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Match details
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Stevenage Borough 1-2 Tottenham Hotspur
Tuesday, 20 July 2004, 7.45pm
Friendly
Referee: Paul Taylor
Attendance: 7,044
Scorer: Brian Quailey (89)
Friendly
Referee: Paul Taylor
Attendance: 7,044
Scorer: Brian Quailey (89)
Stevenage team
Starting XI
1: Andy Woodman 2: Michael Warner 33: Justin Gregory 4: Rob Quinn 17: Mark Rogers 14: Matt Hocking 7: Jon Brady 8: Michael Brough 11: Craig McAllister 37: Anthony Elding 15: Dannie Bulman |
Used substitutes
3: Jamie Gould (for 33, 62) 20: Jon Nurse (for 4, 66) 5: Jason Goodliffe (for 14, 64) 12: Richard Hodgson (for 15, 71) 18: Ritchie Hanlon (for 7, 46) 21: George Boyd (for 8, 46) 9: Dino Maamria (for 11, 46) 10: Brian Quailey (for 37, 46) |
BoroGuide
The pre-season campaign finally kicked off for Stevenage Borough, as they welcomed a strong Tottenham Hotspur outfit to Broadhall Way in a game that eventually proved closer than fans may have expected before hand. In recent years, the point of such prestigious friendlies has been questioned by fans to couldn't see the point in receiving a mauling from a Premiership team as part of a warm-up to a new season. Given Barnet's recent result against Arsenal, there may have been some fear heading into this game with regards to what the damage may have been, but the fears were quickly dispelled as Boro' put on an impressive display.
The most noticeable absentee of the evening - asides from Andy Green - was defender Barry Laker, who will miss a fortnight due to a back injury. Unfortunately, it was a game that Boro' players perhaps wouldn't have wanted to miss, given the new and vast array of talent showing for the first time in a Boro' shirt. The first half Boro' line-up included seven new signings, three of which were in defence - including Mark Rogers and Justin Gregory. The opposition lined-up with a less familiar side, although Kasey Keller and Robbie Keane were on the first-half Tottenham teamsheet, both of whom are fully established international players, as well as new signing Pedro Mendes who arrived from European Champions Porto this summer. Johnnie Jackson and Stephen Kelly also showed, two players who experienced Premiership football last season.
Jason Goodliffe led the Boro' side out in the first half, although he wasn't to play until the 65th minute, presumably as he wasn't fully fit. But the decision by Graham Westley to show him off as the captain can only endear the manager to the fans after the captaincy issue surrounding Steve Watson. The armband was handed over to Mark Rogers for the start of the game, as Boro' got their football underway a bit later than some of their Conference counterparts this summer. Few chances were created in the opening quarter of an hour, with Spurs happy to feel themselves into their first pre-season game on British soil following a rather indifferent Scandinavian tour, whilst Boro' were engaged in a proper game for the first time since the end of April.
But as the game grew into itself, the first chances fell to the home side, as Anthony Elding fired a shot across the goal on sixteen minutes, which was recycled into a chance for new boy Craig McAllister, who couldn't muster enough power in the shot to trouble Keller. Within two minutes, Spurs had taken the lead through a rather debatable penalty, when a cross was driven across the area by Jackson only to strike the arm of Matt Hocking. As Hocking's arms were by his side, it was unclear how the referee expected the defender to avoid the ball, but Robbie Keane stepped up to dink the ball home past Woodman from the spot, and in turn send a fair proportion of the huge Broadhall Way crowd delirious.
Boro' never threw in the towel though, and kept trying to create something in midfield, whilst Michael Brough and Dannie Bulman were in no mood to pull out of challenges. The hosts could have been level on 23 minutes, when Warner's long ball over the top was just inches from being controlled by Elding, yet the ball ran through to the Spurs goalkeeper. More and more chances were being created by now, and on half an hour, Mendes tried a speculative volley from distance which troubled no-one but the fans to the right of the goal, whilst a cheeky free-kick by Bulman at the other end was just about claimed by Keller under the crossbar.
