City 3 Stevenage 0
The great 1920s revival continues. We have had stock market crashes and bank failures, and now it’s time for Leicester to play in the 1st round of the FA Cup for the first time since the 1924/25 season.
The run-up to the match was all just slightly odd: ticket prices which gave no incentive to season ticket holders. no ability to buy tickets online, the whole ground open for fewer than 8,000 spectators, the booths running out of programmes 15 minutes before kick-off, no Foxes TV in the public areas of the ground. It felt as though the club itself had not quite come to terms with starting the FA Cup this side of Christmas. Such small gripes aside, the key question was – would the team come to terms with it?
After a respectful minute’s silence for Remembrance Day, the teams lined up for kick-off. Stevenage in white shirts with red trim and red shorts, resplendent with the word “Megaman” written on each chest. This is not, apparently, a piece of obscure sports psychology, but is the name of their sponsor.
Leicester gave an immediate start to Marc Edworthy, signed this week, at right back. That aside, the line-up was a variation of the regular “first-team”, with Henderson in goal, Mattock at left back, Tunchev and Kisnorbo centre backs, Oakley and Berner in centre midfield, King at right wing, Dyer at left wing, and Fryatt and Howard up front. Each team had seven subs on the bench, and it was curious to hear that Leicester had two right-wingers (Gradel and Adams) on the bench, whilst King was picked for that position, a new role for him.
The line-up changed quickly after Kisnorbo was gently pushed after just two minutes, and either the resulting fall or a prior injury caused him to be substituted just two minutes later – replaced by Morrison….
Stevenage started in a very lively fashion, and dominated the game for the first 20 minutes or so. They were sharper to the ball in midfield, and had the first corner and first couple of half chances as City looked a little slow and disjointed. For all their industry, Stevenage did not create a good goal chance, and after around 20 minutes City began to gain some composure.
This coincided with King and Oakley swapping roles – King reverting to his more usual central position, and Oakley taking the wide role. Whether it was that tactical change, or Stevenage running out of steam after their high-speed start was unclear, but from then on City began to look like the League side, and Stevenage to look like the underdogs.
City began to make half-chances, before Dyer opened the scoring in the 37th minute. Dogged work by Oakley led to the ball breaking in midfield to Fryatt, who took it 50 yards to the right by-line before crossing for Dyer to shoot untidily home from 6-yards. It was a well-executed move: 1-0 to City.
City continued to be the better side, but Stevenage continued to pass the ball around and there was no sign of their heads dropping, indeed just before half-time Stevenage had their best chance of the match, with their Morrison shooting the ball straight at Henderson from short range after a corner.
Half-time score: 1-0 to City. It was a deserved lead, but Stevenage had made a contest of it.
Stevenage replaced Drury with Cole at half-time; City remained unchanged.
The second half was dominated by City possession, with the midfield getting a lot of space as Stevenage chased the game, but without the energy they showed in the first 20 minutes of the match. City created numerous chances, and after 52 minutes, Mattock –who was impressive throughout the game – won the ball with a skilful trick and released Dyer, who took on and passed his defender down the left wing, before squaring for Fryatt to curl the ball inside the far right-hand post from the edge of the box: 2-0 to City.
One thing I like about Andy King is that whenever he gets the ball within 40 yards of the goal, he always shapes as if he might shoot, and defenders who have done their homework know that in such circumstances, he just might score too. In the 69th minute, he played a one-two about 20 yards out and then played – what was it? A flick? A chip? A deliberate slice? I’m not sure what to call it, but from the outside of his right boot, the ball rose over and behind the stranded keeper, to hit the underside of the bar and drop in for a goal: 3-0 to City. Whatever it was, it was an extraordinary piece of skill by King.
Stevenage made a double-substitution in the 74th minute: Willock for Vincenti and Oliver for McMahon. In the 78th minute, City changed their forwards – with DJ Campbell and Dickov replacing Fryatt and Howard. Fryatt may have wished the switch had come a couple of minutes earlier, as his last act of the game was a spectacular miss when he had an open goal from 18 yards out.
The final 20 minutes saw City easing off. Stevenage had a couple of half-chances, but City were comfortable. The 3-0 result was probably about right.
Once they got going, City played well. Oakley and King were industrious once they had switched roles. Edworthy had a good debut. He was not tested much in defence, but he got forward a lot and provided more width than Oakley. Howard had a good game too, providing the target for City’s clearances – indeed City looked far less of a threat once he had been substituted.
I must leave my final comments to praise Stevenage. They came to play football, and whilst overall they were outclassed, they kept playing football, keeping their shape and passing the ball for the whole game. And their fans were outstanding – clearly enjoying their “day out”. They out-chanted the home fans, and they were sporting in how they responded to City’s eventual dominance.
What will I remember from what I hope to be the only 1st round FA Cup match I ever see live? Well, I think it will be King’s wonder-goal – and the Stevenage team and their supporters.
Leicester: Henderson, Edworthy, Tunchev, Kisnorbo (Morrison 5), Mattock, Dyer, Oakley, Andy King, Berner, Fryatt (Dickov 78), Howard (Campbell 78). Subs Not Used: Adams, Hayles, Gradel, Martin.
Goals: Dyer 37, Fryatt 52, Andy King 69.
Stevenage: Day, Bostwick, Albrighton, Henry, Anaclet, Drury (Cole 46), Wilson, Vincenti (Willock 74), Mills, Morison, McMahon (Oliver 74). Subs Not Used: Bayes, Laird, Thomas, Martin.
Booked: Bostwick.
Att: 7,586 Ref: Darren Drysdale (Lincolnshire).
The views expressed in this report are the opinions of the Trust member nominated to file the report only and do not represent the views of the Foxes Trust organisation