Weymouth 0 Stevenage Boro 1 BORO put in one of their most impressive away performances for some time as they took three points at Weymouth on Saturday. And the victory was all the more satisfying as it came against a club who appeared to do all they could

Weymouth 0 Stevenage Boro 1

BORO put in one of their most impressive away performances for some time as they took three points at Weymouth on Saturday.

And the victory was all the more satisfying as it came against a club who appeared to do all they could to be ungracious in defeat.

From their determination to leave the Boro supporters on an open terrace in torrential rain, to the petulant switching off of the floodlights as Boro attempted a post-match warm down, Weymouth were unhappy at being second best.

But they could have no complaints as they came up against a Stevenage side brimming with confidence and keen to play incisive passing football.

The warning signs were there to see from the outset as the visitors tested Jason Matthews in the Weymouth goal. George Boyd, Adam Miller and Jon Nurse all had shots on target inside the first eight minutes as Matthews put in a performance which was to earn him the Weymouth man of the match accolade.

Even though a downfall of Biblical proportions had left plenty of surface water on the pitch, Boro kept the ball on the ground and easily adapted the better to the conditions.

They pressed at every opportunity but were also a danger on the break, Steve Morison catching the home defence cold when he raced half the length of the pitch on 18 minutes only for his shot to hit the side netting.

Weymouth did see an effort ruled out for offside but they rarely threatened and it was Boro who grabbed the decisive goal on 36 minutes with a strike fitting enough to win any game.

A quick free-kick had the home side on the back foot and after Morison had fed Boyd on the left flank, the Boro maestro added a killer cross into the box for Nurse to guide the ball home from close range.

In such treacherous conditions, it was a goal of great simplicity, and Garry Hill's side were clearly not going to have an answer.

After the interval the main concern was that Boro would be punished for not making the game safe.

Miller and John Nutter both came close with efforts while the chance of the half fell to Boyd.

Displaying all of the skills which secured his move, Boyd glided the ball past two tiring defenders with the clock ticking down before curling an effort past the onrushing Matthews which went narrowly wide.

Further chances fell to Mark Beard and Morison but Weymouth did give the noisy away support one scare.

With 11 minutes left, the Boro defence switched off and a cross from the right was headed just over the bar by Richard Logan with the goal at his mercy.

That was as good as it got for the home side and it was left to the soaked Boro fans to conduct a noisy conga out of the ground as the Boro side saw their steady progress up the table continue.