Spurs were rarely given any sort of quality time on the ball, and Hocking denied Keane with a wonderful block five minutes before the break, whilst Keane again saw a 25-yard dipping effort travel the wrong side of the bar moments later. As half time was called by the referee, the home faithful couldn't be anything but at least satisfied having seen their side moreorless hold Premiership opposition except for a contentious penalty decision. The half time change brought wholesale changes for the away side, with Keller and Michael Malcolm the only two surviving members of the first half side. Notably, England hopeful Jermain Defoe made an appearance, as did Mbulelo Mabizela, Gary Doherty and Rohan Ricketts. Boro' made limited changes at the break, with new signings Ritchie Hanlon, and Brian Quailey coming on, as well as George Boyd and Dino Maamria.
Within ten minutes of the restart, Boro' reaffirmed their determination and drive for the occasion, as Hanlon delivered a delightful curling effort from 25 yards which needed Keller's intervention to smack upon the crossbar. Defoe went close at the other end shortly afterwards, firing wide of Woodman's goal, and as the game entered the halfway stage of the second half, more substitutions were made by Graham Westley to include Jamie Gould, new signing Jon Nurse, Jason Goodliffe and finally Richard Hodgson. Ricketts, Defoe and Phillip Ifil all had efforts denied by Boro' as the game wound up to the final ten minutes, although Boro' were resilient at the back, and resourceful in attack, despite not creating too many more clear chances as the game wore on.
But with six minutes to go, Defoe seemed to have wrapped up the game with a goal created by Ricketts. As the midfielder surged at Boro's back line, he fed Defoe, who just rolled the defender to slot home. It could have been worse moments later for Boro' had Andy Woodman not pulled off a superb save to deny Defoe again. That save may have been an injection of inspiration for Boro', as the home side went down the other end, and played Brian Quailey through to just lift the ball over the onrushing Keller to reduce the arrears to just one goal. Yet, as there was just two minutes remaining, hopes of a sensational equaliser were more idealistic than anything else, and the final whistle soon rang.
The Boro' players clearly went out to prove their worth to Graham Westley, as picking a first eleven for the opening Conference game is not going to be easy. Each player performed well in front of the bumper 7,000 crowd, but will have plenty of opportunities to shine before the season, starting with Cambridge United at home on Saturday. If Boro' play like this every week, the Conference will most definitely be sitting up and taking notice of the re-emergence of Stevenage Borough as a serious title contender.
The pre-season campaign finally kicked off for Stevenage Borough, as they welcomed a strong Tottenham Hotspur outfit to Broadhall Way in a game that eventually proved closer than fans may have expected before hand. In recent years, the point of such prestigious friendlies has been questioned by fans to couldn't see the point in receiving a mauling from a Premiership team as part of a warm-up to a new season. Given Barnet's recent result against Arsenal, there may have been some fear heading into this game with regards to what the damage may have been, but the fears were quickly dispelled as Boro' put on an impressive display.
The most noticeable absentee of the evening - asides from Andy Green - was defender Barry Laker, who will miss a fortnight due to a back injury. Unfortunately, it was a game that Boro' players perhaps wouldn't have wanted to miss, given the new and vast array of talent showing for the first time in a Boro' shirt. The first half Boro' line-up included seven new signings, three of which were in defence - including Mark Rogers and Justin Gregory. The opposition lined-up with a less familiar side, although Kasey Keller and Robbie Keane were on the first-half Tottenham teamsheet, both of whom are fully established international players, as well as new signing Pedro Mendes who arrived from European Champions Porto this summer. Johnnie Jackson and Stephen Kelly also showed, two players who experienced Premiership football last season.
