Stevenage extended their unbeaten run to four games with a goalless draw at Morecambe this afternoon.
In another encouraging display Boro worked hard all afternoon and carved out some great opportunities, but will be thankful to Jack Redshaw's penalty miss on the quarter hour.
Graham Westley made just the one change from the side which started the Cambridge win with Adam Marriott handed his first start after injury in place of the injured Ryan Brunt.
After three wins on the bounce, including an away win at Dagenham, Stevenage started full of confidence and really dominated the opening quarter of an hour.
Within the opening five minutes McAllister fired over from the edge of the area after good work down the left by Okimo, Whelpdale nodded just wide after challenging ‘keeper Scott Davies and Lee saw a shot blocked as Boro camped inside the Morecambe half.
Even when the hosts found themselves in and around the Boro box they nearly found themselves behind when Marriott latched onto a 10th minute clearance from Charles and ran through at an angle, only to be denied by Davies’ outstretched leg.
The Morecambe ‘keeper was called into action again just three minutes later when Charles latched onto Lee’s header in the box to power his own header at goal, which was creeping in until Davies tipped it behind at full stretch.
Having being under the cosh for the opener 15, Morecambe were handed a golden opportunity to open the scoring from the spot after Kevin Ellison went down under a challenge from Henry. Up stepped Redshaw who opted for power but saw his shot crash against the bar and go over, much to the delight of the travelling fans.
After a hectic start the game slowed down although it was Morecambe was came into the half and had perhaps the best of the chances. Ryan Edwards met a free-kick from the right but saw his header fly just over the corner of post and bar with Day then called into action on 24 minutes to parry a Devitt shot from distance after Lee and then Charles lost possession in the middle of the park.
In a topsy-turvy final five minutes Charles saw a header at the back-post cleared by a covering defender, Devitt fired wide at the other end and Lee smashed just wide of the far post
After that goalless first half, Kevin Ellison turned and volleyed an early effort at goal as the hosts threatened to break the deadlock early on in the second. Drummond also forced Day into a fine low save with a powerful header but gradually Stevenage came back into the half and won a succession of corners, with Pett particularly bright down the right flank.
Tom Conlon came on for Lee just past the hour and almost immediately had a chance from a free-kick, but whipped his effort over Davies’ bar.
Sub Padraig Amond, who had equalised at The Lamex at the end of November, saw a looping header land on the roof of the net as the hosts pushed forward but soon enough Boro were back on the attack. Sub Roarie Deacon found himself crowded out in the box and Okimo escaped his defender down the left on 76 minutes before firing a low cross behind everyone.
Calvin Zola made a welcome return to action with 11 minutes remaining, replacing Chris Whelpdale and worked hard to combine with Pett, Deacon and Parrett in the closing stages. It was his ball down for Deacon which could have seen Boro awarded a penalty of their own on 88 minutes, with Roarie bursting into the box and going down, but referee Sarginson waved away frantic appeals from Stevenage.
A point apiece was probably fair on both teams with the league table staying pretty much as-you-were thanks to results elsewhere. After an encouraging point on the road, Graham Westley’s men now have a week to prepare for their next home game against AFC Wimbledon.
Morecambe: Davies, Parrish, Hughes, Edwards (Amond 69), Beeley, Devitt (Sampson 87), Goodall, Drummond, Wilson, Redshaw (Mullin 62), Ellison
Subs not used: Arestidou, Kenyon, McGowan, McCready
Stevenage: Day, Henry, Wells, Charles, Okimo, Pett, McAllister, Parrett, Whelpdale (Zola 79) , Lee (Conlon 63), Marriott (Deacon 70)
Subs not used: Beasant, Walton, Beardsley
Referee: Mr Sarginson
Attendance: 1,530 (88 away)