the night and be withdrawn a minute later; and for late pressure on the Borough goal which was spiritedly resisted.
Borough sent the fans home in upbeat mood, even if they were denied the chance to see Boston's new player-coach, Paul Gascoigne, in action. Boston will regard this as the Pilgrims' Regress with only five days to go before their League campaign begins: but on tonight's performance, Graham Westley probably has a good idea of his side to travel to Dagenham on the Conference opening day.
Teams:
BOROUGH: Woodman, Quinn, Rogers, Goodliffe, Bulman, Hocking, Brady, Brough, Nurse, Quailey, Boyd.
Substitutions: Elding and McAllister for Nurse and Quailey, 75; Gould and Schillaci for Goodliffe and Quinn, 83; Hanlon for Bulman, 86.
BOSTON: Abbey, Beevers, Greaves, Strong, McCann, Noble, Bennett, Holland, Thomas, Lee , Carruthers
Substitutions: Lyttle for Greaves, 35; Melton and Haslam for Bennett and Noble half-time; Thompson and Staff for Carruthers and Thomas 61; Rusk and Clarke 81, O'Halloran for Lee 86.
Playing with commitment and panache, Borough recorded their third pre-season victory against League opposition. Making excellent use of the flanks, the home side looked purposeful, bright in attack, well-balanced in midfield and serene in defence, and converted their chances with a flourish often absent last season.
Borough began with Mark Rogers, Matt Hocking and Jason Goodliffe as the back three from left to right, with George Boyd and Jon Brady wide, Rob Quinn and Michael Brough central and Dannie Bulman popping up behind the front pair of Jon Nurse and Brian Quailey. The side looked sharp and were encamped in the Boston half for the first ten minutes, with an early chance nodded wide, Quailey brought down after a neat turn, Nurse firing in a snapshot and Boyd launching a left-wing cross which was sliced by a defender into the 'keeper's arms.
Nurse and Quailey were linking well, a potent mix of muscle and pace. A Boston corner after a cleverly delayed ball from David Noble was a rare interruption to Borough's territorial dominance. After 19 minutes some determined play led to a spell of pinball in the area, and BULMAN proved the wizard by forcing the ball into the far corner. It was nearly two five minutes later when Boyd fed Brough, who took the ball wide before shooting past Abbey's right-hand post. Then Boyd cut in from the left and forced a corner after characteristically neat control. Once or twice in the match George beat two players then beat himself, but Boston were soon deploying two men to try to negate his threat, which was potent throughout.
One of Boston's occasional forays was denied by an exquisite Hocking tackle on Thomas; Greaves shot weakly after he had been set up following McCann's free-kick. Martin Carruthers hit a fierce close-range shot which Andy Woodman reacted well to push away; he was flagged offside. Just before half-time Carruthers bore down on goal but finished poorly. His fellow forward Jason Lee, a man once famed for his distinctive haircut (a few retro chants of 'He's got a pineapple on his head' could be heard at points, even though Lee has shaved off his famed coiffure) looked strong and played some neat flicks, but was largely subdued by Rogers and Goodliffe.
A clash of heads after 35 minutes led to the unfortunate withdrawal of Greaves, clutching a bleeding brow.
HALF-TIME: Stevenage 1 Boston 0
Boston made two changes at half-time, and as the half wore on increasingly sent on unnumbered players. It didn't seem to help them much as Borough, while conceding a little more territory, continued to dominate. Lee's header after a powerful left-wing cross from Thomas landed on the roof of the net, but the visitors' hopes of getting back into the game sank on 53 minutes when Quailey played in Nurse, who ran on powerfully into the area and was brought down by a defender who simply couldn't keep up. Dannie BULMAN scored his and the team's second with a penalty which Abbey, diving to his right, touched but couldn't keep out of the bottom corner of his net.
Around the hour the play became a little scrappy and referee Mr Lewis seemed to be blowing for infringements he had previously let go, although overall he played advantage well and refereed sensibly. Jon Brady was catching the eye at this point with his changes of pace and neat touches.
Michael Brough shot narrowly over after more good work from the Quailey-Nurse combination. George Boyd shot well over twenty minutes from time when deciding to have a go himself. A few minutes later, an early cross from him might have been productive as Borough got men forward in numbers, another thing they were not always good at last season. Nurse should probably have scored when Bulman pulled the ball back to him, but shot directly into Abbey's arms. Sir Jase might also have netted when the Boston defence obligingly retreated to allow him a shot, which loped gently wide.
The game picked up again after a double substitution, Nurse and Quailey deservedly warmly applauded as they made way for Anthony Elding and Craig McAllister. The latter was almost immediately one-on-one with Abbey and the ball was briefly loose before it was clutched gratefully by the man with the shiny green jersey. Elding made a superb turn and bore down on goal, only to lift the ball over. Within a minute Abbey twisted to push a deflected shot by Rob Quinn up and onto his bar, whence it rebounded and was hacked clear.
On 82 minutes Boyd broke again down the left, and with Elding's arm raised to claim a far post cross, the ball arrowed into the near post and seemed to cannon off a Boston head into the net, with Craig McALLISTER in close attendance.
There was still time for Elding to smack a powerful shot which Abbey kept out well; for Lee to receive the only booking of the night and be withdrawn a minute later; and for late pressure on the Borough goal which was spiritedly resisted.
Borough sent the fans home in upbeat mood, even if they were denied the chance to see Boston's new player-coach, Paul Gascoigne, in action. Boston will regard this as the Pilgrims' Regress with only five days to go before their League campaign begins: but on tonight's performance, Graham Westley probably has a good idea of his side to travel to Dagenham on the Conference opening day.
Teams:
BOROUGH: Woodman, Quinn, Rogers, Goodliffe, Bulman, Hocking, Brady, Brough, Nurse, Quailey, Boyd.
Substitutions: Elding and McAllister for Nurse and Quailey, 75; Gould and Schillaci for Goodliffe and Quinn, 83; Hanlon for Bulman, 86.
BOSTON: Abbey, Beevers, Greaves, Strong, McCann, Noble, Bennett, Holland, Thomas, Lee , Carruthers
Substitutions: Lyttle for Greaves, 35; Melton and Haslam for Bennett and Noble half-time; Thompson and Staff for Carruthers and Thomas 61; Rusk and Clarke 81, O'Halloran for Lee 86.