League One: Stevenage 3-0 Northampton Town

Goals from Jamie Reid, Jordan Roberts and Elliot List helped ease Stevenage to a comfortable Boxing Day victory over Northampton Town on Tuesday afternoon at the Lamex.

In front of a festive crowd of 5,164, including 895 visitors from Sixfields, Steve Evans' promotion-chasing side further consolidated a play-off spot. In the process sharing the same number of points, 43, as the heavyweights of Bolton Wanderers and Derby County.

Evans' Boro have surprised many by punching far above their financial capabilities this season, certainly in terms of current promotion-chasing placings.

The Broadhall Way outfit started their impressive season so far with a hard-fought 1-0 victory at Sixfields back in August. The season-opening match notable for 23 minutes of additional time being played, after both sides had deservedly earned promotion from League Two. Evans side ending a memorable campaign as runners-up to Leyton Orient, while the Cobblers finished one place behind in third.

This time around Jon Brady's side singularly failed to emulate their vital if fractious 3-2 victory over Stevenage in North Herts last term. A match that saw the passionate Evans pick up two yellow cards from referee Geoff Eltringham in a matter of minutes prior to the half hour mark.

As if to underline their continued rise, it was the home side who underlined their intentions from the opening whistle.

The lively Reid latching onto the fit-again Elliot List's intelligent through-ball to finish in a style bursting with confidence, as Stevenage went 1-0 up after only 120 seconds.

Reid's emphatic finish from the edge of the area past Cobblers keeper Max Thompson making it 14th League One goals in an increasingly impressive campaign.

In a dominant opening, Stevenage could have doubled the lead on 24 minutes when Reid's header flew narrowly wide, with the 29-year-old former Torquay centre-forward well-placed following Dan Butler's corner, but the chance went begging.

However, Boro's No11 Roberts doubled the lead on 42 minutes, when his long-range effort from the left flank evaded Cobblers keeper Thompson to fly into the far corner for 2-0. It was hard to fight a case that the lively Roberts actually intended his strike as a shot, but no-one was complaining as Evans side underlined their superiority.

As darkness fell after the interval, Boro maintained their dominance over the visitors in the second half.

Not least when the lively List made it 3-0 on 67 minutes - assisted by Manchester City loanee Finlay Burns who continues to thrive under Evans - to seal a well-deserved victory over an underwhelming Cobblers side.

There can't be many sides in League One who can boast such an exciting attacking trident as List, Roberts and Reid, as Evans impressive side hunt a second promotion on the bounce, this time to the unheralded territory of the Championship.

Of course, there is such a long way to go before the canny Evans would countenance such talk, starting with Cambridge United at the Lamex this Friday evening.

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