Wednesday, December 14, 2005
Northampton 2-0 Stevenage by Andy Grant
For the thrid time in three seasons, Stevenage bowed out of the F.A. Cup at the second round stage, and for the third time in three seasons they did so to a League Two side doing reasonably well in their league. Northampton produced a highly effective display at the Sixfields stadium, deserving to take the win and the plum third round tie at Crystal Palace. However, Boro may well look back on what might have been, as although goalkeeper Lee Harper had no serious save to make on the evening, more than once Boro fired over and wide when they should have scored.
The first half was really a one team show. Northampton dominated it from start to finish, able to find their own players at will, and with Stevenage not able to keep the ball for very long. Boro had started the game with Anthony Elding and Jon Nurse up front, and Rob Quinn and Barry Laker at the back, though Quinn was quickly forced into a wearing a headband after an early challenge. With Northampton dominating, it was little surprise that Alan Julian was the busier of the two goalkeepers. That said, he did not have that many challenging saves to make. Indeed, his biggest moment of worry came as firstly, from a corner, Jon Nurse's attempted clearing header went the wrong way, and then Barry Laker, in trying to clear it appeared to have sent a looping header into the top corner. However, Julian was there once again ready to tip it over the bar. Due to this, although Northampton were controlling the game, it was a slight surprise when they took the lead. The ball was played across the Boro box to Martin Smith who fizzed in a low shot. It swerved like mad through the crowd, and Julian seeing it late, was only able to parry it. Scott McGleish then reacted quickest to tuck the ball under Julian, and just past a despairing Barry Laker on the line to give Northampton the lead. However, it his desire to celebrate with the Boro bench, particularly Lionel Perez, he found himself straight into the book. Three minutes were then added on and it the second of them, a catalogue of errors led to a second Northampton goal. Firstly, the ball was crossed in by Northampton and missed everybody, appearing quite clearly to go out for a goal kick. Not so said the referee, and a corner was given. From the corner Boro's defence parted like the red sea, and McGleish made no mistake with a free header at the near post. The corner itself would normally be a catchable one, but Alan Julian will never receive a closer embrace in his life, than the one Ian Taylor was happy to give him as the ball drifted in. Two refereeing errors had let to the goal being allowed to stand, but it was Boro's poor defending that had led to it being scored.
At the start of the second half, Boro introduced Darryn Stamp, and started to settle down. In fact, it would be fair to say that Boro had the measure of Northampton in the second half. The first 15 mins or so were very frustrating for Boro as they sought to create the opening they needed. 3 or 4 times, the ball bounced up in the box and appeared to strike a Northampton player on the hand, but nothing was forthcoming. Indeed this got so frustrating all round that after a while, when a Stevenage player took the ball down, the home fans would shout for handball. Again, like the first half, no real chances were being created and Boro had to wait till late in the game to get closer to the goal. The first half chance came when Danny Williams fizzed a cross in, and the smallest of touches from a defender was enough to take it of the head of the on rushing Darryn Stamp. However, Northampton were not out of it and Julian forced to save down low from Josh Low. Then Jon Nurse broke into the box on the left hand side, and fizzed a cross/shot that nobody to get a touch on. A George Boyd cross from the left found Jon Nurse steaming in, but header went in the wrong direction. Then, finally Boro got the chance they had been waited for. Again Nurse broke into the box, and laid the ball acorss for Darryn Stamp. It was on Stamp's weaker left foot, and his snatched shot went way over when he should have scored. Then a corner from the left found an unmarked Jon Nurse at the back post, but he too could not keep it down. The final act of the game then saw Danny Bulman fizz a shot over from 25 yds.
Boro did not really deserve to win this game on the night, but 2-0 flattered the home side. Boro are now however free to concentrate on catching Accrington Stanley in the league and getting promoted, which was always their main focus.
The first half was really a one team show. Northampton dominated it from start to finish, able to find their own players at will, and with Stevenage not able to keep the ball for very long. Boro had started the game with Anthony Elding and Jon Nurse up front, and Rob Quinn and Barry Laker at the back, though Quinn was quickly forced into a wearing a headband after an early challenge. With Northampton dominating, it was little surprise that Alan Julian was the busier of the two goalkeepers. That said, he did not have that many challenging saves to make. Indeed, his biggest moment of worry came as firstly, from a corner, Jon Nurse's attempted clearing header went the wrong way, and then Barry Laker, in trying to clear it appeared to have sent a looping header into the top corner. However, Julian was there once again ready to tip it over the bar. Due to this, although Northampton were controlling the game, it was a slight surprise when they took the lead. The ball was played across the Boro box to Martin Smith who fizzed in a low shot. It swerved like mad through the crowd, and Julian seeing it late, was only able to parry it. Scott McGleish then reacted quickest to tuck the ball under Julian, and just past a despairing Barry Laker on the line to give Northampton the lead. However, it his desire to celebrate with the Boro bench, particularly Lionel Perez, he found himself straight into the book. Three minutes were then added on and it the second of them, a catalogue of errors led to a second Northampton goal. Firstly, the ball was crossed in by Northampton and missed everybody, appearing quite clearly to go out for a goal kick. Not so said the referee, and a corner was given. From the corner Boro's defence parted like the red sea, and McGleish made no mistake with a free header at the near post. The corner itself would normally be a catchable one, but Alan Julian will never receive a closer embrace in his life, than the one Ian Taylor was happy to give him as the ball drifted in. Two refereeing errors had let to the goal being allowed to stand, but it was Boro's poor defending that had led to it being scored.
At the start of the second half, Boro introduced Darryn Stamp, and started to settle down. In fact, it would be fair to say that Boro had the measure of Northampton in the second half. The first 15 mins or so were very frustrating for Boro as they sought to create the opening they needed. 3 or 4 times, the ball bounced up in the box and appeared to strike a Northampton player on the hand, but nothing was forthcoming. Indeed this got so frustrating all round that after a while, when a Stevenage player took the ball down, the home fans would shout for handball. Again, like the first half, no real chances were being created and Boro had to wait till late in the game to get closer to the goal. The first half chance came when Danny Williams fizzed a cross in, and the smallest of touches from a defender was enough to take it of the head of the on rushing Darryn Stamp. However, Northampton were not out of it and Julian forced to save down low from Josh Low. Then Jon Nurse broke into the box on the left hand side, and fizzed a cross/shot that nobody to get a touch on. A George Boyd cross from the left found Jon Nurse steaming in, but header went in the wrong direction. Then, finally Boro got the chance they had been waited for. Again Nurse broke into the box, and laid the ball acorss for Darryn Stamp. It was on Stamp's weaker left foot, and his snatched shot went way over when he should have scored. Then a corner from the left found an unmarked Jon Nurse at the back post, but he too could not keep it down. The final act of the game then saw Danny Bulman fizz a shot over from 25 yds.
Boro did not really deserve to win this game on the night, but 2-0 flattered the home side. Boro are now however free to concentrate on catching Accrington Stanley in the league and getting promoted, which was always their main focus.
