The season so far…..Part 2

15 games and counting. That is all that remains of Stevenage Borough’s 2008/2009 Blue Square Premier campaign. Currently Boro are 3rd in the league after a 10 league game unbeaten run, which has seen them rise from mid-table to play-off challengers. Admittedly the teams around us have games in hand to make the points up and realistically we are still about in 8th or 9th position, but Boro are now looking settled and have put themselves in a position to gatecrash the play-offs come the end of April.

Part one of the season review closed with a 4-1 victory over Burton Albion at Broadhall Way. After that result, another 3 impressive wins were chalked up against Alrincham, Forest Green and Grays. Boro had got over their poor start and were now beginning to look like the side Graham Westley had spoke about pre-season. The team was now scoring goals and had a much more balanced look with the same team being played week in week out. After a good September, which seemed to recover much of the damage done in August, October started with a resounding defeat down in Devon. Boro didn’t turn up and were beaten convincingly by a stronger Torquay side.

After a poor result in Torquay, Boro needed to bounce back to keep the morale high. That they did when Mansfield visited Broadhall Way, live on Setanta. Boro took the lead through a Morison penalty, but allowed the Stags back into the game and within 3 minutes in the second half had gone 2-1 down. Westley’s side though showed character and thanks to goals from Mitchell Cole and Michael Bostwick won the game 3-2. It was a big boost for Stevenage. Inconsistency, which has been Boro’s problem for years, again was in evidence when Boro visited Eastbourne a few days later. More or less the same team didn’t perform anywhere near what they can and were punished late on with the hosts getting a last minute winner. A win at home against Salisbury followed before progress, just, in the FA Cup. Boro beating Horsham after a replay.

November began at a very very wet Kingfield. Woking, who again found themselves at the wrong end of the table hosted Boro for the 15th season in a row. Boro didn’t perform well, but did a professional job to grind out a 1-0 victory thanks to a Peter Vincenti wonder goal. That was as good as November got in what turned out to be a miserable month for the Hertfordshire club. A Cup exit at the Walkers Stadium to Leicester City followed. Boro were outclassed by a Leicester side who should still be in the Championship. Boro then went on a 4 game run where they only picked up 1 point from a possible 12. A home draw against lowly Northwich was followed by 3 straight defeats against Histon, Burton and Wrexham. I expect all 3 will be in the promotion picture at the end of the season.

There was a talk of a crisis at Broadhall Way. Steve Greaves left the club, Dino Maamria replaced him. Daryl McMahon and John Martin were transfer listed as Westley brought in Mark Roberts, Kieron St Aimie and Jordan Parkes. The introduction of Roberts made an immediate impact. Boro started to look more organised at the back and the goals against began to dry up. A poor performance against Lewes kicked off December, but this time Boro won the game 2-0. The worst game I have ever seen was next as Grays Athletic held Boro to a 0-0 draw at BHW. I walked out with 5 minutes still left to play. It was that bad.

After progression in the Trophy against neighbours St Albans, Boro travelled down to Oxford. Predictions of a heavy defeat were being put on BoroChat before hand, but Boro came back with a respectable 1-1 draw. David Bridges getting the Boro goal, on his return from a long spell out injured. That point at the Kassam was a big turning point in Stevenage’s season. A 3-1 win over Rushden was next as the team gave the fans something to celebrate for Christmas. Steve Morison was now beginning to hit form, just as the January transfer window was about to open. 2 days later came another morale boosting point as Westley’s team held rivals Cambridge 1-1 at the Abbey. Scott Rendell opened the scoring early on, but a Mitchell Cole penalty in injury time saved Boro. It felt more like a win than just a draw to be honest.

Slowly confidence was beginning to return to Broadhall Way and the New Year saw more arrivals as Darren Murphy and Jon Ashton joined in the transfer window. Boro were held by Rushden in the return fixture at Nene Park. Steve Morison scored a superb solo goal, but it wasn’t enough to get all 3 points and was cancelled out late on with Sam Smith bundling the ball over the line. A few days later and another victory, this time at home to Lewes. Boro were on another level that day and won the game comfortably. A win over Farnborough in the Trophy set up a home tie against BSP leaders Burton, but before that another win was secured when Boro beat Salisbury 4-2 at the Raymond McEnhill Stadium. Mitchell Cole grabbing himself a hat-trick in an impressive afternoon in Wiltshire. Kettering were the visitors a few days later and although the Poppies took the lead in the first half, Boro dug deep and showed grit and determination to come back and win the game. Darren Murphy and Peter Vincenti with the goals that sent Boro to 3rd in the league.

At the moment Boro are on a roll. 13 games unbeaten in all competitions is an impressive run and Graham Westley and co will be hoping to extend it on Saturday when they travel to Weymouth. If Boro go another 13 games unbeaten, then they may just sneak into the play-offs come May….