Toothless Boro held at Holker Street

Today was another game where Stevenage were held by opposition you would expect to be beating if your side are serious challengers for promotion. It hasn’t been the start that Graham Westley would of been hoping for. After last season started slowly, they ended the campaign strongly to finish the season in the play-offs and it looks like Westley may have to repeat the trick again this season to try and win promotion.

Nothing like trying to stay positive though?

“Stevenage continued their unbeaten record as they dominated proceedings at Holker Street.” Stevenage Borough Official Site

A positive to take from the game is that it sounds like they dominated the game and should of won comfortably. The problem they have the minute is that the attack is not functioning as it was hoped it would in pre-season. Charlie Griffin has struggled in his first few games and doesn’t look to be linking up well with Boylan or Cole. I didn’t think the Griffin move would work unless Boro changed their game to a more direct style and they seem to have done that, but it is affecting the rest of the team and as Griffin isn’t in form to compensate the lack of football being played.

Graham Westley named a surprising team to start against Barrow. Chris Day missed the game with a thumb injury, so Ashley Bayes came in with former Crawley goalkeeper Simon Rayner on the bench. Jon Ashton partnered Mark Roberts at the back while Michael Bostwick moved into midfield alongside Darren Murphy and David Bridges. Wilson started out wide in place of Andy Drury who was dropped to the bench along with Lee Boylan. Joel Byrom returned to the squad on the bench also. Stacy Long was surprisingly left out altogether with Peter Vincenti making another late appearance. I don’t really understand Westley’s logic in signing Long if he isn’t going to play him and when he does in the wrong position. It looks like it could be another case of a quality player suffering with GW due to a personality clash?

Stevenage look like they have controlled the game today and missed chances which denied them taking all 3 points. Mitchell Cole missed four chances which maybe with a bit more confidence, he would of scored. Although Barrow were second best for most of the game, they came closest to winning the game late on when Carlos Logan hit the bar with a header. Boro also had another chance late on when Peter Vincenti went through on goal, but his shot went wide and confirmed that Boro would have to settle for their 3rd straight draw so far this season. Although it was a better performance, Stevenage need to start scoring goals if they want promotion this season.