Stevenage Boro 3 Ebbsfleet United 0 Boro cruised to their first win of the season against Ebbsfleet United at The Lamex Stadium this evening thanks to an awesome display of attacking football. Lawrie Wilson was the star of the show as the midfielder ins

Stevenage Boro 3 Ebbsfleet United 0

Boro cruised to their first win of the season against Ebbsfleet United at The Lamex Stadium this evening thanks to an awesome display of attacking football.

Lawrie Wilson was the star of the show as the midfielder inspired his team-mates with the kind of all action display seen so regularly during the pre-season campaign.

Wilson laid on the first goal for Chris Beardsley early on before Joel Byrom doubled Boro's advantage midway through the second half with a close range finish.

But Wilson got the goal his display deserved in the closing stages when he scythed through the Ebbsfleet defence before blasting the ball past goalkeeper Lance Cronin.

The margin could have been a lot wider but manager Graham Westley will be delighted to see his side to finally fulfil some of the potential this side undoubtedly has.

Charlie Griffin failed to shake off the groin injury that curtailed his involvement in the 0-0 draw against Barrow on Saturday as Beardsley was handed his first competitive start since his summer move from Kettering.

Lee Boylan was reinstated into the starting line-up with David Bridges dropping out of the matchday squad altogether while Westley resisted the temptation to include Andy Drury in his starting XI as the former Lewes man recovers from the hamstring injury that saw him miss much of the pre-season campaign. The midfielder was fit enough to be named amongst the substitutes however.

Boylan set the tempo with a crunching challenge within the first 30 seconds of the contest and it came as no surprise when Beardsley gave Boro the lead in the eighth minute.

Mark Roberts' raking pass out to the right flank found Wilson, who rose above Jordan Collins to head into the path of Beardsley and the striker held off the attentions of Darius Charles before finishing neatly across the goalkeeper.

Wilson almost teed up a second soon after when Bostwick released the former former Charlton trainee in behind the Fleet back four but his cross, which was aimed for Beardsley lurking in the centre, took a slight deflection off Charles out for a corner.

Boro were piling on the pressure and Boylan was inches away from making it 2-0 after some great approach play down the right wing by Wilson and Henry.

Westley's men were finally looking like the side fans expected to see at the start of the season with Ebbsfleet powerless to stop Boro flooding forward.

But Stevenage had to make sure they kept the back door shut and Forshaw almost made them pay for a defensive lapse in the 25th minute.

The tricky winger started and finished a move that Ashley Bayes had to be alert to keep out a low shot from 12 yards.

The match soon reverted to its normal pattern with the Henry-Wilson axis down the right ripping the Kent-side to shreds at will.

Beardsley should have grabbed his second when Wilson played him clean through after Charles was robbed on the edge of his own area but the former Rushden man's composure deserted him and his tame right-footed effort was easily saved by Cronin.

Roberts then had a great chance when he met Beardsley's knockdown but the defender's effort from six yards out crashed off the crossbar and away from danger.

The chances continued to come thick and fast in the second period as Boro fans started to worry these missed chances were going to come back to haunt them.

Boylan inexplicably missed his kick from 10 yards out after Wilson teed him up in the 56th minute.

The game then entered a scrappy stage with the referee blowing up for every minor infringement and not letting the game flow.

But Stevenage finally put the game to bed in the 74th minute thanks to Joel Byrom's first goal for the club.

Ebbsfleet were waiting for Henry to deliver a corner into the penalty area but the defender pulled the ball back to the edge of the area for the waiting Bostwick, who scuffed his shot into the path of Byrom and the former Northwich Victoria man made no mistake from close range.

Cole had a great chance to grab a third late on when Drury found him completely unmarked inside the penalty area but he skewed his effort just wide.

But Wilson succeeded where Cole had failed moments earlier when he cut through the Fleet defence like a knife through butter before blasting past Cronin from a tight angle.

He should have grabbed another in injury time when played in by Drury but he shot over the bar.

Boro (4-4-2): Bayes 7, Henry 7, Ashton 7 (Byrom 69), Roberts 8, Laird 7, Wilson 8*, Bostwick 7, Murphy 7, Cole 6 (Vincenti 84), Beardsley 7 (Drury 77), Boylan 7. Subs not used: Rayner, Long.

Ebbsfleet United (4-4-2): Cronin 7, Salmon 6, Charles 6, Crooks 6, Collins 5, West 6, Bailey 6 (Shulton 58, 6), Heero 6, Forshaw 6 (Ginty 77), Shakes 6, Vieira 6. Subs not used: Pooley, Wills, Lamprell.

Attendance: 1,704