After a fruitful cup interlude, it’s now time for Boro’ to get back to the grind of League Two action. It’s been a decent week’s work in anyone’s book. Two wins, eight goals: looks pretty good on paper, to be fair. How much you dismiss the respective opposition is your call. Yes, it was a side propping up a league three steps below us and a Brighton side barely out of nappies (Even 29-year-old Tim Krul? Ed.). You can only do a number on what’s put in front of you, though. And it still reads two wins, eight goals no matter how many disclaimers you put in.
Up next, it’s a bit of a step change; the raising of the bar. Notts County indoors and a fixture that doesn’t hold as much promise as it might have done, say, the last time we met. Unlike last term, the Magpies aren’t looking over their shoulders in fear of the gaping hole opening up below them. Nope, it’s all change at Meadow Lane. Now, they’re leading the pack in League Two; themselves and Accrington the only two sides (so far) to rack up 10 wins for the season to date. Mind you, we did beat Accrington – so you never know, right?
Stevenage v Notts County: The Lowdown
The Opposition:
Our head-to-head record against the second best team that Nottingham has to offer is, well, even enough so. Both of us come into this latest meeting with five wins a piece and a draw to boot; that odd number of games down to our 2012 FA Cup encounter. It’s not a straightforward, see-saw record, though. Three of our five wins came in succession between October 2012 and August 2013. Indeed, last season’s 3-0 victory indoors halted a run of four without a win against them. On the flip side, it’s now two unbeaten as we drew at their gaff too…
The Form:
For league leaders, Notts County’s recent form (by which we mean the last six) ain’t exactly world-beating. It’s better than ours, don’t get us wrong (As if that could be hard? Ed.). It has been patchy since late September all the same. Out of the last possible 18 points, they have taken eight (we’ve taken six). It’s part of the reason for Accrington (12 points) and Luton (13) being so hot on their heels all of a sudden. And the 1-1 draw at home to FGR might make our defeat to Rovers rankle just a little bit less. Not a lot, but a little bit. As we just said.
Not the latest form, but the head-to-head history of Stevenage v Notts County. Our thanks to kickoff.co.uk…
The Referee:
Ross Joyce. A man with whom, despite his name, we don’t find joy.
P3 W0 D0 L3 F1 A4; last result: Blackpool 1-0 Stevenage, 14/03/2017
The Head-to-Head:
P11 W5 D1 L5 F10 A9; last result: Stevenage 3-0 Notts County, 04/03/2017
• BoroGuide’s Notts County club profile – Well, nobody’s perfect…