Saturday 16th September 2006 - U's 1-0 Stevenage: When Irish eyes are smiling

Great big Irish boy
Forty-six years old
Now that he's in charge
They'll do what they are told

Jimmy Jimmy
Jimmy Jimmy - oooh
Jimmy Jimmy
Come on, big Jimmy, we're ready to go

He'd bang them in for fun
Tread on his foe's head
Said goodbye to Reading
And went to the Posh instead

Jimmy Jimmy
Jimmy Jimmy - oooh
Jimmy Jimmy
Come on, big Jimmy, should've said no

Silly boy
Silly boy
Silly boy
Such a silly boy

Jimmy Jimmy
Jimmy Jimmy - oooh
Jimmy Jimmy
Come on, big Jimmy, save us from woe

Now big Jimmy's here
Shrews and Vics did OK
If he can work a miracle
We might just let him stay

Jimmy Jimmy
Jimmy Jimmy - oooh
Jimmy Jimmy
Come on, big Jimmy, your licence is Pro

Jimmy Jimmy
Jimmy Jimmy - oooh
Jimmy Jimmy
Sort us out, Jimmy, from head to toe!

There can be nothing more inspirational for a team than the knowledge that their next manager is watching them from the stands; ask the players of Sunderland. Jimmy Quinn might not beget the same cold-eyed fear that Roy Keane does (let's face it, who can, apart from Osama Bin Laden?) but there was no doubt that the United players knew they were under the closest scrutiny today in their local derby with old chums Stevenage Borough.

The day marked the hosts' last match under the temporary tutelage of Lee Power and Chris Turner, and both were given a rousing ovation. Big Chris is off on a cruise, and what a pleasure it has been to have the great man prowling, steely-eyed, around the place once more for a few fleeting weeks. Mr Chairman is off on honeymoon, and he marked the occasion by eschewing boring old suit and tie for proper training top and shorts. If only all chairmen were made this way.

The new boss was introduced, along with his assistant, Steve Castle, and we don't care how long they spent at London Road, honest, lads.

Final pre-match order of the day was a Conference-wide minute's silence in memory of Matt Gadsby, who collapsed and died at the age of 27 while playing for Hinckley Town last week, leaving a widow and small daughter; puts all our little troubles into perspective, doesn't it?

The United side showed just one change from Tuesday's encouraging draw with Kidderminster, the injured Danny Carey-Bertram replaced by Robbie Simpson. Tommy Jaszczun was available again after suspension but did not even make the bench due to Trevor Robinson's ever-improving performances in the left-back slot.

Stevenage, also under new management this term after Mark Stimson replaced the ever-charming, shy and retiring Graham Westley, have endured almost as underwhelming a start to the season as our own U's, with only one win in eight; their up-and-down run was emphasised in the most dramatic fashion this last week with a 6-0 win over Stafford Rangers followed three days later by a 0-4 battering at Aldershot.

Most notable name on Borough's team sheet was veteran left-winger Steve Guppy, still somehow only 37 years old although I could have sworn it was him providing the ammunition for Frank Worthington at Leicester back in the 1970s. Highest-impact new boy was Steve Morison, signed from Bishop's Stortford and quickly rising to the top of the goalscoring charts despite not being able to spell 'Morrison' properly. Ask our Michael, mate. A disappointingly paltry away following of less than 500 made the short trip from up the A1.

It has been a long time since United started a match by laying prolonged siege to their opponents' goal with high-tempo attacking football. But that was exactly what we got today, to the amber hordes' delight, with Jon Brady and Courtney Pitt providing the ammunition and twin towers Simpson and Marcus Richardson putting themselves about muscularly all over Stevenage's flimsy-looking back line.

Within a couple of minutes Brady, looking more fired-up than an industrial kiln against his former employers, had fired in a cross at which first Simpson then Pitt swung air-shots when presented with a clear close-range shot at goal, then Richardson repeated the trick from a cross by Pitt. Mr Quinn made his first notes: recommend compulsory eye tests for all players.

