Broadhall Way may have been packed with Boro faithful ready to celebrate Stevenage’s first ever game in the third tier on English football, but excitement was few and far between Graham Westley’s men ground out a goalless draw against Exeter City in what was probably the least entertaining match on the opening day of the new Football League season.
But, for all the lack of goalmouth action, it is a result you suspect Westley and the Stevenage supporters will be happy with.
And, equally, one that Exeter fans, after all their bruising encounters with Stevenage during their Conference days, should be relieved with.
Westley main priority over the years has been to make Stevenage very difficult to beat, and that tactic shows no sign of abating in League One.
His starting line-up contained no fewer than eight defensively-minded players while striker Craig Reid was made to plough a lonely furrow at the front of the attack.
Pretty is the last adjective you would use to describe Boro, but effective it most certainly was.
Exeter, who have caught the eye with their attractive brand of passing football under Paul Tisdale, were often made to resort to lumping the ball upfield to the raw Reading loanee Nicholas Bignall.
Indeed, when Exeter finally found their passing range, the Devon side occasionally played some neat football that could have lead to a goal when James Dunne advanced to the Boro goal in the second half, only to be thwarted by Alan Julian, returning for a second spell in the Stevenage goal after his release from Gillingham.
But Dunne’s effort was one of the few moments of excitement in a game where chances were few and far between.
The match could have taken on a very different complexion had referee Gavin Ward decided Jon Ashton had taken out Bignall when through on goal in the first five minutes.
But to howls of derision from City fans behind the goal, the referee adjudged Ashton’s tackle to be spot on. Replays would suggest the Boro defender was lucky not to have a very short opening day afternoon.
Exeter’s mood was hardly helped before half time when striker Daniel Nardiello appeared to be taken out from behind and departed on a stretcher.
But without these flashpoints it would have been a very dull first half indeed. Scott Laird provided a few moments of inspiration on the Stevenage flank, twice breaking through and both times nearly causing Richard Duffy to put through his own net.
The second half saw more of the same, although both sides had periods of pressure where they could have pushed for a winner. Bignall, who grew into his role as the game went on, fashioned two half-chances, although both finishes were tame, while substitute Richard Logan hit a tentative half-volley wide.
Stevenage, meanwhile, improved with the addition of Stacy Long and continued to press with a series of corners towards the end of the game, but to no avail.
Exeter fans may have found little to cheer about at the final whistle, but you suspect bigger names will also struggle to find the net at the Lammex this season. In context, a point may yet seem like a decent point for Paul Tisdale’s men, as they start their third season at this level.
Their hosts, though, are already up and running and while, on the basis of this performance, victories may be few and far between, so may defeats – and come April, that could well be enough for the Stevenage success story to continue.
Tags: Exeter City, Graham Westley, Nicholas Bignall, Paul Tisdale, Scott Laird, Stevenage