FC Boro

Stevenage continued their impressive start to pre-season with a 2-1 victory over Brighton. I didn’t get to the game, but after reading the reports on the forum and Comet it sounds like it was a well deserved win over the League 1 opposition. Even some Brighton players, media and fans on their message board have stated that Boro were well worth the victory and the team looked good enough to be a league side.

“Defeat this early to a sharp, lively and energetic Stevenage Borough outfit need not put a dampener on things. The Conference side were good value for their win.” Brighton Argus

Things are looking really good at Broadhall Way at the minute. It reminds me of the ‘buzz’ that was around the club when Mark Stimson’s Stevenage went top early in the 2007/2008 campaign. Graham Westley’s new signings seem to have settled in straight away and the team is improving all the time. Stacy Long seems to be the name that keeps cropping on the forum. I said when he signed that he would be a good signing as he is a technically gifted player, but if I’m honest, I couldn’t see where he fitted in the current team? However, he has begun his Boro career superbly with a good cameo appearance on Wednesday at Chelmsford as well as starring on Saturday. I think he’ll be an important player in the coming season, which doesn’t bode well for Peter Vincenti?

Next up for Boro is a trip to non league opposition on Tuesday night. This time it’s Cambridge City at Milton Road and I expect it will be a mixed squad that face the Southern League side. With Millwall on Saturday, GW will not want to over exhaust his players so I think it will be a ‘reserve’ team to start, before more first teamers come in at the later stages. Players like Peter Vincenti, Eddie Odhiambo and Jerome Anderson may get their chance to impress after limited action so far this pre-season and they are 3 players that need to prove the most.

Cambridge City go into the game after a 1-1 draw against Mildenhall Town. So far, City have played 3 games against Cambridge Utd, Biggleswade Town and Mildenhall respectively and drew with them all. They began their campaign against the other team in Cambridge and held the Blue Square Premier side to a 2-2 draw. City finished 4th last season in the Southern League, but lost out in the play-offs. They are not a bad side, but they shouldn’t give Boro a big problem tomorrow night. City are the lowest team in the pyramid that Boro will face this pre-season and it should mean that GW’s side get a nice workout and a few goals as well which will give the attackers some confidence.

Directions to Cambridge City FC

Stevenage Squad

Ashley Bayes, Chris Day, Lawrie Wilson, Scott Laird, Ronnie Henry, Jon Ashton, Mark Roberts, Mark Albrighton, Eddie Odhiambo, Michael Bostwick, Stacy Long, Peter Vincenti, David Bridges, Darren Murphy, Andy Drury, Mitchell Cole, Joel Byrom, Yemi Odubade, Jerome Anderson, Lee Boylan, Charlie Griffin, Chris Beardsley

Prediction: Cambridge City 1-4 Boro