Saturday 22nd September 2007 - Stevenage 1-2 U's: Demolition Derby

Barry Fry. Mark Tyler. Ken Charlery. Mick Halsall. Marc Joseph. Leon McKenzie. What is your first reaction when you read those names? Revulsion? Disgust? Nausea? Me too. The one thing they have in common, however, apart from being revolting, disgusting and nauseating, is that they were associated with our traditional local rivals. You remember, that place up the A1. Tatty, whiffs a bit. That's the one.

It's hard to believe, but it is nearly six years since we last played Peterborough in a proper, old-fashioned local derby. And that was a dreary 0-0 draw. Worse, the U's haven't defeated the Posh since April 1998. Those of us with longer memories will recall the glory days of 1989 when Dion Dublin and John Taylor hat-tricks led United to 5-1 and 3-2 wins over the old enemy.

Every supporter should have a regular local derby to look forward to. And U's fans have been restricted to sloppy seconds since 2001, even if technically our rivalry with the Posh only goes back to the 1970s and Cambridge City are our more historic local foes. Now Histon have appeared over the horizon, but real rivalries grow over a number of years. And that is where Stevenage Borough come in.

United and the then Stevenage Athletic were regular opponents in the 1960s, but there was no 'edge' to our encounters in those days. Just lately, however, a real local rivalry has been slowly gestating. It has its roots in that infamous FA Cup clash of December 1997 when the referee from Hell, Brian Coddington, sent off Paul Wanless and Martin Butler in a 2-1 replay defeat for the U's. Now, after regular pre-season friendly meetings, the clubs are in their third season of Conference rivalry. And for the first time today, our encounter began to seem like a real, bona fide local derby. At last.

The clubs' league positions helped, of course. Stevenage were riding high at the top, eight games unbeaten without so much as conceding a goal to equal the Conference record, while the U's were of course defending the division's last unbeaten record. And, my goodness, didn't the travelling amber hordes turn the occasion into a true derby-style Big Match clash, gathering in their hundreds, nay thousands to increase Borough's previous highest attendance of the season by 50%.

Long queues had formed before they finally opened the gates at 1.45, and by two o'clock the amber army was already in fine voice to welcome Danny Potter and Luke McShane out onto the sun-drenched pitch, followed ten minutes later by the rest of the squad and, finally, Jimmy Quinn, who in an unusual move came out to applaud the supporters before the match.

Well before kick-off, the away end of tidy, functional and unassuming Broadhall Way was packed with Cantabrigians, even to the extent of many people standing in the gangways. We shall leave it to the clubs to consider the folly of not making such an obviously important match all-ticket, and we shall leave it to luck that there were no serious safety-related incidents as a result.

The atmosphere, generated almost entirely by the amber hordes, was hair-raisingly exciting, signifying the first 'big' match which did not involve relegation for many a long year. Yes, this really was a proper local derby. A glance at the matchday programme showed that Histon brought 196 to Broadhall Way earlier this season, not far off a tenth of the U's travelling support today. As a proportion of their total support, that's actually not bad. But as far as sheer numbers are concerned, it just goes to show that as potential local rivals they are just not ready yet, despite stubborn geography.

Broadhall Way has not been a happy hunting ground for the U's. Two Conference defeats added to that FA Cup loss have been ameliorated by a pre-season 2-1 friendly win in 2004, but United's last competitive victory in Stevenage was against Athletic, a 3-1 Eastern Professional Floodlight League win in February 1971.

Borough manager Mark Stimson's programme notes were scarcely readable for drool, as he raved about the 'fantastic football' his team were playing which he didn't think would look out of place 'two or even three divisions above the Blue Square Premier.' Steady on, old boy; the highest-placed team they have beaten so far has been, er, Histon, and includes three of the bottom five. Put simply, they hadn't met any opponents worthy of the name so far... until today. Perhaps they were beginning to believe their own hype.

