Rushden & Diamonds 2 Stevenage Borough 2

Match Report courtesy of Unofficial Rushden & Diamonds Website (1997-2001)

5th September 2000 – Nene Park (Attendance: 4048)

Diamonds Scorers: Burgess and Jackson.

Webmasters MoM: Jackson;

Match Report by Steffan

Rushden and Diamonds surrendered their 100% record to a 90th minute og at Nene Park tonight.

In an game lacking fluency, it was Stevenage who took the lead in a hectic three minute spell in the first half through Darren Hay after Defender Paul Underwood and Striker Justin Jackson had troubled Stevenage keeper Taylor with long range drives. The Stevenage striker found himself in acres of space to volley home after Boro’s midfielder was given similar room to cross on the right hand side.

Diamonds were level 9 minutes later on the half hour mark though as Burgess notched his 4th of the season with probably his second touch of the game, cheekily flicking the ball home from two yards from a Jon Brady corner as the ball by passed the melee of players in the box.

Diamonds had greater possession for the remainder of the second half but were lucky not to be behind again as it took an acrobatic save from Billy Turley to deny a audacious chip from Darren Hay.

Second half the Diamonds again started brightest and were in front within 4 minutes through Justin Jackson. Collecting the ball at half way from Shaun Carey, he ran at the Stevenage defence twisting and turning before finally beating the retreating Bunce with ease and despatching the ball past Taylor into the top corner for his 4th of the season.

Diamonds created one or two half chances as the game wore on but never really took control and at the death Stevenage piled on the pressure, with 4 corners in a row and it finally told as Boro drove the ball into the crowded penalty area where it fired through a melee of players and was cruelly deflected past the hapless Turley.