Six things noted in Stevenage's pre-season game with Watford

It finished 2-2. Kwadwo Bahh had put the Hornets in front before Carl Piergianni equalised with a firm header on the stroke of half-time.

Aaron Pressley picked up an injury in the first-half and was replaced by youngster Harrison Smith.

He played the rest of the game and there were seven replacements on 62 minutes before David Hicks came on with 17 minutes to go.

By those points, Watford were 2-1 up after an Imran Louza penalty, given after a foul by Terence Vancooten.

However, in a repeat of the first half, the final touch led to a Stevenage goal, Dan Sweeney's looping volley finding the gap next to the far post.

It was a decent performance in a point of the campaign that is notoriously difficult to call. Teams and players are all at various stages of their work, games aren't played full tilt and there are always changes throughout the contest.

This one had its flashpoints and got a bit more competitive as the contest went on.

And there was plenty to be gleaned from the outing.

These are some of the things I spotted.

Six things noted during Stevenage's friendly with Watford

1. Should we read anything into the formations?

We saw two in the first half. Started out with a 4-4-2 and a diamond midfield but switched to a 4-3-3 after the injury to Aaron Pressley.

It became 4-3-1-2 after the seven changes just past the hour, Dan Kemp sitting behind the front two with Harvey White, Ryan Doherty and Nick Freeman/David Hicks much deeper.

Watford had made eight changes at the same time and Boro did have some joy going forward in those final 20 minutes or so.

The diamond, familiar to most, started brightly but with Pressley's injury, it didn't get a chance to work fully.

I felt the midfield trio in that 4-3-1-2 were too deep but then again, all three/four were able to affect the game in a positive manner, at least at one point.

I'd still like to see a back five with wing-backs, maybe that will come against Coventry or Jersey.

I've got a feeling though that Revs is more content with a back four and just once or twice, there were some sloppy passes back there.

Put that down to first day jitters and rustiness for now.

2. Revs at the wheel

A lot of this had been noted after my chat with him on Thursday at Bragbury End but he is a markedly different person from the one who sat in the big chair in 2020.

He has a noticeable confidence about him, not that he didn't before, but this is a man who is definitely way more comfortable being the head honcho.

He speaks with a drive, knowing exactly what he wants and how to get there.

His demeanour during the game was noteworthy too.

Under Steve Evans, he was up and down, the conduit almost between the seated Evans and the animated Paul Raynor.

Here he was the focal point in the technical area, the Rayns role, with first-team coach Scott Cuthbert filling his old position, all of which allowed assistant Neil Bamfield to be the one sitting back and getting the ground level view.

He was barking out instructions often and while I didn't get to hear the nuts and bolts of the majority of it, it seemed minor tweaks. Reminders of what he wanted, by who and when.

Afterwards he seemed content although there was just the hint that he hasn't truly passed responsibilities on. He was still out, wanting to look after the warm-down of the substitutes, while fitting in chats with the chairman and then myself.

Maybe that though was also down to the chaos of day one in pre-season.

3. Give youth a chance?

Revell had said openly that youngsters will be given an opportunity in the first team, providing they earn that shot and truly deserve it.

Here, Harrison Smith was brought on to replace Pressley, and not Louis Appere. That meant a 70 minute shift for the youngster.

Ryan Doherty, just 15-year-old and apparently wanted by a number of Premier League clubs for their academy, was one of the multitude of replacements on 62 minutes while David Hicks came on a bit later.

All three had their moments although it was perhaps Hicks and Doherty who had the more telling showings.

Hicks could and perhaps should have scored, his effort well saved by Watford's Jonathan Bond.

I do like Hicksy, he definitely has a football brain in there and can adapt to most situations and formations and oppositions.

With Jake Forster-Caskey potentially out for another three months, Hicks would make very adequate cover to Dan Phillips and Louis Thompson until his return.

The youngster, who spent some time on loan at Potters Bar Town last year, could probably do with a season in the National League first.

Finding the right club might be the issue there, hence the idea to keep him around until January would also be appealing.

4. The new pitch

Made no difference whatsoever by the looks of it.

Some said the ball ran slower and Carl Piergianni said there was definitely more grass on it but other than that, everything was fine apparently.

That little sub-plot put to bed quite comfortably and early it seems. 

5. The new home kit

Love it or loathe it, and let's be honest, the latter is the category where most people have landed, Stevenage's new threads have certainly lit the fuse on many a conversation.

It's fair to say I pulled a face when I first saw it. Looking quite promising in the top half, it ends up looking like the outfit of an 80s cartoon character or an ice hockey jersey. Lightning McQueen from Pixar's Cars was how one described it on Saturday.

I did wonder if time would be a healer, whether it would grow on me like a stray cat rather than a piece of mould.

It could well do and it has to be said, it certainly looks better in the flesh and from the distance of the West Stand.

Predominantly white, the flashes or flames or spikes or whatever they are blend into the shorts quite nicely and the pink of the sponsor's logo isn't that noticeable at 50 yards.

Big bold black numbers too on the white background which I will never complain about. Very visible which is all I ask for when I'm trying to work out who's who.

Replica kits weren't in evidence around the Lamex but that's because they are only available for pre-order.

That will be the clincher of course. After all, it is Stevenage fans who will have the ultimate say in whether it has been a success.

6. Notable performers

All players had their moments although some made more telling contributions to the eyes of this old knacker.

The form of Jordan Roberts seemed to fall off last year in the latter stages. Usually so pivotal and so crucial to how the Boro machine ticks, he didn't impact games towards the end of last season.

This was much more like it.

Pressing continuously, biting and nibbling the ankles of defenders on the press, he looked as good as new.

I don't know if he was carrying a knock late on last year or whether the season just caught up with him. If it was the latter, he definitely looked refreshed here and with the addition of Dan Kemp to the squad, he should expect to have a chance to rotate and hopefully keep the fitness through the full campaign.

Louis Thompson is another who looks rejuvenated after the summer.

He arrived a Boro in the summer of 2023 with some injury problems in his past and while he was still good, this outing may have given us a glimpse that the best is most assuredly still to come.

Very active, wanting to affect the game both defensively and in attack. A very promising show.

Good to see the two centre-halves score too. More goals are needed and they have to come from throughout the team.

Match stats

Stevenage: Trialist, Piergianni (Sweeney 62), Freeman (Hicks 73), Roberts (Kemp 62), K.Smith (Wildin 62), Vancooten (N.Thompson 62), Freestone (Butler 62), List (Appere 62), Pressley (H.Smith 19), Phillips (White 46), L.Thompson (Doherty 62).

Sub (not used): Mitchell

Goals: Piergianni 45, Sweeney 90+1

Watford: Bachmann, Sierralta, Hoedt, Pollock, Ince, Sema, Bayo, Dele-Bashiru, Bahh, Kayembe, Andrews.

Subs: Bond, Ngakia, Rajovic, Louza, Vata, Tikvic, Abbott, Morris, Macauley, Forde, Eames, Ramirez-Espain, Clarridge.

Goals: Bahh 9, Louza 50

HT: Stevenage 1 Watford 1

Referee: David Rock