Left-back looks to have put early season blip behind him

SCOTT Laird says he is finding his best form following a difficult start to the season.

The left-back was a permanent fixture in Boro’s title-winning team of last season but this year has found his place under threat from new signing Darius Charles.

Laird was Boro’s standout performer during Saturday’s draw at Morecambe and after an inconsistent start to the campaign he looks to have made the full-back slot his own again.

Speaking after Saturday’s draw, Laird said: “I know personally the start of the season I wasn’t very good.

“I’ve been better every game. The last three or four games I’ve been near enough back to my best. I didn’t get beat a lot and I also got forward a lot.

“I’ve just had a bit of bad form, everyone has it. You don’t become a bad player overnight but I feel I’m getting back to my best.”

After scoring a penalty last week against Burton Laird stepped up again at the weekend following a handball in the box only to see goalkeeper Barry Roche get both hands to the ball to turn it around the post.

Laird said he was surprised to see the ‘keeper make the save, and acknowledged that he may have to show a bit more variety in his spot kicks.

“It was right in the corner. I think now we’re in the Football League goals from penalties are on TV every weekend and every goalkeeper worth his salt will see what I did last week. “It’s bad by me as I should have changed what I did.

“It’s a draw, it’s a clean sheet. I feel that we didn’t have many clear-cut chances, but neither did they. We had the penalty, Bozzie (Michael Bostwick) had a shot and we had a couple of others but I think we just did enough to win but it just wasn’t to be.”