Teddy Sheringham described Danny Galbraith’s injury-time winner as a ‘dagger through the heart’ as Stevenage fell to defeat against basement side York City.

But this was less a concealed dagger hidden under garments waiting to surprise and more a blade that had been waved about in the open for Stevenage to see, and they could still do nothing to stop its plunge.

Boro will feel like they deserved a point from this match. And on balance of play, they may have done.

But when you allow a player to run 20 yards through the middle of your half in injury time without closing him down and then allow him to pick out his place in the corner of the goal to score the winner, a defeat is probably what you do deserve.

Kenny McEvoy had endured a short-lived loan spell at Boro earlier in the season from Spurs with just one fleeting substitute appearance away to Cambridge United.

But when he was put through on goal to face Chris Day with 16 minutes on the clock, the outcome was inevitable as he put away the opening goal.

That move had begun from a Stevenage corner. In fact, the third of three consecutive corners. But Boro committed too many people to the cause and they were left exposed at the back and were duly given a good hiding.

It was also not the last time in the game that a Stevenage corner would lead to a York counter-attack that ended with the ball in the Boro goal.

Stevenage had two chances in the first half, but Nottingham Forest loanee Deimantas Petravicius couldn’t adjust his body to a Charlie Lee cross and kneed the ball at goal before Aaron O’Connor saw a half-chance deflected wide.

Dean Parrett, a transfer target for Peterborough United, replaced Petravicius at half-time, and he had the sort of impact Teddy Sheringham would have wanted. He added drive and ambition in the second period, but ultimately it wasn’t enough.

York had the ball in the net again only for it to be disallowed, and once more it was a move that started at a Stevenage corner. The visitors gave up possession and allowed the Minstermen to attack, and they would have doubled their lead had there not been an infringement as the ball was scrambled over the line.

Keith Keane levelled the game with 12 minutes to go with a shot from 30 yards that moved in the wind and left Scott Flinders floundering, before York then had a second goal ruled out again when Vadaine Oliver was deemed offside as he headed home.

In a hectic end to the game, O’Connor was then played in and turned his defender only to see his shot cleared off the line superbly by Dave Winfield. Flinders then kept out the follow-up to keep his side level.

And then the winning goal came.

A minute into injury time Stevenage pressed on the halfway line, but when Keane went in to close down Galbraith he was turned by the York player who then coasted through the centre of the pitch before picking his spot.

It was a cruel, late blow. But for Stevenage this has become something of a habit. In half of their last 10 matches, they have conceded goals in the 85th minute or later.

It has cost them a place in the FA Cup and it has cost them more points here. And if they’re not careful, it could cost Stevenage the eight-point cushion they currently have between themselves and the teams in the relegation zone.

York City: Flinders, Ilesanmi, Coulson, Summerfield (Galbraith 79), Oliver, Penn, Cameron, Winfield, Dixon, Hendrie, McEvoy (Massanka 72). Subs: Berrett, Satka, Carson, Ingham, Fewster.

Stevenage: Day, Franks, Wells, Wilkinson, Ogilvie, Pett, Tonge (Cox 21), Keane, Petravicius (Parrett 46), Lee, O’Connor. Subs: Jones, Gordon, Akinyemi, Johnson, Gorman.

Att: 2951 (202 away)