Stevenage Borough 3 Stafford Rangers 0
Blue Square Premier
At: Broadhall Way
Kick-off: 7-45 pm
Attendance: 2424
Weather: dry, mild
The respective records of Stafford Rangers (23rd position, no wins, one point) and Stevenage Borough (3rd position, unbeaten with five wins, 12 goals scored, thee goals conceded) suggested that it might turn out to be a difficult evening for Phil Robinson’s side.
This game was originally scheduled for the previous Saturday but put back two days before of Stafford's live Setanta TV game with Halifax Town. I wasn’t particularly looking forward to this trip – in particularly getting home after midnight and having to write a couple of reports and update Stafford's official web site before going to bed.
And after arriving at the large car park next to the dual carriageway opposite the ground, there was plenty of time to chat with a couple of other Stafford fans who had arrived roughly the same time as me. There were varying degrees of optimism and even myself, who tries to look for something positive, couldn’t come up with anything other than a prediction of a 3-0 win to Stevenage.
The Press Box at the Broadhall Way ground is located in the main stand, right of centre near to the seated stand behind the goal which houses the away fans. The view is good and red pull-down tables provide a good working surface. With a fellow Rangers correspondent sat next to me, off the field things were set up well. One thing to remember when reporting this game – you can’t refer to Stafford as ‘the Boro’ this time!
Stevenage's Broadhall Way ground, which I was visiting for the fourth time, had changed beyond recognition since my first trip there is 1990(when a crowd of 350 saw Borough defeat Saffron Walden Town 2-1 in a Knight Floodlight Cup tie when I was living in Wimbledon). Today, there is a large seated stand running the entire length of what is the north-western side of the ground. This side of the ground also had the changing rooms, club shop, hospitality and other main club facilities. Looking at the pitch from the stand, there is an all-seater stand behind the right-hand goal housing the away fans – SBFC stands out in red amongst the predominately white seats and there is an electronic scoreboard above. Along the opposite touchline is a covered terrace fir Stevenage supporters with a camera gantry high above the half-way line. Behind the left-hand goal is another covered terrace again housing home fans.
The team news sprang a surprise with striker David McNiven on the bench. The action got under way with Stafford taking to the field with a completely different formation to the one predicted from the eleven players in the starting line-up. The tactic certainly worked well throughout the first half with the feared Stevenage attack not managing a single attempt on goal throughout the first half. In fact Stafford created the odd chance to take the lead. Could the lads gain a point or even a win? Things went up in smoke, sadly, just before half-time.
But just like last season, Stafford were reduced to ten men with the scoreline still goalless. In 2006/07, Ged Murphy saw ‘red’. This time is was on-loan Matthew Hazley for a challenge of Stevenage's John Martin. The first half was almost up, the ball was away from the Stafford goal, etc. An unnecessary dismissal.
Stevenage took full advantage of their numerical advantage to take the lead within two minutes of the restart. Just like 2006/07 I feared the worse but full credit to the remaining ten men (and three subs) for the way the battled through the second period. The home side added two more goals on the hour and near the end. My prediction was correct (three valuable points in the Blue Square Premier Prediction Competition) but somehow I felt deflated especially after hopes of a point or even a win had grown stronger as the first half went on. Speaking to Phil Robinson after the game, you could see how disappointed and frustrated he was.
Stafford boss Phil Robinson made four changes and named a side to do a specific job which almost came off. Danny Alcock returned in goal in place of Robert Duggan while Ross Draper came in for his debut. The addition of Neil Grayson and Matt Hazley were the other two changes to the side that started against Halifax last Thursday.
Rangers could have taken an early lead. Adaggio got on the end of a flick from Grayson and fired straight at home keeper Alan Julian from a narrow angle. Chris Flynn drove wide from well outside the area.
Alcock didn't have a save to make during the first half but there was the odd scare. Miller fired over from a great position a few yards out after John Nutter delivereed a deep cross to the far post.
On the quarter-hour mark, Barry Fuller raced down the right and crossed low into the area but no one got on the end.
Djoumin Sangare and Fred Murray both made vital tackles on Miller and Craig Dobson from getting in an attempt on goal.
Stafford went close again in the 36th minute. Murray launched a long throw into the home area where Adaggio forced a comfortable gather out of Julian.
Hazley was shown a stright red card for a stiff challenge on John Martin, just before the half-time whistle.
Stevenage took the lead against ten men less than two minutes after the restart. Nutter's shot from the left was going wide across the face of goal until Steve Morison headed it past the recalled Danny Alcock.
To their credit, Rangers kept probing forward. The lively Adaggio fired wide and Draper drove at Julian from outside the area.
But Stevenage doubled their lead on the hour when Adam Miller thumped a low shot into the bottom-left corner from 25 yards out.
Robinson made a double change and his side still preserved in attack. Kevin Street shot high and wide while McNiven got on the end of a lofted forward ball from Richard Sutton and poked it wide from 15 yards out.
Stevenage wrapped up the win with a third goal scored by Ollie Allen in the 87th minute. Alistair John delivered a right-wing cross which fellow substitute Allen headed past Alcock.
Teams
Stevenage Borough (white with red stripes/red/red): 1. Alan Julian; 2. Barry Fuller, 25. Ronnie Henry, 16. Mark Arber, 3. John Nutter; 22. Craig Dobson, 19. Stuart Lewis, 15. John Martin, 14. Daryl McMahon, 20. Steve Morison, 10. Adam Miller. Subs: 21. Ollie Allen (for Miller, 64), 26. Alistair John (for Dobson, 71), 6. Santos Gaia (for Henry, 89), 12. Lawrie Wilson, 13. James Russell (gk)
Stafford Rangers (blue/white/blue): 1. Danny Alcock; 2. Richard Sutton, 5. Wayne Daniel (capt), 6. Djoumin Sangare, 25. Fred Murray; 17. Ross Draper; 22. Matt Hazley, 23. Greg Stones, 7, Chris Flynn, 9. Neil Grayson; 20. Marco Adaggio. Subs: 8. Kevin Street (for Stones, 71), 10. David McNiven (for Grayson, 71), 28. David Oldfield (for Flynn, 87), 4. Craig McAughtrie, 27. Robert Duggan (gk)
Referee: I. Cooper (Kent).
The match report was originally written for and published on the now defunct www.staffordrangers.co.uk
