PREVIEW: Boro hope to be stronger by the time they visit Proact

Picture by Gareth Williams/AHPIX.com; Football; Sky Bet League Two; Stevenage FC v Chesterfield FC; 16/12/2017 KO 15.00; Lamex Stadium; copyright picture; Howard Roe/AHPIX.com; Skipper Ian Evatt leaps with Stevenage's Matt GoddenPicture by Gareth Williams/AHPIX.com; Football; Sky Bet League Two; Stevenage FC v Chesterfield FC; 16/12/2017 KO 15.00; Lamex Stadium; copyright picture; Howard Roe/AHPIX.com; Skipper Ian Evatt leaps with Stevenage's Matt Godden
Picture by Gareth Williams/AHPIX.com; Football; Sky Bet League Two; Stevenage FC v Chesterfield FC; 16/12/2017 KO 15.00; Lamex Stadium; copyright picture; Howard Roe/AHPIX.com; Skipper Ian Evatt leaps with Stevenage's Matt Godden
Stevenage have won only once in their seven outings since they battered the Spireites just before Christmas at the Lamex Stadium.

Boro beat Chesterfield 5-1 in what was one of the lowlights of the season for Town and a game that saw them lose skipper Ian Evatt to a longterm knee injury.

But in the four weeks that followed, Stevenage have only bettered one other side – Cheltenham, on New Year’s Day.

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In the FA Cup they held Reading to a 0-0 draw but lost 3-0 in the replay.

Defeats to Luton and Crawley and draws with Carlisle and Morecambe round up their post-festive rout record.

What the results mean is that Darren Sarll’s side are not quite beyond the reach of Jack Lester’s Chesterfield.

A win at the Proact on Saturday would put Town just five points behind 15th placed Stevenage, albeit having played a game more.

On the road, Boro have been poor for most of the season.

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Their last away win was all the way back in September against Carlisle, and they’ve visited 11 other clubs since then.

Sarll has added to his squad already during the Janaury transfer window, but he did lose out on one player – Chesterfield’s loan goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale.

Stevenage were another side believed to be very keen on the youngster, but it was the Spireites who landed his services from Premier League Bournemouth.

Millwall goalkeeper Tom King was signed instead by Sarll and the 22-year-old has kept two clean sheets in four outings for Stevenage.

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The Boro manager expected to have a ‘ridiculously busy’ week ahead of a visit to the Proact, as he attempts to further strengthen.

He told local newspaper The Comet: “We’ve got to strengthen the squad, we haven’t got enough. I don’t want to better the bench.

“I want to better the starting eleven, we’re all on the same page at the club. “The good players are worth waiting for and I’m hoping there’ll be activity.

“We’re waiting for the market to kick in, it’s a waiting game as the Stevenage manager, you’re never at the forefront of the financial power so you have to wait, and make clever decisions at late notice.”

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Club captain Ronnie Henry, pictured inset, has recent broke the Stevenage record for appearances and if he plays at the Proact it will be his 472nd match for Boro.

Matt Godden is their top goalscorer with 13, including two against Chesterfield in December, although he hasn’t found the net in his last four games.

The Spireites may have right-back Brad Barry in contention for the game following injury, while striker Gozie Ugwu resumed full training this week.

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