A brief breakaway saw ex-Cambridge City wingman Craig Dobson blaze over for the visitors, then the onslaught resumed. On 5 Brady swung in a free-kick from wide right which found Mark Peters' head at the far post; his intelligent nod sent the ball soaring back towards the far corner and as keeper Alan Julian gave it up, it cannoned agonisingly off the bar. Simpson pounced on the rebound but his point-blank shot was blocked by Marcio Dos Santos Gaia, the well-known Spanish hymn.

Roared on by the NRE, United kept the pace up, although their cause was not helped by two dreadful Pitt corners on 12 which barely made it to the first man at the near post; another note in JQ's little black book, perchance.

The U's should have been ahead on 14, however, as Rob Wolleaston's pinpoint cross found Richardson losing his marker and leaping unchallenged eight yards out; but his header bore all the accuracy of a Les Dawson piano recital and flew high and wide.

Note number three: extra heading practice for the big number 9.

The visitors almost responded by scoring themselves on 18, Dobson's corner headed on to Goodliffe whose soaring nod bounced off the top of the bar.

First indication that all was not well official-wise came on 21 when Pitt skipped past mouthy right-back Mark Beard, was brought down by a trailing leg in the area and fell clutching his knee... only for ref Fletcher to indicate that he was the only person in the stadium who believed that Courtney had dived and brandished a yellow card in his astonished face.

Borough did not take long to even up the bookings as their skipper Jason Goodliffe felled Simpson with all the finesse of a drunken lumberjack near halfway, although he had the temerity to blame pressure from the Habbin for his card. Robinson's floated free-kick set up Richardson for a poke at goal but Julian was able to clutch comfortably.

For all United's early pressure they might have been one down a minute later when Robinson slashed wildly and missed to send Morison away clear on goal. As he entered the box at full pelt, Paul Crichton coolly stood his ground, read the shot and blocked low to his right with his feet, and Robinson eventually cleared the danger, doubtless to his eternal relief.

Stevenage were enduring a torrid time, with Simpson outstanding as their chief tormentor, and Stimson took the unusual step of making a change with only 25 minutes on the clock, removing captain Goodliffe and introducing Luke Oliver, whose 6' 6' frame showed exactly where they deemed the danger to be.

Julian fumbled a Brady corner on the half hour and Richardson prodded home, but the ref inevitably gave the keeper a free-kick instead. Two minutes later, however, the long-deserved breakthrough finally came. Pitt won the ball on halfway, fed Simpson down the line, and with a superb turn he beat two men, headed for goal then fizzed over a low cross into the six-yard box; and there was Richardson, galumphing in to stick a foot in before his marker to send the ball joyously into the net before Julian could move. 1-0!

Five minutes later the man in black waved away United claims for a(nother) penalty when the ball seemed to hit Gaia's hand. Brady then thundered in from the right to see a goalbound effort blocked by the aptly-monickered John Nutter, and on 38 Simpson endured the worst tackle yet of the regular batterings he had been receiving with an horrendous clattering from behind from the hulking Dwaine Lee which left him in a crumpled heap and was worthy of more than the meagre yellow card he received. And it's spelt D-U-A-N-E, mate.

Brady blasted another effort over the bar, obviously aching to do something spectacular against his old club, and on 43 his free-kick found Richardson's head, but again he could not get any accuracy. On the stroke of half-time, though, came the most contentious moment of a passionate encounter.

Lee lost control of the ball on the edge of the United box and Ritchie Hanlon thundered in, two-footed, and won it. The ref, however, saw only Hanlon's studs and brandished an immediate red card with just a little too much relish.

Astonishment and consternation was the reaction from the home side; Lee had not been in possession of the ball, which had been loose, and Hanlon had won the ball fair and square. Lee's lame attempt at claiming that he had been hurt in the challenge was not even remotely convincing. Yes, the studs had been up, but they had not been aimed at anyone or anything but the ball.

