Mark Roberts on the last two weeks at Boro

Two weeks is a long time in football and in the time since I wrote my last column I have felt the very highs and ultimate lows this game has to throw at you.

Having scored the opening goal in a 4-0 victory at home to Cheltenham Town I was sent off in a bitterly disappointing defeat away at Torquay United.

After the fantastic victory away at Port Vale (on February 22) we posted our third consecutive victory by beating Cheltenham.

It was by no means a vintage team performance but we took a lot of positives from the fact that we produced such an emphatic scoreline whilst we were far from our best.

Some experts often say that is the sign of a good team but we are quick to look at ways to improve regardless of the scoreline.

Obviously it was very pleasing to score and get the lads off to a good start - it had been a while since I had scored and having come close in recent weeks I nearly managed to grab another late on.

Maybe grabbing a brace would have been a little too much to ask for!

Byron Harrison did manage that particular feat in the win and he showed yet more signs of his continued improvement.

He will tell you he probably should have got his first hat-trick for the club when he was one on one with the ‘keeper late in the game, a sign that none of us rest on our laurels.

After our first week free of a Tuesday night game in a while we made the long trip down to Torquay.

Our preparation was first class as we stayed in a hotel the night before so the journey didn’t take its toll.

However we failed to capitalise on a solid first half showing and were punished as a result. Obviously my red card didn’t help matters and I was gutted not be out there trying to help the lads turn it round.

Being sent off is a low moment for any player and the helplessness you feel in the dressing room is as bad as it gets.

It was the first time I had seen a straight red card and only my fourth dismissal in my entire career.

I was trying to prevent what I thought was a definite goal for their striker but I have no complaints with the referee’s decision. Unfortunately that is part and parcel of football and one of the personal disappointments you have to deal with.

Suspension means I am unavailable for tonight’s home clash with Hereford United and I will therefore miss out on the chance to bounce back from the weekend’s disappointment.

I know the lads will put it right and produce a performance that will make sure all of our frustrations from the Torquay result are firmly in the past.

We travel to Wycombe Wanderers on Saturday with the chance to avenge the 2-0 defeat they inflicted on us at the Lamex Stadium earlier in the season.

They have flirted with the automatic promotion places for the majority of the season and we know we face another tough test.

They are a team packed full of experienced players and we will be looking to produce the kind of performances we did on recent trips to Crewe Alexandra and Port Vale.

If not even better!

So until next time...

Robbo