Stevenage Borough continued their fine run of form with an emphatic victory over crisis-club Weymouth on Saturday. The victory made it seven straight wins for Graham Westley’s side and extended the unbeaten run to 14 matches, stretching back to late November.

 

Westley kept the same 11 that had so comprehensively routed the league leaders, Burton Albion, in the FA Trophy last time out, with Mark Albrighton coming in to replace Gary Mills on the bench. Such is Borough’s strength in depth at the moment that new signing Jon Ashton had to watch the game from the stands.

 

It had been two weeks since Borough took to the pitch in anger, and in that period the inclement weather has meant that the training had been limited, and in truth it showed. But despite not being at their slick best, Borough showed enough of the attributes of tenacity, hard work and skill that have made them the league’s form side to brush aside Weymouth.

 

It took until the later stages of the first period for Borough to break the deadlock. Santos Gaia misjudged a long clearance that allowed Lee Boylan to run on to the loose ball. His initial effort was blocked but the ball ran to Andy Drury on the angle of the penalty area and his blistering drive gave Danny Knowles no chance.

 

Stevenage had to wait until the final five minutes to add to their tally. This time Drury was the architect. He won an important challenge on the edge of the Weymouth area, beat his marker before sliding the ball into the path of Steve Morison, who duly collected his 20^th Blue Square Premier goal of the season. The scoring was completed two minutes later when Michael Bostwick burst into the area to meet Peter Vincenti’s header, brushed aside Scott Doe and rifled a shot past Knowles.

 

Despite having their fair share of possession the home side failed to mount concerted pressure on the Borough goal. Their tactics seemed to be centred on long balls to the front men, who did their utmost to earn freekicks in dangerous positions.

 

The best that they could offer was a Santos Gaia hooked shot in the first-half that crashed against the bar and two second half efforts that forced Chris Day to show his worth. First he plunged to his right to scoop away a close-range header from Stuart Beavon and minutes later flung himself low to his left to tip a low drive from Stephen Reed just wide of the post.

 

As for Borough, they carved out enough chances to have won the match many time over as they constantly carved the home side apart with some incisive and positive football. Aside from the three goals there were nine other chances that on another day could well have found the back of the net. Drury volleyed wide on 13 minutes with the goal at his mercy and early in the second half mishit a shot from the edge of the area.

 

Top scorer Morison also had his quota of chances. He blazed over the bar after excellent build up work from Drury and Lee Boylan presented him with a clear shot on goal from ten yards, headed a cross from Scott Laird just wide from close range and shortly before Borough’s second was denied by Knowles when clean through, despite the goalkeeper already being on the floor.

 

Mitchell Cole, who looked back to his frightening best, ran the whole length of the midway through the second half but was eventually denied by an excellent save from Knowles.

 

After the enforced layoff this was always going to be a tricky fixture, so the victory was particularly welcome, ensuring that Borough kept the pressure on the teams chasing them as the season moves into its crucial final months.

 

STEVENAGE BOROUGH (4-4-2) Chris Day – R Henry, M Bostwick, M Roberts, S Laird – A Drury, D Bridges (Sub: L Wilson, 81), D Murphy (Sub: M Albrighton 75), M Cole – L Boylan (Sub: P Vincenti, 82), S Morison. Substitutes not used: A Bayes, C Willock. Booked: Murphy, Morison, Albrighton

Attendance: 1229