BORO S number one was The Comet player of the month for January. Alan Julian beat off the challenge of Dannie Bulman and new striker Jefferson Louis to take the award for the first time this season. Julian said: I m delighted to win the award. It obvious

BORO'S number one was The Comet player of the month for January.

Alan Julian beat off the challenge of Dannie Bulman and new striker Jefferson Louis to take the award for the first time this season.

Julian said: "I'm delighted to win the award. It obviously shows I've been playing pretty well recently.

"The lads have been ribbing me about the fact that I haven't been keeping enough clean sheets, especially for my own liking."

Saturday's 1-0 win over Morecambe, following the three points against Aldershot the previous week, saw Boro surge up to third place.

Julian added: "The results were massive and coming off the back of three very disappointing results, the two wins were well needed.

"We've bounced back strongly and perhaps that bad run is what we needed to focus our minds on getting into the play-offs. Accrington are perhaps too far ahead; they need to slip up really badly now.

"I thought the defence were great on Saturday and to have all the regular centre-halves out injured is quite strange. Mickey Warner was awesome as an emergency centre-back."

The goalkeeper, signed from League One Brentford last season, continued: "The new signings have all come in and done well.

"The spine of the side has improved and Graham (Westley) made a point of doing the same thing last season when myself, Ronnie (Henry) and Darryn (Stamp) arrived.

"Hopefully the new ones will be good signings once again."

Julian is shown receiving his award from The Comet's sports editor Marcus Crawley.