League Two Full Time: Stevenage 2-1 AFC Wimbledon:

Steve Evans battling Stevenage side showed character to earn a vital 2-1 victory over the Dons in front of 4,062 fans at Broadhall Way on Saturday afternoon.

A fourth minute strike by former Ipswich Town striker Jordan Roberts put Evans' League Two promotion-chasing side 1-0 ahead, prior to Ali Al-Hamadi levelling for Wimbledon seven minutes later for 1-1.

With the race for automatic promotion to League One extremely tight, nothing but a win for Evans side would do, after his Stevenage side had faltered, gaining only three points from the last four matches.

However, Boro showed grit to gain the upper hand against obdurate opponents, albeit gifted a slice of luck, when a misplaced backpass allowed Jamie Reid freedom to lift the ball over onrushing keeper Nik Tzanev to make the score 2-1 just after the hour mark.

As if to emphasise just how tight this division is, Reid's winner elevated Boro back into third place after languishing in fifth spot this week, following fellow promotion chasers Northampton, in second spot, and Carlisle (fourth) playing out a 0-0 draw.

As the clock ticked down, there was still time for referee James Bell to hand passionate Boro boss Evans a yellow card. Not that fiery Scot Evans will be bothered, the only thing that mattered to him and his team was a first victory in five league games.

Evans Stevenage now host Doncaster Rovers at the Lamex on Tuesday evening in what will be sure to b another fraught match as Evans side aim to win their game in hand and consolidate one of the automatic promotion places.

advertisement