Another win for Boro...
A dominant Stevenage performance earns them another three points in the league.
On an overcast day at the Lamex Stadium, Dino Maamria only made two changes to the side that fell just short at Norwich in mid-week. Emmanuel Sonupe making his full league debut to replace Alex Reid and Paul Farman re-claiming the start over Seny Dieng in goal.
Stevenage started the better side, they were dominant in possession, and kept up the sustained pressure off the ball, which was arguably the best thing taken away from the mid-week fixture.
The first shot on target for either team came from the feet of Boro number 28 Kurtis Guthrie on the 14thminute. He did well to find space for himself in the middle of the park, but the shot from 25 yards out was tame. The next chance of the game fell two minutes later to Guthrie again, a great lofted ball into the Morecambe box by Luther Wildin was met by him, but again, not enough to really test the keeper.
Half an hour in and Stevenage were well on top of the game, the football was fluid and Morecambe were struggling to find any momentum.
Despite the Stevenage dominance, the match was lacking in clear cut chances. Paul Farman was brought into action on the 37thminute by getting down low to deny the Shrimps’ number 11, Kevin Ellison.
Then, bang on the 45thminute, up-steps Michael Timlin. Alex Revell beats his man to the ball in the box and lays it back to the midfielder about 20 yards out, Timlin then sets himself and rifles it into the top corner leaving Barry Roche planted to the spot. 1-0 Boro.
The half ended at 1-0 and Boro looked sure to capitalise on their 1 goal lead in the second half.
Stevenage continued to dominate proceedings in the second half, we were stronger in the air, first to the 50/50s and had the better and more frequent chances.
On the 64thminute Johnny Hunt came close when he found himself receiving the ball on the edge of the box. His first time shot sailed just wide of the post, but Stevenage were looking dangerous.
A couple more chances came Boro’s way in the following minutes, the first came from a lofted ball into the box getting knocked down by Kurtis Guthrie, which was just squandered away by Morecambe’s Yarney. It was a certain goal if the defender had not intervened.
On the 80thminute, Stevenage’s aerial dominance was further exemplified, Cuthbert rose the highest from a Byrom corner, but his head was unbelievably stopped on the line by the Morecambe number 1. It was then Alex Revell’s turn from the following corner, meeting the corner un-marked to put the ball just over the bar.
The final 10 minutes of the game did not differ from the first 80, Stevenage dominated the match and came together as an outfit to deny Morecambe a chance to grab anything from the fixture.
Dino’s men make it 7 points from three games in League Two and now look to make it 10 from 4 in their away fixture at Forest Green on Tuesday.