Stevenage Borough 3 Salisbury City 1

Stevenage Borough 3 Salisbury City 1

Blue Square Premier

Stevenage team: Day, Henry, Bostwick, Roberts, Laird, Drury (Beardsley, 81), Byrom, Murphy, Brough, Odubade (Ashton, 90), Griffin (Vincenti, 90).

Subs (not used): Long, Bayes (gk).

Scorers: Roberts (43), Griffin (60), Beardsley (82).

Booked: Brough, Laird.

Salisbury team: Bittner, Clohessy, Turley, Cox (Tubbs, 50), Brown, Sinclair, Clarke, Oastler, Anderson, Ruddick (Flood, 52), Webb.

Subs (not used): O’Hara, T. Osman.

Scorer: Flood (53).

Booked: Clohessy, Oastler.

Att: 2,009.

Ref: A.E. Rayner (Loughborough).

FORMER Salisbury City striker Charlie Griffin’s goal proved decisive as the Whites fell to their first defeat in six games at Broadhall Way.

Manager Tommy Widdrington went with just four substitutes, with numbers stretched further by the suspension of Ryan Tafazolli and second-choice goalkeeper Grant Porter opting to leave the club in the week.

Matt Tubbs and Chris Flood were left on the bench as City tried to frustrate the in-form Borough, and they almost got to half-time with the score at 0-0.

Stevenage should have taken the lead in the 16th minute when Andy Drury broke into the box and squared for Yemi Odubade but he mishit his shot and James Bittner gathered comfortably.

The opening goal came two minutes before half time, Mark Roberts chasing a long free kick from Drury and heading the bouncing ball over the stranded Bittner.

Tubbs and Flood were introduced to the fray early in the second half, and Flood made an instant impact, scoring with his first touch by tapping in a Stuart Anderson through ball.

The Whites had little opportunity to build on it though, as Griffin put Borough back in front just seven minutes later.

Odubade got away down the left and squared to the targetman, who scored 21 goals for Salisbury last season.

He took a touch before firing a low shot past Bittner.

Chris Beardsley made a similar impact to Flood when he came on with nine minutes to go and netted the killer third goal 20 seconds later, again from an Odubade ball.

Darrell Clarke was pulled down in the box with five minutes to go, but his appeals for a penalty fell on deaf ears, and Rob Sinclair had a header saved as the Whites refused to give up.

“I thought the lads applied themselves ever so well, and if we could have got in at half time goalless, we might have got something,” said Widdrington.