Greetings! And our thanks must first go to the English football and cricket teams for giving us the perfect opportunity to forget all about last week’s disaster against Rotherham. We’re ready to go again in League One this weekend and ready for us to get back on track. Even if it does mean taking in the sights and sounds of Peterborough. The A1 Derby they could call this on Sky Sports. If Jeff Stelling does, we expect royalties.
“They are a League One team and they are in League One for a reason” – not our words, the words of our Graham. Peterborough United’s reputation for a fearsome attacking team is a fair one, but it was their inability to keep the ball out of their own goal that saw them come and join us down here in League One last season. Even if their ticket pricing structure may not entirely reflect the reality of where they find themselves.
This wouldn’t have been a game that we’d have chosen for Jon Ashton and Chris Day to be absent from, but this seems as if it will be inevitable due to injuries. Roarie Deacon is back, however, and our pick at left back. But if you reckon we should make further changes after the Rotherham defeat, where do you make them? Dunne out, Chorley out, Gray out… stick with the same lads from last week. Trust us on that one.
Peterborough’s recent form isn’t as awe-inspiring as you might think for a club with such a wealth of resources. They may well sit third in the table, but they come into this one with a run of three successive league defeats. We’re not saying that we’re a shoe in to make it four here, but if Walsall and Colchester United can beat them… Here’s hoping that Boro’ can lift the gloom on an otherwise dour sporting week.
FIFA14 Verdict:
Boro’ line-up:
Day; Smith, Ashton, Jones, Hartley; Akins, Heslop, Doughty, Freeman; Morais; Zoko
Once again, we restored Jon Ashton to the starting 11 and this week we’re confident he will be available *cough*. Apart from that, we just don’t know where you’d make changes – and yes, we know it’s possible after being mauled by Rotherham. Either way, you’ll be very glad to know that you will get your money’s worth at London Road this weekend if real life does the same as the virtual… If you’re a Stevenage fan, that is.
Using the notion of fighting fire with fire (actually not a good idea, especially if you happen to be a fireman), we went at them with the cold steel and they did not like it up them. Boro’ went ahead midway through the first half when Francois Zoko tapped in the rebound after Filipe Morais was denied. Lucas Akins doubled our lead in the latter stages, nodding home after being left free in the area. FT: Peterborough 0-2 Stevenage
Referee Watch:
Mike James – the referee who will probably want you to forget that he was the man on duty when Darren Bent scored a decisive goal for Sunderland against Liverpool with the help of a beach ball at the Stadium of Light. We’re not too familiar with him, however, because his is a life spent mostly at the top; he has reffed two Boro’ games, including the second of our FA Trophy triumphs in 2009. And last year’s 4-1 drubbing at Sheffield United…
This season, Mr Jones has overseen 10 games, five of which were in the Premier League. It is therefore an honour to have him in charge, right? Oh, for the record, 29 yellows and one red – Hull City’s Yannick Sagbo.
Our record under Mike Jones:
P2 W1 D0 L1 F3 A4 — Yellow: 1, Red: 0
Bookie Bashing:
It appears the markets don’t fancy a Peterborough win as much as we feared. Yeah, they’re odds on favourites but 4/6 is the longest price you’ll find (BetVictor). We’re priced at 9/2 with quite a fair few bookies, by comparison. If you’re consumed by fear at the thought of the Posh attack, BetVictor will give you 15/8 on them win to nil. And a Michael Bostwick goal? That’s 7/1 anytime with Bet365. At the time of writing…
Team Tarot:
