A point at Billericay was not enough for Boro in their bid to stay in Vauxhall Opel League Division One

During the latter stages of the 1987/8 season, Stevenage Borough were fully immersed in a relegation dogfight and a battle to retain their Vauxhall Opel League Division One status.

An important 2-1 home victory against fellow strugglers Chesham United on March 26 had kept hopes of survival alive, but the following game was equally as crucial.

Billericay Town were another side desperately trying to cling on to their place in Division One and they welcomed Boro on April 2.

If Boro made it two wins in two, it could’ve made a significant difference to the bottom four or five and given Boro a vital edge over their rivals in the final seven games of the season.

Despite a Graham Cox goal, however, Stevenage could only share the points. Okay, so it stopped Billericay Town from winning but the impact was far-reaching.

Cox’s effort was the last time Boro found the back of the net in a league game that season until the last day – the following six games produced five defeats and one goalless draw, a run that ultimately sent the club down.

Come the end of the season, Billericay lost their fight against relegation too as Boro ended three points off safety.

With just 36 goals to their name, only bottom side Wolverton Town – who won a mere three games all season – had scored fewer goals.

In three of those goalless games, a single goal could have changed everything. But it just wouldn’t come…

* Pete Hayman runs BoroGuide, the Stevenage FC internet resource. For more information visit www.boroguide.co.uk or follow him on twitter @boroguide