Tarky finds magic touch
Reporter: MATTHEW CHAMBERS
Date published: 20 February 2013
Photo: Pictures: Max Flego .
LEADING BY EXAMPLE . . . captain Dean Furman celebrates his goal for Athletic.
Stevenage 1, Athletic 2
A YELLOW warning sign may as well have been placed in the centre circle last night: “Watch out: slippery fixture”.
A long midweek trip to Hertfordshire after a monumental effort to peg back one of the Premier League’s most robust clubs - even the most optimistic fan wouldn’t have expected a win.
And with six changes made to the line-up that drew with Everton, optimism among supporters fell even more.
The pessimism appeared to have some justification during a first period in which Athletic were pedestrian.
Gary Smith’s muscular side dominated. Boro took a ninth-minute lead through James Dunne’s shot from the edge of the area, following a poor clearance by James Tarkowski.
They could also have had further goals to show for their superiority, with the visitors still mentally on board the team coach. Athletic’s best chance fell to right-back Cliff Byrne, who headed a Matt Smith nod-back on to the top of the crossbar.
Then came the magic moment. The replacement of ankle-injury victim Carl Winchester by vice-captain James Wesolowski shaped the rest of the night.
The second half was less than a minute old when Dean Furman slammed home an equaliser after a surge into the area in front of Athletic’s small army of travelling fans.
The goal set the tone. With Wesolowski snappier than a crocodile with a camera. Midfield battles were suddenly being won and man-of-the-moment Smith found himself able to lay the ball off to players in close support. Stevenage had no answer.
Lee Barnard forced ex-Boundary Park custodian Chris Day to scoop out a shot from a Smith pass and after the tall striker had turned with surprising nimbleness before hitting a shot Day had to tip over, Tarkowski powered in a header from the resulting corner.
Even further injuries to Wesolowski and Byrne didn’t hamper the visitors too much.
Stevenage inevitably built a head of steam in the latter stages. Athletic’s defence remained solid.
After two straight league wins, there is no arguing at the moment. Tony Philliskirk knows best.
