STEVENAGE boss Graham Westley praised strike duo Chris Beardsley and Craig Reid after both front men scored twice against Rochdale in last Saturday’s 4-2 win.

Beardsley has now got four goals in all competitions this season after scoring just twice throughout the whole of Boro’s npower League 2 campaign last season, while strike partner Reid has scored three goals in three games.

Westley says Beardsley’s form is due to the hard work put in by the striker on the training ground, and recently told his front man that he had never seen him in the sort of form he has been in so far this season.

“Beardo’s a classic case of a player that works so hard for everything he gets from the game,” Westley said.

“I said to him two or three weeks ago that I’ve never seen him in the type of form he’s in at the moment, both in terms of his all round game and also in front of goal.

“He gets it from the work he [puts in] on the training ground. He’s a tremendous player, he’s willing to listen and willing to learn, he’s getting better goalscoring habits on the training ground all the time and if you’re prepared to put in the graft you can make any progress you want.”

Speaking about Reid, Westley said the striker was disappointed to miss out last week when Boro lost away to MK Dons, but added that the striker responded the way he knew he would.

“He’s had a good week, Reidy,” Westley said. “I don’t think he was best pleased at being left out last weekend, but he’s bounced back in the way you’d expect him to.

“He’s put the graft in on the training ground, like Beardo, and they worked well as a pair all week…and I’m pleased for the pair of them because every goalscorer loves to hit the net.”

Westley also added that the build-up to Beardsley’s second goal on Saturday - a neat passing move than ended when the striker turned and shot from 20 yards into the top corner - made him think he was watching the wrong side.

“It was quite bewildering,” Westley said. “I was standing in the dugout wondering if we were watching the right side.

“We turned them, we got in the back of them. Reidy was exceptional in his ability to run at the back of them and retain the ball and we worked it from right to left into Beardo and what a fantastic finish from a player at the top of his game.”

Boro face Oldham Athletic at Boundary Park this weekend hoping to record back-to-back victories for the first time this season.