FC Boro

Lee Boylan’s strike on the hour may just be one of the most important goals scored at Broadhall Way this season. The one goal was enough to see off a Woking side, who lacked any sort of attacking threat, but gave a honest performance which may help them in their fight against relegation in the coming weeks. Boro weren’t great, certainly not up to the standard of recent weeks where they have blown their opponents away with an attacking, flowing style, but sometimes you need to dig results out in adverse conditions and Boro did that last night. It was what is called a ‘professional’ performance.

Graham Westley decided to stick with the same side that beat Forest Green on Saturday in the Trophy. Ashley Bayes kept his place in goal with No 1 Chris Day still struggling. Woking, who are finding it difficult in front of goal at the moment came to BHW looking for a draw and their team selection reflected this. Gilchrist gave Danny Knowles a debut in goal, after his move from Weymouth and partnered loan signing Rob Elvins up front with French striker Wilfried Domoraud.

Boro were fairly dominant throughout and had the clearer chances to score. Woking were reduced to long range efforts and didn’t really trouble Bayes all night. At the other end, the attacking quartet of Steve Morison, Lee Boylan, Mitchell Cole and Andy Drury were doing their best to open the scoring, but were not clinical enough in front of goal to give Boro a deserved lead. In the second half it was more of the same, although the home side lost a bit of their rhythm with Ronnie Henry and Darren Murphy both going off injured. On came Lawrie Wilson and Jon Ashton, the latter for his debut.

Woking were working hard, but couldn’t keep Stevenage from coming back into their half and the dominance finally paid off when Boylan latched onto a pass from substitute Wilson and finished clinically to give the Hertfordshire side the lead. It’s very important for both Boro and the player that Boylan keeps fit in the run in. His goals could be vital as we approach the last 10-12 games and if we are to get in to the play-offs then we need that “fox in the box” type of striker. Boro held on to their slender advantage, although they could of extended their lead further had Steve Morison not wasted his chance late on. In the end though it didn’t matter and Boro have now gone 16 games unbeaten, winning their last 9. Bring on Altrincham on Saturday!