Hanlon trudged disconsolately to the tunnel after his second dismissal in three games to a sympathetic ovation from the amber hordes. United hung on until half-time, Simpson dropping deep, and Lee Power summed up the passion of the new U's by hectoring the ref at close quarters until ushered away by the ever-cool Greg Reid. His team left the field to a standing ovation after a stunning display of committed, high-tempo, battling football that had not been without quality, either. Stirring stuff.

Simpson had been quite outstanding in the first half, but he had to be sacrificed for part two in favour of David Bridges as United settled into a 4-4-1; Richardson had a long, tiring 45 minutes of running and chasing ahead of him. Thankfully the hosts did not re-enter the fray in the tentative, negative mindset that has been their undoing on so many previous occasions when reduced to ten men.

Early exchanges were inconclusive, both sides taking their time to get going, and Borough wasted no time in removing Dobson on 53, who looked a little too lightweight for this level of football, and introducing a third striker in Chris Sullivan (not the former Blue Rondo A La Turk lead singer).

Within a couple of minutes Sullivan broke the offside trap and galloped down the middle after a through ball, but Rob Gier somehow got back and produced a trademark crunching but impeccably timed challenge to avert the danger. Now Stevenage began to apply some pressure, particularly down their left where Guppy might not have the legs to scamper down the wing anymore - he'd need a horizontal Stair Lift for that - but interacted well with his colleagues to produce some telling crosses into the box.

Now United really had to sweat. Fortunately they had some great characters in defence: cool keeper Crichton, the towering Peters who stood tall like a huge, hairy lighthouse, the scurrying Robinson, and best of all the tireless tackling, covering and blocking of Rob Gier, who seemed to have an extra leg half the time. No, missus, not like that.

Lee rolled a free-kick wide on 57 after Morrison was harshly adjudged to have fouled George Boyd, a striker who seems to be highly rated but never does anything against United to give an indication as to why. Now the crosses were raining in from both flanks, but United stood resolute and firm, Brady and Pitt slogging away helping the full-backs while Wolleaston and Bridges lent a hand in the centre.

And there was always Richardson available as an outlet up front. Having looked markedly unconvincing as a target man previously, he rose to the occasion admirably by his harrying, chasing, winning the ball and holding it up to bring colleagues into play and therefore relieve the pressure at the back. He gained his side a corner on 62, and two minutes later came oh-so-close to doubling his tally with a superb turn and shot which Gaia just deflected onto the foot of the post for another flag-kick.

At the other end Gier foiled Boyd with another exquisitely timed challenge, then Richardson sent Pitt away but he neglected to beat his man when bearing down on goal. United had weathered the visitors' storm and passed with flying colours.

Borough's final throw of the dice on 77 was to introduce a fourth striker, Tony Thorpe (remember him? What went wrong?) for Beard, fresh from a shameful bid to get Richardson in trouble by crumpling to the ground under a fair challenge then leaping to his feet in outrage when the ref refused to even consider a free-kick. Good riddance. Oliver was also playing more as a striker than a defender by now.

United, staying positive and confident, pushed forward again and gained another corner through Bridges which just evaded Morrison.

Richardson managed one more breakaway on 80, culminating in an exhaustedly scuffed shot, and he was replaced by Michael Gash to a thoroughly deserved ovation. If you had suggested that scene a year ago you'd have been carted off to the funny farm (or London Road, as it is more generally known).

The players looked to the crowd to help them through the last ten minutes, many plainly nearing exhaustion but exchanging words and gestures with the amber hordes to drive them on until the end. United had a team of over 2,000 tonight.

Most of the play was in the U's half for the last ten minutes, but Crichton had little to do except catch or punch the odd cross, so well protected was he by the heroes in front of him. Nonetheless, there were groans as RoboRef indicated a remarkable five minutes of added time. Liam Marum replaced Brady, utterly exhausted through sheer hard work and another deserving of tribute as he exited the field. Boyd collected the final booking for a foul on Gier, and in the end United hung on comfortably for a thoroughly merited first victory of the season. What a joy to hear 'Coconuts' once again, the sweetest sound in football.

