Boro striker wants to prove he can score goals in League One

BYRON HARRISON is determined to keep hold of his place in Boro’s starting XI after his eye-catching performance in Saturday’s 1-0 win against Charlton Athletic.

The 24-year-old striker made his first start since August 27 against the Addicks after a spell on the sidelines due to illness, but his display against the league leaders – which didn’t go unnoticed by manager Graham Westley – will have shown spectators that the former Carshalton Athletic man continues to get better all the time.

And Harrison, despite being a modest young man learning his trade in the professional ranks, is determined to prove he can score goals in League One despite playing non-league football as recently as 11 months ago.

“I haven’t played since the MK Dons game due to illness and the team had been doing well after that match so I just had to wait my turn. Hopefully now I can stay in the side and help the team push on from here.

“We all want to use the result (against Charlton) as a springboard to go on to better things and I will be looking to do the same.

“When I was in non-league I felt maybe I was playing below my standard and the gaffer has seen a potential in me – and it’s still potential – but I’m very confident I can start showing people I’m capable of wearing the shirt week in, week out, and score goals for Stevenage.”

Harrison also underlined the importance of his team taking all the confidence they can from Saturday’s result if they are to ensure they don’t repeat the form that followed the 5-1 victory over Sheffield Wednesday back in September. Manager Westley accused some of his players of thinking they were “Premier League footballers” after that win, but Harrison believes the opposite was the case.

“I think it was the opposite,” he added. “I don’t think we took the confidence from that game into the next match. I honestly think the players wanted to be cautious even though they had recorded a fantastic result against a big side. But we’ll take confidence from today, which is the main thing, because you don’t just disregard it because Charlton are a good side.”