Boro looking to see off in-form Shots to continue promotion push

Stevenage v Aldershot Town - npower League 2

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Stevenage welcome Aldershot Town this Saturday as two of League 2’s form teams meet at the Lamex Stadium.

Stevenage have not lost in seven, while Shots manager Dean Holdsworth was named Manager of the Month for March following four wins and three draws last month. The Shots last lost a game on February 26, when they were beaten 2-1 at home by Port Vale.

Boro are currently sixth in League 2, Aldershot are 12th.

Team news

Craig Reid is likely to start up front for Stevenage, and will therefore come up against a team managed by his former boss at Newport County, Dean Holdsworth.

Reid could be partnered by either Darius Charles, his regular partner in recent weeks, or Byron Harrison, who came off the bench against Stockport County after recovering from a recent shoulder injury.

Peter Winn, Stacy Long and Rob Sinclair are all pushing to start on the left of midfield.

For Aldershot, Boro old boy Peter Vincenti will miss out after manager Dean Holdsworth confirmed a ‘gentlemen’s agreement’ existed between himself and Graham Westley not to play the striker. Vincenti, who scored Boro’s first ever goal in the Football League at the start of this season, and fellow striker Tim Sills both left Stevenage for the Recreation Ground in January.

Sills is also likely to miss out through a flu bug. Jamie Young and Darren Jones also have the bug, and could miss out.

Star man

For Boro, Darius Charles has been instrumental in recent weeks after finding himself being cast as a front man alongside record signing Craig Reid. Although probably more effective when running with the ball from deep, Charles has acclimatised to the front role well with his large frame allowing him to hold the ball up but his quick feet making him dangerous on the turn.

Like Boro’s leading scorer John Mousinho, Aldershot’s top marksman has just seven goals in all competitions but these days Wade Small spends most of his time on the bench.

Instead, Boro will have to watch out for striker Danny Hylton who bagged a brace against Shrewsbury last week.