Jason Goodliffe led the Boro' side out in the first half, although he wasn't to play until the 65th minute, presumably as he wasn't fully fit. But the decision by Graham Westley to show him off as the captain can only endear the manager to the fans after the captaincy issue surrounding Steve Watson. The armband was handed over to Mark Rogers for the start of the game, as Boro' got their football underway a bit later than some of their Conference counterparts this summer. Few chances were created in the opening quarter of an hour, with Spurs happy to feel themselves into their first pre-season game on British soil following a rather indifferent Scandinavian tour, whilst Boro' were engaged in a proper game for the first time since the end of April.
But as the game grew into itself, the first chances fell to the home side, as Anthony Elding fired a shot across the goal on sixteen minutes, which was recycled into a chance for new boy Craig McAllister, who couldn't muster enough power in the shot to trouble Keller. Within two minutes, Spurs had taken the lead through a rather debatable penalty, when a cross was driven across the area by Jackson only to strike the arm of Matt Hocking. As Hocking's arms were by his side, it was unclear how the referee expected the defender to avoid the ball, but Robbie Keane stepped up to dink the ball home past Woodman from the spot, and in turn send a fair proportion of the huge Broadhall Way crowd delirious.
Boro' never threw in the towel though, and kept trying to create something in midfield, whilst Michael Brough and Dannie Bulman were in no mood to pull out of challenges. The hosts could have been level on 23 minutes, when Warner's long ball over the top was just inches from being controlled by Elding, yet the ball ran through to the Spurs goalkeeper. More and more chances were being created by now, and on half an hour, Mendes tried a speculative volley from distance which troubled no-one but the fans to the right of the goal, whilst a cheeky free-kick by Bulman at the other end was just about claimed by Keller under the crossbar.
Spurs were rarely given any sort of quality time on the ball, and Hocking denied Keane with a wonderful block five minutes before the break, whilst Keane again saw a 25-yard dipping effort travel the wrong side of the bar moments later. As half time was called by the referee, the home faithful couldn't be anything but at least satisfied having seen their side moreorless hold Premiership opposition except for a contentious penalty decision. The half time change brought wholesale changes for the away side, with Keller and Michael Malcolm the only two surviving members of the first half side. Notably, England hopeful Jermain Defoe made an appearance, as did Mbulelo Mabizela, Gary Doherty and Rohan Ricketts. Boro' made limited changes at the break, with new signings Ritchie Hanlon, and Brian Quailey coming on, as well as George Boyd and Dino Maamria.
Within ten minutes of the restart, Boro' reaffirmed their determination and drive for the occasion, as Hanlon delivered a delightful curling effort from 25 yards which needed Keller's intervention to smack upon the crossbar. Defoe went close at the other end shortly afterwards, firing wide of Woodman's goal, and as the game entered the halfway stage of the second half, more substitutions were made by Graham Westley to include Jamie Gould, new signing Jon Nurse, Jason Goodliffe and finally Richard Hodgson. Ricketts, Defoe and Phillip Ifil all had efforts denied by Boro' as the game wound up to the final ten minutes, although Boro' were resilient at the back, and resourceful in attack, despite not creating too many more clear chances as the game wore on.
But with six minutes to go, Defoe seemed to have wrapped up the game with a goal created by Ricketts. As the midfielder surged at Boro's back line, he fed Defoe, who just rolled the defender to slot home. It could have been worse moments later for Boro' had Andy Woodman not pulled off a superb save to deny Defoe again. That save may have been an injection of inspiration for Boro', as the home side went down the other end, and played Brian Quailey through to just lift the ball over the onrushing Keller to reduce the arrears to just one goal. Yet, as there was just two minutes remaining, hopes of a sensational equaliser were more idealistic than anything else, and the final whistle soon rang.
The Boro' players clearly went out to prove their worth to Graham Westley, as picking a first eleven for the opening Conference game is not going to be easy. Each player performed well in front of the bumper 7,000 crowd, but will have plenty of opportunities to shine before the season, starting with Cambridge United at home on Saturday. If Boro' play like this every week, the Conference will most definitely be sitting up and taking notice of the re-emergence of Stevenage Borough as a serious title contender.