Westley pleased with effort but says attack was lacking

Luke Freeman in action against Tranmere Rovers. Photo: Stuart Bogg Imaging (Image: Archant)

Graham Westley says he was pleased with his side’s application but thought their forward play was ‘lacking’ in today’s 0-0 draw at Tranmere Rovers.

Boro made it three games unbeaten with the point at Prenton Park, and afterwards Westley said: “I think Stevenage saw last year didn’t they the difficulty in coming here?

“It can be a place where the home crowd gets up and the big Kop stand gets on top of you and the football starts flowing and you go back with nothing.

“We’ve come here, we’ve worked hard to get a clean sheet. I thought our organisation on the whole was good, our work ethic was good if our attacking play was probably lacking on the day.”

Boro started without a recognised striker, with wide man Luke Freeman leading the line and Robin Shroot and Jimmy Smith in support while Jordan Burrow, Oumare Tounkara and Dani Lopez all started on the bench.

Speaking about his team selection, the Boro boss said: “If it’s good enough for [Jose] Mourinho it’s good enough for me.

“I think we wanted to make sure we had a focal point to our attack we believed in, in terms of experience in playing in these games away from home.

“We made that focal point Luke Freeman. You might say that we don’t have an out and out attacking player but Luke, Lionel Messi, they’re a similar type and I don’t think you would accuse Barcelona of playing without an attacking threat would you?

“We shifted our shape around, we changed personnel, we tried to pose them different problems.

“As the game wore on we had two very good chances. Freeman on the half turn when he fired wide and Shroot and [Michael] Doughty when they combined.

“Probably if Doughty goes down he earns the penalty, he doesn’t he’s honest and he stays on his feet and they manage to get the block in.

“It ends 0-0. Disappointed to go back with just the one point but you know in the early days of the season these points weren’t looking likely and the boys have worked very hard to get to a point where we are now disappointed we’re going home with something.

“If we keep building and we keep working – that’s three league games unbeaten now – and if we keep working down those lines then we’re going to end up in a much better position aren’t we?”