Paul Tisdale thinks confidence is starting to flow through Stevenage’s attackers

Posted Sunday, January 30, 2022 by PA

Manager Paul Tisdale believes confidence is starting to flow through his attackers at Stevenage after they cruised to a 3-0 victory over Harrogate.

At the start of the month, the Boro were looking nervously over their shoulders but they will end January 12 points clear of danger after going five league games unbeaten.

The result at the Lamex Stadium never looked in doubt once the hosts swept into a 2-0 lead after 21 minutes, with Harrogate giving a lethargic performance that exasperated the supporters that had made their way down from Yorkshire.

Tisdale was left feeling much more enthused, however, and he said: “Finishing is down to confidence and it’s being relaxed, taking a deep breath and also knowing your route to goal.

“We’re beginning to find our route to goal and we know what that’s going to look like.

“Luke Norris is getting that confidence now, Jake Taylor is scoring goals and I can’t complain.

“I’m pleased for all of them to get a clean sheet – we’re due one of those at home.

“We’ve been going up and then giving a goal away – we’ve had too many 2-0s and then back to 2-1 and putting a bit of pressure on ourselves.

“That was pleasing today because Harrogate played some really nice football, but we were very effective, we knew what we were trying to do and we’ve completed it.”

Stevenage went ahead after nine minutes and although it came through a good strike by Jake Reeves, Harrogate keeper Mark Oxley will be disappointed in being unable to save it.

The lead was doubled when Norris was given room to run onto Reeves’ pass before placing his shot into the net from the edge of the area.

Jack Muldoon then hooked Harrogate’s best effort of the afternoon wide before Oxley just about prevented a ricochet off Zain Westbrooke from Josh Falkingham’s clearance from going in.

A comfortable victory for the Boro was rounded off by Taylor finding the bottom corner after advancing, unchallenged, into the visitors’ penalty area.

Harrogate boss Simon Weaver said: “We put in a tired performance that was devoid of energy at times, especially in the second half.

“We gift-wrapped them the first two goals when there was nothing between the teams – we just gave the ball away for the second goal, which was criminal, but we just didn’t react defensively.

“The first goal was a long diagonal ball and Reeves has run off the back of one of our central midfielders and it’s cost us.

“Goals change games, they change the momentum and the confidence level within a game, and for the final goal, we dithered and we didn’t actually go and deal with the situation.