A goal each from new strikers Charlie Griffin and Chris Beardsley was enough to earn Borough a victory as they commenced their pre-season campaign at Chelmsford Sports and Athletic Centre on Tuesday evening. Griffin was the sole new boy to make the starting eleven as Graham Westley opted for a familiar side .

A low-key opening half hour in which Borough were comfortably in control was marked only by a series of dreadful challenges from the home side, that on another occasion would have seen a flurry of red cards. The chief victim was Ronnie Henry who was flattened twice within a minute, first by a late challenge from Anthony Cook and then moments later an even worse tackle from behind by Danny Bunce. Mitchell Cole also came in for some harsh treatment from right back, Matt Lock.

The home side took the lead in a rare foray forwards on 28 minutes when Danny Hockton curled a shot just inside the foot of Chris Day’s left-hand post after exchanging passes with Cook. The lead was however to be short lived as Borough struck back three minutes later. Andy Drury’s pinpoint pass found Griffin eight yards from goal and the striker opened his Borough account with a low drive past Ashley Harrison.

Borough started the second half strongly and almost edged in front on 54 minutes when half-time substitute Darren Murphy met a free kick from Andy Drury with a bullet header that Harrison did well to tip over the bar.  Thereafter a flurry of substitutions disrupted any semblance of pattern as amongst the numerous changes Yemi Odubade, Joel Byrom, Stacy Long and Chris Beardsley all made their first appearance in a Borough shirt.

Just when the game looked to be petering out, Beardsley latched on to the end of a deep cross from Long to send a looping header over Harrison that nestled in the far corner of the net. Michael Bostwick almost doubled the advantage moments later with a blistering free kick that glanced off a defender and just cleared the bar.

All in all it was a useful opening workout for what looks to be a very strong Borough squad. However that belief will come under greater scrutiny when Borough host League One Brighton & Hove Albion at the Lamex Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

STEVENAGE BOROUGH (4-4-2) C Day (Sub: A Bayes, 74) – R Henry (Sub: L Wilson, 77), J Ashton (Sub: D Murphy, 46), M Roberts (Sub: M Albrighton, 72), S Laird (Sub: E Odhiambo, 77) – A Drury (Sub: S Long, 72), M Bostwick, D Bridges (Sub: J Byrom, 60),  M Cole (Sub: Y Odubade, 55) – L Boylan (Sub: J Anderson, 69), C Griffin (Sub: C Beardsley, 64).