Football: Grazioli bashes Barnet

GIULIANO GRAZIOLI had to be content with five goals rather than the six he was originally credited with as Peterborough United crushed Barnet 9-1 to set a Third Division record.

Grazioli, who was signed by the Posh manager Barry Fry after excelling for non-League Stevenage against Newcastle in the FA Cup last season, thought he had become the first player since West Ham's Geoff Hurst in 1968 to score six goals in an English League match. However, one of them was later credited to a team-mate. Hurst scored six against Sunderland in the old First Division in October 1968, the Hammers winning 8-0.

The demolition job Fry's team did on the club he took into the Football League beat the previous Third Division record for a victory, which also went to the away side when Scunthorpe won 8-1 at Torquay in October 1995.

Saturday's scoreline could have been even worse for the Bees had Peterborough's Mike Bodley not scored an own goal.

The Barnet manager John Still also had to endure the embarrassment of his team finishing the game with only nine players. Jonathan Ford was sent off for violent conduct after nine minutes and Warren Goodhind for serious foul play on the hour.