JQ had, unsurprisingly, made no changes from the side which thumped Altrincham on Tuesday, although he decided against naming a replacement keeper on the bench. Two of the U's line-up were former Boro players, Danny Potter and Leo Fortune-West, and that number would have been increased to three if Lee Boylan had been fit. For the hosts, there were former rivals on show in ex-Posh defender Mark Arber and former Cambridge City winger Craig Dobson, but their only ex-U, Tes Bramble, was restricted to substitute duties. They lined up in a 4-4-2 against United's usual wing-back formation.

The atmosphere was worthy of a cup final, with the permanently-standing amber hordes in superb voice, although they betrayed their nostalgia for an old-school local derby with a 'Cheer Up Barry Fry' chant early on. At least Stevenage are another 'Boro' to sing about.

The players responded, starting like an amber-and-black whirlwind. Stevenage like to play neat, short inter-passing football, building from the back, but United were having none of that and pressed and harried them from the front, LFW and Scott Rendell snapping at their heels from the outset. The U's mixed up their own tactics well, varying balls sprayed out to the wing-backs with longer balls down the channels for the strikers to run onto. It was the hosts' attempt at 'total football' against the pace, power and sheer physical presence of the visitors. And when was the last time that the latter applied to Cambridge United?

The match proceeded at a breathless pace in the sunshine, LFW caught offside twice in the first five minutes, and far from the early assault that we were expecting from the BSP's high fliers, it was United who began to assert themselves as the dominant force; the Marks Peters and Albrighton stood for no nonsense at the back, the midfield three worked tirelessly, Dan Gleeson in particular found acres of space wide right, and the front two were a constant thorn in the hosts' collective side.

First real chance came on 8, Gleeson's considered cross finding Rendell in the middle, but his free header was disappointingly high and wide. Three minutes later home keeper Alan Julian scooped LFW's blaster away, Mark Convery's rebound shot was blocked and when the United midfielder found his target man's head soon after, big Leo could also only nod over the top.

United were simply not allowing Stevenage the time and space to play. Gleeson cut inside and blazed over on 12, and the hosts had to wait another five minutes before they could even force a corner. Another Gleeson cross on 20 was directed towards Rendell but Ronnie Henry just cleared. Julian seemed intimidated by the intimate attentions of little Courtney Pitt at the resulting corner, but the ball was eventually cleared.

Potter was called into rare action on 24, collecting Daryl McMahon's trundler like a digger scooping up a pebble, then Pitt squirmed down the left and his low driven cross hit McMahon on the back of the ankle, spinning to LFW eight yards out who shifted the ball but saw his shot blocked away by Arber.

United's dominance showed no sign of receding as the amber hordes kept up their wall of noise. Rendell and LFW continued to terrorise the Boro back line like werewolves with ASBOs and Gleeson teased and tormented with his regular supply from the right. A rare breakaway on 38 by Dobson was halted unceremoniously by Stephen Reed, who picked up the game's first yellow card for his troubles.

Pitt flashed a shot just wide on 40, McMahon did something similar up the other end a minute later, and on 42 came the long-awaited and thoroughly deserved breakthrough. It was Gleeson, inevitably, who was the creator, finding space again to get down the right and arrow a tremendous cross to the near post; and there was Convery, sprinting from nowhere and racing clear to glance a firm header low across Julian and in at the far post for his first goal in United colours. Amber bedlam: 1-0!

So much for Stevenage's hopes of establishing a new Conference shut-out record. They tried to respond and on the stroke of half-time forced Potter into a courageous stop at the feet of Steve Morison, who was booked for following through.

It had been fierce, it had been fast, it had been competitive; but it was United who been fiercer, faster and, er, competitiver, and they trooped in at the interval with the ecstatic cheers of 1,500+ ringing in their ears. What a half: surely the best 45 minutes that this new-look U's side has produced so far. Pace, power, aggression, and no little skill either. Now, could the league leaders respond?

The opening minutes of part two produced no sign that there would be any change. First chance in fact fell to the visitors, LFW heading Rob Wolleaston's cross just wide. Play ebbed and flowed from end to end, McMahon firing wide on 54, Rendell hammering an ambitious long-ranger over a minute later, then genuine danger beckoned as Morison slipped the ball past Albrighton and raced down the left channel with the United skipper snapping at his heels like a shaven-headed Doberman. The Boro danger man had several colleagues to cross to but chose instead to shoot for the near post and found only the side netting.

