BROWNE ON THE BALL: Murray not afraid to swap sides to aid victory bid

Well, he didn’t actually take his regular spot, because for the first time in memory the York Street dug-out normally saved for the travelling team has become the home side’s hang-out.

One of Murray’s latest tweaks at the Jakemans Stadium has been to swap bases.

At first it seems like a needless change, doing something for the sake of it.

But in reality, it could be yet another well thought-out move by the manager.

Swapping dug-outs also means the Boston side now carry out their warm-ups on the opposite side of the pitch, in front of the Town End, the club’s most vocal section of terracing.

It also means the United substitutes do their stretches in front of the appreciative home support, as opposed to the jeering away fans.

And, as one fan pointed out to me, it also more often than not places the Pilgrims manager next to the referee’s assistant, instead of his opposing number.

Sitting in a different seat doesn’t guarantee victory, Saturday’s woeful defeat to Harrogate Town is testament to that.

But it does show the lengths Murray is prepared to go to claim any slight advantage over an opponent.

Marginal gains was the buzzword often dished out by the Team GB cycling squad in their glory years, when competitors received guidelines over seemingly trivial issues such as the right mattress to use and how to wash hands properly.

The theory was that if you were one per cent better than your opponent in 10 different areas then, on a good day, you would have a 10 per cent advantage.

And who knows, at some point this season a friendly chant could inspire a substitute about to come on.

Berating of an official over a blooper may just persuade him to give a game-changing decision the way of Boston later in the match.

Any advantage could be the difference between winning and losing.

And any small change could be the catalyst for that.

Yes, Boston will have to play 10 times better than they did agains Harrogate for any minor advantage to make a difference.

But you don’t build anything strong without laying firm foundations.