Joel Byrom column: ‘We must come together as a team and a unit’

The pre-season games have really picked up since our return from Jersey, having played three in seven days against some strong non-league outfits.

We had the usual local game at Hitchin Town sandwiched in between games against Wingate and Finchley and St. Albans City. Getting minutes on the pitch is vital at this time of pre-season after all the hard work on the training pitch and in the gym. It's also a good time for the gaffer to try out new formations and take a look at various trialists desperate to earn a contract.

So far in training we have done quite a lot of work on our units within the team before we gel all of that together later in pre-season.

The defensive work has obviously gone down well as we kept three consecutive clean sheets so far. The only blip was a crazy Jon Ashton stepover in the Hitchin game on the edge of his own box which nearly resulted in a goal. I have no doubt this would have been Ash's last appearance in a Boro shirt if that went in.

With the season only a few weeks away now it is massively important for us to come together as a team and a unit for the forthcoming season.

Something I took from watching the England Cricket team throughout the World Cup over the last month was the fact that I was clearly watching a team that was together on and off the pitch.

Time after time I watched different individuals step up to the plate when the team looked in trouble. The celebrations after the final showed to me a team with a clear identity, who get along off the field and can produce magical moments at crucial times.

This sort of team spirit is something we need to try and replicate this season.

This week will see us take on some higher league clubs whilst being back in front of our fans at the Lamex for the first time. It is a good chance to see where we are as a team and also the first chance for the fans to get their first look at this season's squad.