FC Boro

Its the battle of 17th versus 18th in the Blue Square Premier tomorrow night. Boro are still unbeaten, but have struggled so far this term, while opponents Ebbsfleet are still finding their feet after a traumatic summer which saw just 3 players remain from last season’s squad. Even their official website is having problems at the minute! The MyFC experiment doesn’t seem to have worked as hoped and due to a lack of interest, budgets were slashed across the board in the summer. Liam Daish was left with a fraction of the budget he had last season and been forced to allow players to leave the club as a result.

Both sides are still looking for their first win of the season, with Boro drawing all 3 of their games so far this campaign and Ebbsfleet drawing 2 and losing 1. It looks like tomorrow night’s game has a draw written all over it?

While Ebbsfleet have struggled to keep their squad together, the opposite has happened at Broadhall Way although the departure of one particular player from Hertfordshire is having a bigger affect than some had previously thought. The biggest problem so far this season for Graham Westley’s side is scoring goals. It was always going to be difficult to replace Steve Morison, but Boro have struggled to adapt to life without the confident captain. It just shows now how much Boro miss Morison. In fact it was the same problem this time last season. Morison got sent off on the opening day against Wrexham and missed the next 3 matches as a result. Boro didn’t function at all in them 3 games and lack of goals was the main problem too.

Westley has to address the problem sooner rather than later. The Griffin project hasn’t worked so far because the way Boro play doesn’t suit his style. GW is trying to adapt the whole way Boro play rather than sign a striker that suits Boro’s style of last season. I think that is why the attacking unit is suffering at the minute and is finding it difficult to find the net. That is obvious when you look at how Boro’s 2 only goals have come about. One was from the penalty spot while the other was a bit of individual quality from Andy Drury.

Chris Day is expected to miss out again through injury so Ashley Bayes will again deputise. Other than that, Stevenage look to have a fairly fit squad and players like Boylan, Drury, Long and Byrom will all be looking to win their places back in time for tomorrow night. Ebbsfleet have a very unfamiliar looking side this year and it is quite unexperienced too. Darius Charles and Leon Crooks are big players for them this season and they will be looking to Ricky Shakes and Magno Vieira to score them the goals to stay up.

I think this will be the game where Boro will record their first win of the season and all them early doubts will be erased, hopefully, with a comprehensive victory. I think GW will go with a more tried and tested side and style of play and that should be enough to beat Liam Daish’s young side.

Stevenage Squad

Ashley Bayes, Simon Rayner, 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, Joel Byrom, Mitchell Cole, Yemi Odubade, Lee Boylan, Charlie Griffin, Chris Beardsley

Prediction: Boro 2-0 Ebbsfleet