BARROW 0 – 0 STEVENAGE BOROUGH

Stevenage will be travelling back down the M6 wondering quite how they failed to win all three points from a dominating performance at Holker Street on Saturday. After containing the home side for the first half Borough moved through the gears in the second half, spurning enough chances to have won half a dozen games. That said they still remain unbeaten, which is a vast improvement on last year’s opening, but they will feel that they deserve far more from their opening three outings.

There were three changes from Tuesday evening’s match at Hayes & Yeading with Ashley Bayes replacing the injured Chris Day and Jon Ashton and David Bridges coming in for Lee Boylan and Andy Drury.

As has been the norm this season to date the first half was a largely soulless affair, with only two serious chances carved out by Borough. Mitchell Cole spurned the half’s best opportunity, shooting weakly from eight yards after being set up by some excellent work from Ronnie Henry. The other chance of note fell to his strike partner Charlie Griffin, whose half volley from the edge of the area took a deflection that took the power from his effort and allowed Stuart Tomlinson to save comfortably.

For the home side lone striker Jason Walker was a handful, but seemed more concerned with tussling with the Borough rearguard than playing football, while his team-mates seemed equally keen to ensure that as many Borough players as possible entered the referee’s notebook – Henry and  Wilson collecting harsh bookings.

Ten minutes into the second half Ashton raced down the right, swung in a delightful cross to the far post that Darren Murphy headed just over the bar. Then Cole had two very similar opportunities within a couple of minutes, both set up by admirable work from Lawrie Wilson. Twice he surged down the line leaving Sean Newton trailing in his wake. On both occasions he squared the ball perfectly for Cole lurking ten yards from goal, first time he poked his shot weakly wide, but the second time he showed greater composure, took a touch and sent a low drive that looked destined for the bottom corner until Tomlinson flung himself to his left to tap clear.

Still the chances continued to come for the visiting team. Tomlinson missed a corner from Andy Drury, but there was no Borough player on hand to capitalise. Wilson was again instrumental in Borough’s next, surging through the centre of the park, feeding Cole, but he spoiled his efforts by tapping wide with the goal gaping after Tomlinson spilled Cole’s cross into his path.

It was that man Cole who spurned the next opportunity, firing over the bar after a Scott laird through ball found him ten yards from goal. There was a brief respite for the home side as a short spell of pressure ended when Carlos Logan sent a diving header over the bar after a cross from Paul Rutherford found him free at the far post.

But Borough soon resumed their domination and excellent interplay between the two substitutes, Peter Vincenti and Andy Drury sent Vincenti clear in the box, but the midfielder dragged his shot into the side netting, and that was really it for Borough. So in a game where tactically Stevenage had got it spot on they were forced to settle for a share of the points.