Stevenage 2
Aldershot Town 2
League (League Two)

Match report written by Damion Roberts, The Comet

There may have been a circus in town on Saturday, but there was very little clowning about at the Lamex as Boro and Aldershot battled it out for a draw neither team wanted.

Two stunning strikes by Alex Rodman either side of half-time were sandwiched by Darius Charles and Byron Harrison goals as Boro drew 2-2 for the second week in succession.

The result may look like two points dropped for Stevenage in the battle for the play-offs, but this match always looked like one of the most difficult Boro had yet to play.

Add to this the fact that promotion rivals Wycombe, Gillingham, Torquay and Port Vale all drew, and this result does not necessarily have the feel of a wasted opportunity about it.

Boro began the game minus the influential Michael Bostwick, who injured his back against Stockport last week, so Luke Foster lined up alongside John Mousinho in midfield while Charles continued to partner Craig Reid up front.

Boro could not have asked for a better start to the game with Charles putting them ahead inside the first 10 minutes.

A centre-back by trade, Charles has found himself converted into a marauding striker in recent weeks and it was a poacher’s instinct which saw him draw deep to the far post to touch home Mousinho’s free kick from the left.

Ten minutes later Mousinho produced a similar ball, again to the far post, but after heeding earlier mistakes this time the Aldershot back line was waiting for it and Charles was shielded out of the action, unable to repeat his earlier effort.

Between these two moments the Shots had a call for a penalty turned down when Danny Hylton went tumbling in the box between two players.

The visitors were playing long balls to counter Boro’s better possession, but Boro were guilty of slowing play down at times by holding on to the ball too much while both sides misplaced too many passes which stunted build-up play.

Aldershot failed to heed Boro’s threat from set pieces by giving away needless free kicks, and it was from another free kick that Boro went close on the half-hour mark.

Reid, who has found the net just once so far in his short Stevenage career, played a one-two with Charles before striking low to the goalkeeper’s left. It was a good effort, but took a slight deflection to end up wide of goal when it deserved better.

From the corner, a low cross was sent Scott Laird’s way 16 yards out and striking the ball first time, the left-back forced a good save out of Jamie Young.

Free kicks were the order of the day, and when Anthony Straker crossed one from the right just minutes before the interval Boro skipper Mark Roberts could only head the ball to the edge of the box where Rodman hit a stunning strike with such control that it flew past bodies in the crowded box and nestled into the bottom corner.

If Rodman’s first goal was a bit special, it was matched only by his second when, three minutes after the break, he picked up the ball on the left, cut inside, beat a player and curled a fantastic effort into Day’s far post.

It was a wonderful brace from the wide man, but his second goal, unlike the first, was avoidable had Stevenage closed him down with more authority.

Laird and Foster both went close with headers as the game opened up into quite an entertaining second half before Peter Winn and Harrison came on for the ineffectual Sinclair and Reid, and it was Harrison who pulled Boro back level.

Mousinho took yet another corner, and this time it was cleared to Foster on the corner of the box who chested the ball before striking goalwards. Harrison, standing in the line of fire, turned and got the final touch as the ball spun past Young into the far corner.

Boro had been piling the pressure on their opponents for some time, and the goal saw them believe they could grab a winner which they almost did with 14 minutes left only for Harrison to head a ball wide after a cross from the right.

The visitors were not finished and Ben Harding, on for Jermaine McGlashan and his ridiculously bright boots, hit a low drive left from 30 yards before Stacy Long shot straight at Young from 25 yards, but in the end neither side could have any complaints with a point apiece.