Byron Harrison insists team can bounce back from Northampton defeat

BORO striker Byron Harrison insists his team will bounce back from their disappointing defeat at Northampton Town when they entertain League 1-bound Bury on Saturday – with a place in the play-offs up for grabs should they do so.

Harrison admits Boro were well below their best against the Cobblers, who escaped relegation with their first win in 18 games.

However, with eighth-placed Gillingham losing 4-2 at home Macclesfield, a place in the end of season play-offs is still in Boro’s hands should they equal or better the Kent side’s result on Saturday.

“We knew what we had to do but we didn’t execute the plan very well,” said Harrison after the match against Northampton.

“It’s still in our hands, though, and we play Bury on Saturday and we want to put on a good performance.

“The decisions didn’t go our way but we don’t want to talk about that too much. We made some poor decisions ourselves with the goals we conceded but, like I say, we need to move forward now.

“We’ll train this week knowing what we have to do, and we’ll just worry about ourselves and hopefully we’ll get the right result.

“We didn’t have the best of nights against Bury (in the reverse fixture in February), I know because I played in that game, but we’ll definitely be up and raring to go for this game.

“I don’t know whether they will be nervous or whatever (Bury can still win the League 2 title), but if they are, all they need to know is that they are coming to Stevenage and they will have a hard game on their hands.”

The 23-year-old also spoke about the loss of influential winger Lawrie Wilson, who is currently ruled out with a leg injury sustained against Port Vale, forcing him to miss the trip to Sixfields, with Chris Beardsley coming in as his replacement.

He added: “Lawrie is a very good, consistent player and he will be missed because he’s been playing on that side all year but we’ve got a big squad and that’s what people are here to do. Beardo is going to give you a lot of passion and commitment and he’s going to do the job as best as he can.”

Harrison admits he is disappointed not to have found the net recently after exploding onto the scene after signing from non-league Carshalton Athletic in January. His last goal came on April 16 in the 2-2 draw with Aldershot which is his only strike in Boro’s last 13 matches, but he isn’t allowing his recent dry spell dent his confidence and hopes to get back on the goal trail against Bury this weekend.

He said: “Every time I go out on the pitch I want to score and I’ve been disappointed that I haven’t scored in the last few games. But, if I get the chances, I’m sure I’ll score the goals.”