Boro do like to be beside the seaside

STEVENAGE must wish they could play Morecambe every week after they finally got their first victory on the road this season.

Boro’s last away win came at the Globe Arena in April and another victory by the seaside helped consign Morecambe to a record five consecutive losses at home.

Stevenage manager Darren Sarll said: “Three points anywhere is massive but there’s still a long way to go. Breaking that psychological barrier of that first away win is important.

“The defence did work hard but I think we dodged a few bullets.

“You have to remember I’m a supporter of this football club too so I want to enjoy the town’s team play and I did that here.

“I thought the players played better, there was more energy than recent weeks and there was a nice blend between the possession and the pressing.”

Morecambe began brightly and were agonisingly close to taking the lead but Lee Molyneux’s volley rebounded off the crossbar.

Molyneux was denied again moments later as Fraser Franks got back to clear his tame effort off the line.

Matt Godden met Dale Gorman’s corner to head Stevenage into the lead ten minutes before the break with the visitors’ first chance of the game. Boro looked to double their lead instantly but Henry Cowans was booked for simulation after going down in the box.

The visitors started the second period far better and had their reward within the hour as Ben Kennedy curled a fantastic 25-yard effort into the top corner.

Stevenage nearly extended their lead ten minutes later but Charlie Lee’s powerful header was brilliantly saved. Lee was adjudged to have handled in the box late on but Paul Mullin’s spotkick hit the post in another miserable home outing for Morecambe.

Shrimps boss Jim Bentley said: “I’m not happy at all. We had a great win in midweek which pushed up into the playoffs and gave us an opportunity to cement our place against a team that haven’t won away from home.

“We had a spell where we hit the crossbar and had one cleared off the line but then their first goal is too easy.

“There’s three centre halves in the box and a lad that is 5ft 10in gets the goal. It’s criminal because the first goal is very important.

“This is by far the most crushing defeat for me but it summed us up missing the penalty at the end.”