Another Harry Draper strike earnt Stevenage the win away at St Albans City on the second fixture of Boro’s pre-season schedule…
Alex Revell started named the starting eleven in a similar fashion to Saturday, with a different line up for each half. The first started with a trialist in goal, fronted by the back four of Barry, Vancooten, Cuthbert and Townsend-West.
Taylor and Smith patrolled the middle of the park with Read and Reeves in either number 10 position, behind Daly and Arai up top.
The game started with both sides full of energy on a warm summer evening at Clarence Park. As expected, Stevenage started the brighter of the two but St Albans managed Boro’s youthful front line well for the first twenty minutes – limiting opportunities to half chances and blocked shots.
The first real chance of the game came twenty minutes in, just as the hosts started to relax and get comfortable with how the game was panning out. After some trickery on the right, Arthur Read beat his man into the box before putting the ball across the face of goal. The pass almost fell to the feet of Yasin Arai, but the defender positioned himself well to deny the forward a tap in to open.
Three minutes later, Stevenage had another chance break the deadlock after Brad Barry’s inch perfect cross found the head of James Daly at the back post, but the ex-Bristol Rovers man could not manage to manoeuvre his header on target.
Two half chances for James Daly and Yasin Arai fell either side of Arthur Read’s slightly too high free-kick attempt, as the sides went in level at the break.
As on Saturday, Alex Revell named a completely changed eleven for the second half. In front of the trialist goalkeeper stood the more familiar faces of Ben Coker, Luke Prosser, Ross Marshall and Luther James-Wildin. The midfielder consisted of Chris Lines, Alfie Williams, Elliot Osborne and a trialist, behind Charlie Carter and Harry Draper.
Ten minutes into the restart, Stevenage had the ball in the back of the net. Latching onto Elliot Osborne’s pass, Charlie Carter thought he had put Stevenage ahead to the dismay of seeing the linesman had his flag raised.
Down the other end, and the hosts had one of their best chances of the game. A well worked corner routine allowed The Saints a shot at goal from inside the box but was matched well by an agile Joseph Anang.
A minute later, Stevenage got their goal. Similar to the one previous that was disallowed, it was Elliot Osborne again the architect. A through pass to the feet of Harry Draper, and the young forward bagged his second in two pre-season outings.
As the game continued and the heat started to take its toll, chances dried up for either side. Charlie Carter and Elliot Osborne continued to combine well and show their experience in a bid to break through the well organised St Albans back line.
Full-time came and Alex Revell’s side had made it two wins from two in pre-season.
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