Convery fired a free-kick into the wall on 57 after Henry fouled Rendell, then an inadvertent handball by Gleeson presented Boro with their own free-kick 30 yards out, but Adam Miller's effort was blocked long before it could reach Potter.

Then on 62, the roof lifted off the away end again. Once more it was Gleeson who was the provider, as he swung a delicious diagonal tempter of a cross into the box, and there was Rendell ghosting in at the far post to stoop and head low into the net past a helpless Julian. 2-0!

This was black-and-amber dreamland. Our toughest game of the season against the leaders and form team, at a place where we never seem to have much luck, and we were two up and dominant. Surely it couldn't get any better than this.

It couldn't, of course. Nothing comes that easy for the Mighty U's. Next action involved a couple of substitutions, Darren Quinton replacing the splendid Convery and Morison withdrawn for the hosts in favour of Bramble, remembered at the Abbey for THAT stupendous forty-yard goal against Wycombe. And, er, nothing much else, really. Still, what a goal, eh?

The tide began to turn on 66 when Peters slid in to dispossess Miller near the penalty spot, and despite appearing to win the ball, ref Cann surprisingly read Miller's theatrical tumble as a foul and awarded a spot-kick. Tempers flared in the heat of battle and as a melee formed like a mini-typhoon on the 18-yard spot, the hosts' Stuart Lewis took leave of his senses and felled Michael Morrison with either a fist or a headbutt. Whichever, it was definitely a red card offence, and the Boro midfielder was duly dismissed.

A penalty, a punch-up and a sending-off: NOW we had a proper local derby! Miller stepped up himself to take the pen in front of 1,500 jeering, gurning Cantabrigians, but the vagrant-haired number 10 made no mistake, sending Potter the wrong way to stroke home. 2-1.

Stevenage had to go for it, and made two more subs. Mitchell Cole came on for Lawrie Wilson, and Dobson, who had been mostly anonymous, was replaced by Ollie Allen, son of Clive, who towards the end of his playing career a few years ago had the choice of signing for the U's or for Sky Sports as a pundit. Needless to say he went for the easier and doubtless more remunerative option, and who can blame him; so it was in fact right at the end of his playing career, then.

We all know about the cliché that a side reduced to ten men plays better than eleven as it redoubles its efforts to compensate. This, combined with the speedy new boys and the hosts' determination to throw caution to the wind and chase the game, was to lead to a very different last twenty minutes to the seventy which had gone before.

Allen was initially a little too wound up and clattered Pitt at the cost of a booking on 72. He soon proved his footballing credentials, however, with a coruscating run down the right on 74 followed by a cut inside and a shot which was screaming for the top corner until brilliantly tipped over by Potter. This game was not won yet.

Stevenage threw men forward and United seemed caught on the back foot to an extent, giving away numerous silly free-kicks to increase the pressure on themselves. Albrighton narrowly stopped one through ball from finding Bramble's waiting trigger foot, and the big ex-U hammered a shot wide on 78. Three minutes later the hosts' pressure could so easily have paid off when Barry Fuller's cross from the right found Miller losing his marker, but his diving header somehow screwed wide from seven yards out. Phew.

JQ introduced fresh legs a minute later, Stephen Smith replacing the tireless Wolleaston, and although the hosts continued to press, United began to find opportunities to break. One such chance on 85 saw Rendell scoot clear from halfway down the right, then find Smith galloping up in support, and although Smudger skating around the advancing Julian, he was driven wide and could only shoot into the side netting.

A minute from time Robbie Willmott came on for the excellent Rendell, and he gained United some vital time with a terrific dribble resulting in a corner for his side. The hosts, however, continued to throw bodies forward as four added minutes were indicated, but United's inestimable defence stood firm like ten-foot terracotta soldiers.

There remained one booking for each side, Fuller for stupidly arguing with the ref, Quinton for clumsily upending Bramble, but spirited Stevenage could find no way through. United had broken their own record, and their deserved victory at the final whistle was greeted by ecstatic scenes in a packed away end as the chastened home fans sloped home. This season just keeps getting better and better. And finding a proper local derby again was just the icing on a very sweet cake indeed. Enjoy!

