STEVENAGE BOROUGH 2 KETTERING TOWN 0

 

It was hard-earned three points for Borough against a tenacious Kettering Town side at The Lamex Stadium on Saturday afternoon. A second-half brace from stacy Long saw of the challenge of a Kettering side that save for the games dying five minutes rarely troubled Stevenage.

 

With Scott Laird serving the final game of his two match suspension, manager Graham Westley sprung a surprise when he selected winger Mitchell Cole to fill in at left back. New signing from Torquay United, Tim Sills, took his place on the bench, while Lee Boylan and Chris Beardsley continued their partnership up front.

 

The game itself was a slow burner with the first 15 minutes a battle of attrition in the centre of the park as both sides struggled to gain the upper hand. Borough’s first effort came on 15 minutes when David Bridges half volleyed wide from 20 yards. As Borough increased the intensity the chances began to appear. Stacy Long curled a freekick from the edge of the area round the wall, but Nathan Abbey saved comfortably to his right and Bridges spurned the best chance of the first quarter when he side footed tamely at Abbey from 12 yards.

 

There was a brief interruption on 22 minutes when Jon Ashton and Andre Bouchard both went down after a sickening clash of heads – both players forced to leave the field, neither would return. Byrom joined the fray as a replacement for |Ashton, with Bostwick moving into the back four.

 

Still the chances continued to come for the home side. Boylan scuffed his effort from eight yards, allowing Abbey to make a comfortable save. The best that a lacklustre Kettering had to offer was a Marcus Kelly freekick that cleared both the crossbar and stand behind the goal.

 

Borough should have taken the lead on 34 minutes when Long slide Boylan free in the area, his initial shot was parried by Abbey, Beardsley’s follow up effort appeared destined for the back of the net until James Jennings hacked the ball off the line. Borough still held total sway over proceedings but could not find the breakthrough against an increasingly rugged Kettering side. Long flashed a low drive across goal, which was hacked clear and from the ensuing corner Bridges had the goal gaping but headed straight into the arms of Abbey.

 

The second half began in much the same vein with Borough in control but Kettering defending tenaciously. When the chance came, it again fell to Bridges and unfortunately again it went begging. Borough broke well down the right with Henry, the ball passed through Long and Odubade and fell to Bridges ten yards from goal, but with the whole goal to aim at he sidefooted tamely over the bar.

 

With half an hour remaining Westley turned to new signing Sills, who joined the action in place of Odubade, and the impact was immediate. Bridges sent in a deep cross from the left, Sills headed it back into the path of Long, who drilled a low shot past the despairing dive of Abbey.

 

With their noses in front Borough rather took their foot off the gas and although they still had the bulk of possession Kettering were beginning to show sparks of life as an attacking force. As the game edged towards its closing moments the visiting side began to commit more men forward and even threw on centre back Greg Taylor as a makeshift striker. It all lead to a unnecessarily nerve wracking final few minutes for Stevenage.

 

But with Kettering pressing forward it was no surprise that they were often left short at the back and in the final minute Borough broke clear and Long maintained his composure to round Abbey and slide the ball home. All in all a thoroughly deserved three points for Borough that maintained their grasp at the top of the Blue Square Premier.

 

STEVENAGE BOROUGH (4-4-2) C Day – R Henry, J Ashton (Sub: J Byrom, 23), M Roberts, M Cole – S Long, M Bostwick, D Bridges, Y Odubade (Sub: T Sills, 60) – L Boylan (Sub: P Vincenti, 73), C Beardsley. Substitutes not used: A Bayes, M Albrighton. Booked: Henry