Mendes loving life at The Lamex

JUNIOR Mendes is enjoying life at The Lamex Stadium.

The Aldershot loanee was a central figure in the 2-1 win over Cambridge opening his account with a classy strike to set Boro on their way to three vital points.

The striker, handed a right-sided role in the absence of first choice Andy Drury through injury, paid tribute to the players and coaching staff for the way they have welcomed him since his move to Stevenage.

"I'm really enjoying it - the lads are a great bunch and they're really making me feel welcome along with the coaching staff," Mendes told The Comet. "It's been great, I've been to a few clubs now and I haven't had that kind of start. I feel like I've settled really well because everyone has been so friendly."

Cambridge brought a large number of fans with them for the Blue Square Premier clash and the Montserrat international said the coaching staff stressed that it was important they silenced the away fans early on.

"When you start a game you dream of an early goal and, for me to get it, was brilliant.

"One of the last things said was to get their crowd quiet and obviously in the first five minutes we did that."

The 32-year-old then had a glorious chance to play in Mitchell Cole in the first half but a United defender produced a great interception to deny Boro the opportunity.

"It was just the final pass. A few of the boys were having a laugh about it but it was the pitch - that's my excuse any way! It's one of those things, on another day if the pitch wasn't so bobbly it would have gone over and Mitch [Cole] might have had a tap-in."

Boro face a tough run-in with play-off rivals Torquay and Kidderminster still to come to The Lamex Stadium and Mendes believes every game will be like a cup final from now until the end of the season.

"All the games now are massive for us and we'll be using that same application and the same work ethic going into the rest of the games.