Three Stevenage FC Things We Learned this week: By Sam Cretton

Jordan Roberts as a second striker

In Stevenage's last two games we have seen Jordan Roberts play a different role then he normally would in both of them. This being as a second striker alongside Kane Hemmings due to the absence of top scorer Jamie Reid against Wycombe, and then alongside him against Cambridge.

In both these games he has thrived and played with more freedom, as he can drop deep as he likes to be on the ball, but then makes runs in behind - with his pace he certainly caught out the Cambridge defence. On Tuesday, Roberts recent performances and hard work payed off as he scored his first goal since Stevenage's 3-0 win against Northampton on Boxing Day.  

Stevenage's determination in defence 

On Tuesday, Stevenage defended balls into the box from both sides exceptionally well - and this is ultimately the reason as to why Steve Evans side are doing so well this season. Grinding out results is a specialty of Evans and out of the 17 games Stevenage have won this season, eight of them have been with the scoreline 1-0.

As we have seen for the majority of the campaign, defending against these balls into the box and fast wingers is tricky but on Tuesday both fullbacks were brilliant - and as always, so too was the ever-reliable partnership of Captain Fantastic Piergianni and Terence Vancooten. Ultimately this is why Stevenage are in the position they are in due to being brilliant in defence and quick on the counter.  

If League One Playoffs are the goal we must be more clinical 

Not for the first time this season that Stevenage have relied on the one goal advantage in matches in order to pick up three points.

This may prove vital come end of the season as we must be more clinical in order to finish games off.

As a fan at the Lamex on Tuesday there were periods in the second half where you thought "Stevenage are going to do a 'Stevenage" due to the amount of late winners and equalisers that we concede. If we could be more prolific in front of goal, some of these games could have been easily put to bed. Despite picking up the three points on Tuesday, Stevenage missed plenty of chances in both the first and second half where it was easier to score than miss. 

If come end of the season and Stevenage are not in that top 6 they will have to look back on plenty of tight games where chances have been missed which ultimately cost us three valuable points...