This was a triumph borne out of old-fashioned values: hard work, organisation, desire, attitude, determination. And some talent, too. Jimmy Quinn must have been mightily impressed by the spirit and quality on show, and tribute should go not just to the players but to Messrs Power and Turner, who departed the training pitch after an unbeaten three-match run. And the supporters played a mighty part, too. If everyone involved can keep this up, JQ will find himself in the easiest job of his life. Here's hoping...

Oh, and United now sit above Stevenage, Kidderminster and Halifax in the table. Wilder out!

Player Ratings
Crichton 7. Marshalled his defence well; so well, that he had surprisingly few saves to make. But one brilliant stop made all the difference.
Gier 9. Massive, all-action performance from a guy who is shaping up to be the best right-back seen here since the much-underrated Ian Measham. Tackling and blocking that would stop a battalion of tanks.
Morrison 8. Good, steady foil to his mentor, Peters.
Peters 9. Colossal in every way, his every move said 'They shall not pass.'
Robinson 8. One bad error aside, Trevor can now be considered serious competition for Jaszczun. Has a knack of appearing from nowhere in the penalty area when danger threatens.
Brady 8. So 'up for it' I'm surprised he didn't explode, JB put in such lung-bursting effort that he was exhausted long before the end. But he just kept going.
Wolleaston 8. The cool head in the middle that United desperately needed in the second half.
Hanlon 7. Deeply unlucky to be sent off by RoboRef.
Pitt 7. Never hit the heights of Tuesday, but played his full part in an heroic team display. Still needs to work on those corners, though.
Simpson 8. United's best player in the first half in an exhibition of forward play so powerful that Stevenage were forced to haul their skipper off after 25 minutes because he couldn't cope with him. A glittering future awaits.
Richardson 9. Overcame his imperfections to lead the line in exemplary fashion.

Bridges 7. Hard-working contribution to the second half battle.
Gash 6. Put himself about for the last quarter of an hour.
Marum 6. Only on for a few minutes.

Match Summary
The season starts here. A stirring, passionate United performance brought a thoroughly deserved first win of the season, despite Ritchie Hanlon's dismissal and a robotic ref. Just keep it going, Jimmy.

Man of the Match
Marcus Richardson. Yes, he's clumsy. Yes, his touch isn't the best. But when the chips were down today, he personified the spirit of the whole team with more physical effort than an Olympic weightlifter, more running than a marathon runner and more determination than the Incredible Hulk. Led the line in magnificent style, always provided an outlet when needed, and scored the winning goal to boot.

Ref Watch
Fletcher 3. You can always tell the young refs; they're the ones who see everything in terms of black and white and will not even consider that they are ever in the wrong. Well, young man, you got far too much wrong today: Pitt's booking, Hanlon's dismissal, Lee's lenient yellow card. In other words, all the most important stuff. But he won't see it that way, and in a few years' time he'll be strutting around Old Trafford and Anfield with an even more inflated opinion of himself than he does now. Heaven help us all.

Soundtrack of the Day
Larrikin Love 'Happy As Annie'

Andrew Bennett

Now talk about it on the message board!

Previous match reports:
U's 1-1 Kidderminster
Forest Green 1-1 U's
U's 1-3 Exeter
Dagenham 2-0 U's
U's 1-2 Halifax
St Albans 1-1 U's
U's 0-1 Northwich Victoria

Pre-season match reports:
Histon 0-0 U's (3-4 on pens)
U's 1-3 Norwich
Fakenham 0-7 U's
Enfield FC 0-2 U's
Cambridge City 0-2 U's
U's 4-4 Ipswich
U's 0-4 West Ham
Bury Town 1-2 U's
Leyton 0-3 U's

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