Two goalkeeping errors from Carlisle United’s Shamal George may have been central to Stevenage’s 2-0 win at Brunton Park but Darren Sarll says that luck was “very much earned”.
The Boro boss wasn’t hiding his joy at both the result and the performance after a hard-fought victory that moves them back into play-off contention in Sky Bet League Two.
Not that he was trying mind.
“I’m so proud of the players’ efforts tonight and their togetherness and the way they rolled their sleeves up,” said Sarll, with a grin almost as long as the journey they had made.
“We’ve had some difficult days at Carlisle. I’ve always found them difficult days but whatever Carlisle threw at us tonight I thought we dealt with it handsomely.
“Our endeavour was first class and you talk about earning luck; we certainly earned it tonight.”
Ben Kennedy got the first, tapping in after the keeper had dropped a corner at his feet, and Tom Pett the second with a header from distance that was fumbled behind him and in by the on-loan Liverpool stopper.
“I don’t really care how the goals come,” was Sarll’s assessment. “I’ve been on the end of too many unlucky moments so when the luck is earned by my players, and let’s be brutally honest, it was very much earned, they deserved to take it.
“I would not say [Tom Pett’s header] was towering, I would say it was loopy and dumpy,
“But I don’t care, it went in.”
Stevenage were backed by 34 fans who had made the long 546-mile round trip and Sarll revealed the players had felt moved to do something for them.
He said: “On the way up home Ronnie Henry said they’d had a whip round for the fans that made the journey.
“I want that connection between the football club and the supporters.
“We’re one step off the conference; we’re one step off being amateurs. Why should we be so distant like some of the top players and clubs are?
“I want us to be tight with our supporters and I want the players to show them an appreciation as they were magnificent tonight.
“As long as the fans can go home proud of their football club and they can go home knowing they’ve paid their money but they’ve seen the lads wear their hearts on their sleeves, that’s all I ask.”
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