BORO could not have two men with more impressive pedigrees in charge for the start of their FA Trophy campaign this season. Boro meet their second Welsh opponents of the season when they host BGB Premier Division Merthyr Tydfil in the first round on Satur

BORO could not have two men with more impressive pedigrees in charge for the start of their FA Trophy campaign this season.

Boro meet their second Welsh opponents of the season when they host BGB Premier Division Merthyr Tydfil in the first round on Saturday.

And manager Mark Stimson and his assistant Scott Barrett will be hoping for a better display than in their lacklustre defeat at League Two Wrexham in the FA Cup first round.

Stimson and Barrett are both three-time winners of the competition.

The pair have won the Trophy for the past two seasons with previous club Grays Athletic.

And Stimson was a winner in his playing days at Canvey Island while Barrett lifted the cup at Colchester in their non-league days.

Stimson said: "It would be great to make it a hat-trick of wins as managers for us personally.

"The incentive is there for the players to play at a Premiership ground - or even at Wembley - and play in front of a live television audience.

"It's a great competition, the top one open solely to non-league teams, and one we want to do well in. That's my outlook on the competition anyway.

"We had Conference teams in every round with Grays last season so we certainly didn't have the luck of the draw.

"Saturday's opponents are from a lower league but this will be Merthyr's cup final and it is their chance to play at a better stadium than they normally do."

Merthyr were beaten 1-0 at Stamford on Tuesday night, only their third league defeat of the season in 15 matches.

Barry Fuller is recovering from injury and may be available for selection.

Boro's two loan players at York, club captain Jason Goodliffe and striker Darryn Stamp, have been issued with different instructions this weekend.

Goodliffe is being allowed to play but Stamp is ruled out to ensure he will not be cup-tied and thus he will be more appetising to other clubs in the January transfer window.

Boro won 3-0 at home to Gravesend and Northfleet on Saturday with goals from John Nutter, top scorer Steve Morison and sub Jon Nurse.

Stimson added: "It was a big game because of the weekend before and the great performance against Oxford.

"We wanted to put in another good performance and collect three points.

"The atmosphere was never going to be the same and it needed the players to lift the crowd, not the other way round.

"Gravesend have done well so far this season and were tough opposition.

"Jon Nurse came off the bench and gave me a problem with selection which is what I ask all my substitutes to do rather than sulk. He created one and scored another which is great.

"Our second goal was a great one for me and it was beautifully made and then taken.