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Monday, October 06, 2008, 09:17
In-form Stevenage Borough, who had started to believe their own pre-season favourites' rating, were put to the sword in no uncertain terms at Plainmoor on Saturday.
The driving wind and rain not only tested resolve, technique and concentration, but the conditions somehow brought fans and team together.
Nobody minds getting a bit wet when there's value for money, and more, out on the pitch.
United, with the wind behind in the first half, could and should have been a couple of goals up by the interval.
Borough, who boasted a free-scoring attack led by eight-goal Steve Morison, the Blue Square Premier's September Player Of The Month, didn't have an attempt of any description until the 49th minute.
There was a 15-minute spell early in the second half when the visitors, taking their turn with the elements at their backs, threatened to cash in.
But one top-class save by United's new loan goalie Scott Bevan and a crucial hook off his line by Steve Woods kept Stevenage out.
And once Chris Robertson had headed Torquay into a 67th minute lead, there was no holding them.
Goals by Tim Sills, his fourth of the season, and Nicky Wroe, his first goal for the club, confirmed their superiority.
There were stand-out performances in several positions.
Wayne Carlisle had probably his best game on the right wing since his summer move from Exeter City.
Kevin Nicholson, encouraged by his solid recall in the 1-1 draw at Wrexham seven days before, was back to his best days of last season at left-back.
And Wroe and Chris Hargreaves in midfield continued to develop into a combination which could prove so important in the months ahead.
They weren't the only plusses by any means.
Manager Paul Buckle had taken one look at the conditions when he arrived at the ground and promptly changed the team he had in mind.
He had already decided to go with a 4-4-2, instead of the three-centre-back 3-4-3 formation which he'd used in the 1-1 draw at Wrexham the previous weekend. Lee Hodges was the unlucky man left out in defence.
But Buckle also changed personnel in at least one position in attack, recalling Roscoe Dsane on the left wing.
Strictly speaking, the right-footed Dsane was out of position, but he did a good job there, threatening to go outside his man as well as inside. And, as a striker, he always looked as if he might grab a goal.
As soon as fans had observed a 30-second silence and 30-second applause in memory of former Plainmoor legend Tommy Northcott and vice-chairman Tony Cavanna, United were on the attack.
Dsane was inches away from finishing off a good low cross by Carlisle.
Dsane, Robertson, Sills and Matt Green several times all went close to forcing the breakthrough.
Borough 'keeper Chris Day was their man of the match.
In the space of four minutes midway through the first half Day first blocked Green's volley on the turn from close range and then arched back to tip another shot from the former Cardiff youngster up and over the angle of post and bar.
Green must have wondered what he had to do to score.
Stevenage had hit 15 goals in their previous six games, so there was little chance of keeping them quiet for all 90 minutes.
Just before half-time United defender Steve Woods came up with two valuable defensive headers to concede corners.
And early in the second half, clearly thinking that they might have survived the worst, Stevenage had a bit of a go.
Luke Oliver's header wide from a corner was still their first effort at goal.
But then Morison missed the target when a Woods clearance which rebounded off Mitchell Cole put him clear.
In quick succession Hargreaves blocked a shot from Morison and Bevan made light of his 6ft 6in frame to get down and push Peter Vincenti's drive behind. It was a top-drawer save.
And, on the hour-mark, Woods just got back and hooked off his own line from Morison.
In fairness to United, it wasn't as if they had exactly packed up in attack.
Hargreaves sent a diving header wide when a Nicholson cross flicked off a defender.
And Green's first touch let him down when Sills set up a good chance in the 57th minute – it gave Mark Albrighton a split-second to get a brave block in.
It had developed into a cracking contest, with Carlisle an increasing threat on the right and Nicholson starting to deliver a stream of telling balls from the left.
In the 65th minute Wroe sent a half-volley over when he probably should have hit the target after Carlisle nodded down Dsane's left-wing cross.
But United had only two more minutes to wait for a richly deserved goal.
Nicholson drove a left-wing corner to the far-post, Hargreaves headed the ball back and there was Robertson to power home an eight-yard header…1-0.
With Bevan quick off his line to snuff out any through-balls which threatened to catch his defence out on the greasy surface, United could crank up the pressure at the Ellacombe End. And they did.
Day denied Dsane at the far-post from Mansell's cross and Hargreaves headed a Nicholson corner over, and that was in the three minutes between Robertson's opener and the second goal.
Then, Wroe set up Carlisle for a cross from the right, Sills's first header was blocked by a defender, but he was alert to the second chance and launched a second header over Day and into the net…2-0.
Sills' effort came almost all from the neck. Tommy Northcott himself would have approved.
Borough boss Graham Westley made three substitutions in an effort to salvage something over the last 20 minutes, and right winger Jerome Anderson's fresh legs caused a problem or two.
But United were in no mood to let their opponents back into a match they had worked so hard to win.
The 'coup de grace' was administered in the 87th minute.
Stevenage could not clear another Nicholson cross, after good work by Dsane, Wroe seized on the chance and belted a right-foot angled volley home from 15 yards…3-0.
That was a goal which should breathe fresh confidence in the former Barnsley and York player, who hadn't yet shown what a strong shot he possesses.
That's five wins from six games and 16 points from 18. The corner seems to have been turned! Old enemies Oxford are next up at Plainmoor on Thursday night…
