In the end, it didn’t turn out to be that much of a merry Christmas. Nor has it been a happy new year – so far, at least. Stevenage Football Club have a fine chance to take a big ol’ spanner to those misfiring works this week, however. And, with it, comes an equally fine chance to put our irritating home hoodoo to bed as well. Well, at least that’s what hope. That’s because Boro’ take on Newport County indoors; this being our latest obligation to the fixture calendar. But, is our first home league win in four months on the cards? It bloody better be…
The Exiles are the worst team in our humble division. That’s a fact. Dress it up, tie its hair in bunches and call it Rita if you want, it won’t change matters. The man tasked with keeping the Newport ship afloat this season is a certain Graham Westley – but the club have lost their last seven straight league games now. Now, you can probably see where we’re going with this already. But, to be clear, this is the fixture that you’d want next. And that’d be the case even if your Christmas points haul and it was still summer when you last won at home.
Stevenage v Newport County: The Lowdown
Newport’s cause is a bleak one, but not a lost one. That’s not our problem, but the Exiles fare better on their travels than at Dave Parade. A massive 75% of their wins this season have come on the road – but that still only comes to three in total. So, mind how you go there. Four points is their deficit on Cheltenham, with a game in hand. If G-Wezzle’s men can eat into that, it brings Notts County and others into view. It’s an incentive, but it’s been no different over the past month or two. So, what really could change for them going into this one?
If the gaffer was a proper factor, we wouldn’t haven’t won at their place back in December.
Our head-to-head record pushes this encounter even further into “home win territory”. With the exception of our first ever clash in December 2014, Boro’ have found it within themselves to score twice in each of the following four. Both home encounters have ended 2-1, if the Correct Score fiends of you need something for the bookies’ counter. Football has the habit of being a right cad sometimes, though. That’s why we can’t bring ourselves to mark this down as a home banker as much as we want to. Because we won’t have a better chance.
Stevenage v Newport County: FIFA 17 Verdict
Back in the FIFA 17 hotseat and back to winning ways after the festive period, Boro’ ended up easing to a three-goal win at home to Newport. Bennedy, as he often does, stole the show with a brace; his second making a total mockery of the visitors’ defence in the dying moments. It wasn’t simple, however. The second half was as bad as display of football as you’ll see in real life. And it took the intervention of Steven Schumacher to settle our growing nerves. In the end, however, it was a case of job done and let’s have a nice cup of tea.
BoroGuide’s Newport County club profile – we seen it on a documentary on BBC2…