Statto Corner
United's eleven-game unbeaten start to the season beats their previous record of ten set in 1953-54 (as previously recorded) - and in 1925--26. Probably, at least; the date of one game from the latter season, against United Cantabs, remains unknown, although it was likely to have been later in the term.

The occasion of Abbey United's first Cambs League Division One defeat, on 20th February 1926, was all the more remarkable for the conduct of the opposition's goalkeeper. The U's were heading for a 4-2 beating by Gamlingay and late in the game their custodian, one Mr Hall, took offence at a spectator for stepping over the goal line, making an insulting remark towards him then hitting him. Not unnaturally, his victim hit him back and after they were separated, with no little difficulty, by some United officials, the referee ordered both protagonists from the ground. Apparently they stalked off to settle the matter elsewhere, followed by a substantial crowd. Men were men in those days; Paul Raynor would surely nod approvingly. Or more likely, foam quietly at the mouth.

There was a happy ending for United, who won the league by four points, scoring 103 goals in 26 games including an 8-0 hammering of Old Chesterton Rovers and an 11-1 slaughter of Cambridge Swifts. They also won the Creake Charity Shield into the bargain, defeating RAF Duxford 4-1 in the final. Now who said history was boring?

Player Ratings
Potter 8. Little to do for an hour, but did the business when it mattered.
Albrighton 9. The man is a truly awesome defender.
Peters 9. When the going got tough, so did he.
Morrison 8. Good, no-nonsense defending.
Gleeson 9. Superb display of the wing-back's art.
Wolleaston 8. All-action stuff.
Convery 8. Tidy as ever and topped with a brilliant first goal for the club.
Reed 8. Solid part of the United midfield which so dominated the first hour.
Pitt 7. Played his part, although some way from his best and his crossing was all too often substandard.
Rendell 8. The boy just cannot stop scoring. Tireless performance.
Fortune-West 9. Majestic and muscular, he terrorised the Stevenage defence and led the line superbly.

Quinton 7. Slotted in pretty well.
Smith 7. Solid team player.
Willmott 7. Another exciting, lively cameo.

Match Summary
The magnificent, mighty U's steamrollered much-vaunted Stevenage with a marvellous display of sustained power football that left the hosts' table-topping defensive record in tatters. They let them back into it in the last half-hour, but this team simply will not be beaten. Another away day to savour which will live long in the memory.

Man of the Match
Dan Gleeson. Immaculate: solid, reliable defending, constant creative outlet wide right, and tremendous crosses which created both goals. Textbook stuff.

Ref Watch
Cann 7. Cool, sensible ref who handed out the discipline when required but never took the limelight from the players. It was never a penalty, though.

Non-League Player's Name of the Week
Canada's Women's World Cup centre-back, Randee Hermus.

Soundtrack of the Day
Moby 'Extreme Ways'

The MP3 Files
Mark Peters lends an ear to the Broadhall Way sounds. "When I was a lad growing up in Flint, one of my favourite haunts for courting was the 'Bwgi-a-Go-Go' club at the Salvation Army Hall; kids would come from as far as Llandudno and Rhosllanerchrugog to dance the night away and enjoy a pint or two of Brains SB. One thing I particularly enjoyed - apart from the young ladies of course! - was the exciting mixture of disco and rock music that the DJ, Madoc the Mixtape, would play. And I was pleasantly reminded of those halcyon nights by the music I heard at Stevenage today!
"There were plenty of disco classics, by the likes of Earth, Wind & Fire, Edwin Starr, Billy Ocean, Tramps, Leo Sayer, KC & The Sunshine Band, even Blondie's 'Atomic,' and plenty of classic rock too from Foreigner, Santana, Bryan Adams, The Police, The Who, Status Quo and Queen. There's lovely! Throw in some modern stuff, too, like the Killers, OMD and that cheeky Lily Allen, and top entertainment is guaranteed. One mark deducted for playing that bloody Mika, though! Hwyl!" MP3 verdict: 9/10.

Andrew Bennett

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