Boucard And Co In The Fry-er Pan

Last updated : 30 July 2003 By Rob Cooper
Barry Fry
Barry Fry was fuming at his side last night
Eighteen-year-old Reading midfielder Andre Boucard, currently on loan at Second Division Peterborough has had to suffer the wrath of Posh boss Barry Fry.

Fry, a famous footballing character, was absolutely livid at his side's atrocious performance against non-league Stevange last night. The London Road side were beaten 2-0 by Boro who fielded a team of reserves and trialists.

The old adage 'turn up at half two and you'll get a game' certainly proved to be true as Peterborough had to 'lend' several of their own players to Stevanage who couldn't field an entire eleven, so bad are their injury problems.

However Peterborough, equipped with Royals youngster Andre Boucard, were at full strength.

Youngster Dean Brennan opened the scoring after eighteen minutes when he fired a low shot past the helpless Mark Tyler in the Peterborough goal.

Andy Legg, a former Reading player who recently signed for the Posh, could have leveled the game but shot over the bar as the visiting side flirted with the idea of getting back into the game shortly before the break.

But three minutes into the second period the home side doubled their advantage. Nolan prodded the ball into the net from close range after some good work by Tony Scully. Scully plys his trade with the Posh but was wearing Stevenage colours for the night so the home side had a full compliment of players.

Boucard, who started the game, was taken off after sixty-nine minutes having put in a relatively good display. The skillful academy graduate, who could return to Reading in September was at the hub of much of Peterborough's good play.

After the game Fry lambasted his side for an inept display, a far cry from their 1-0 win over Arsenal of a few weeks ago.

"It was a Mickey Mouse performance," fumed Fry.

"They had a team thrown together yet they had more flow and cohesion to their play. I think our players thought it was going to be easy and it was far from that, their players were hungry to impress and they did.

"I didn't think Stevanage had two of their own players on the pitch, they are struggling with injuries and we had to give them some of our players," he added, speaking to theposh.com.

Meanwhile, Fry revealed that an injury sustained by striker Leon McKenzie is not serious.

"Leon shouted he had a tight hamstring, so it was pointless for him to stay on in a game like that. He hasn't pulled it, it was just precautionary," said Fry.

The former Crystal Palace striker has been linked with a £600,000 move to Reading recently. However, Alan Pardew is not likely to follow up any interest in the 25-year-old unless a move for Man City striker Shaun Goater falls through.