Stevenage boss looking forward to a ‘right royal battle’

Stevenage manager Graham Westley says Russell Slade has ‘done a solid job’ at Leyton Orient ahead of this weekend’s match between the two sides.

Boro go into the game on the back of a six-game unbeaten streak, but like Stevenage the O’s have also hit a patch of form and have not lost in nine competitive games after a poor start to the season which saw them having to wait until October for their first league win.

Speaking about Orient, Westley said: “They are just below us in the form table, they’ve had a good reaction to their early season woes and they’re in a good run of form.

“We don’t underestimate the challenge at all, we’ve got a strong regard for what they do and the way they play, they’ve got some bright players and we’re going to have to get right on top of that to make sure we win.

“I know Russell from his non-league days, and we played against each other when he was at Scarborough and I remember a couple of right royal battles. So I understand the way he likes to play football and the type of teams he produces and he’s done a solid job at Leyton Orient.”