Let’s kick things off by going into a trance. You are feeling sleepy. Very sleepy. Now, it’s April 2016. The madness of Brexit, England getting knocked out the Euros by Iceland and Marmageddon just aren’t a thing. Gene Wilder still walks among us. And, oh lordy lord, the Maldives are still part of the Commonwealth. It is also that period in time where Stevenage Football Club score FOUR goals. Away. In a single game. That, lads and ladies, went down at Morecambe. The scene of the crime to which we return this weekend.
Now, you’re back in the room. It’s October 2016 and, sadly, Marmite can still be bought at your local Tesco. And since that 4-1 win at Morecambe almost Arthur Year ago now, Boro’ have only found the net on their travels three more times. Three. That’s right. The tally went from four-in-one to three-in-seven. It’s lean alright, but it doesn’t have to be forever. Even so, it will take the most optimistic of wanderers to see a flip-change in fortunes this weekend. Stranger things happen in football, but – come on – not that strange.
Morecambe v Stevenage: Yep, It’s Them Again…
Talking of wanderers, it’s interesting to see that our naff away record still isn’t enough to kick Wycombe off the bottom – if the table was done on away matches, of course. Yes, we are the 23rd best team on the road in this league. Both our defence and attack on the road, however, are 22nd. How that works, we don’t know. The most important thing to remember is that, ultimately, the Shrimpydimps are five points and seven places up on us right now. If breasts go skywards this weekend, we could be in the danger zone.
Not all lights at the end of the tunnel are oncoming trains, however. No club around has conceded more goals to Boro’ than our erstwhile seaside hosts this weekend. Oh aye – 58 goals in 34 against Morecambe, at an average of 1.71 goals every time. We’ll gloss over how many they have against us. Eight of those 58 came last season too. We can work with that. And the fact we ain’t lost to ’em since they stuck four on us in November 2005. Oh, one last thing. The Shrimps have the worst defensive record indoors in League Two.
Both teams can look at this one as the game that turns the tide. Let’s hope, for them, it’s more a damp squib.
Morecambe v Stevenage: It won’t look as pretty as these League Two stats from Kick Off:
BoroGuide’s Morecambe club profile – it’ll bring you sunshine…