Stafford Rangers 1 Stevenage Boro 2 MARK VENABLES reports It was a season that looked to be in tatters back in late October when Mark Stimson upped and moved to Gillingham. But after extending Boro s unbeaten league run to six matches with victory at Staf

Stafford Rangers 1

Stevenage Boro 2

MARK VENABLES reports

It was a season that looked to be in tatters back in late October when Mark Stimson upped and moved to Gillingham.

But after extending Boro's unbeaten league run to six matches with victory at Stafford on Saturday, Peter Taylor has restored belief that this will be a season to remember at Broadhall Way.

In the end Boro were made to sweat to collect the three points from a trip to Marston Road, but the close scoreline belies the dominance that they showed for much of this match.

They cruised through the first 45 minutes, and deserved much better that the two Steve Morison headed goals as a reward - the first a far post header from a cross by Stuart Lewis and the second a diving effort from a Craig Dobson corner.

But the same striker was guilty of two glaring misses either side of the interval that would have put the game beyond the home side.

Twice he was clear on goal, first shooting weakly into the arms of the goalkeeper, and then early in the second half sliding his effort wide of the post.

Given this lifeline, Stafford eased themselves back into contention after 51 minutes when a free-kick from the right found its way through a crowd of players into the path of Richards who slotted home.

Not surprisingly for a side that has failed to win at home this season, Stafford failed to mount a concerted effort for an equaliser, but nonetheless it was a nervy second half for the travelling Boro fans.

"We got three points and you can't get any more than that out of a game," said Taylor.

"Ideally as a manager you want everything, an excellent performance, but sometimes it doesn't work that way particularly over a long season.

"There will be plenty of times when you have to grind out a result, and other times when you get a goal that you don't deserve.

"We didn't finish as well as we should have done and we didn't play very well in the second half, so in the end it was more difficult than it needed to be.

"But we started exceptionally well got an early goal, and another just before half time and that should have set us up.

"Stafford showed great character and great teamwork and had a go at us in the second half and caused us some problems."

The three points kept Boro securely in third place in the Blue Square Premier, hot on the heels of Aldershot Town and Torquay United.

It was Taylor's sixth victory in eight league outings since he took over the reigns at Broadhall Way, a remarkable achievement when you consider the changing room unrest that he walked into when he arrived.

But over the ensuing period he has guided the side on the field with one hand while with the other he has began to mould the squad into one of his liking with some tantalising signings that bode well for the rest of the season.

Boro: Julian 6, Fuller 6, Oliver 6, Arber 7, Laird 6, Dobson 6, S Lewis 7, J Lewis 7, McMahon 6 (Stokes 80m), Berry 6 (Burke 68m), Morison 8*.

Subs not used: Westwood, Russell, Henry.