Stevenage captain looks ahead to Crawley challenge

Jon Ashton says “it’s better late than never” that Stevenage have picked up their form.

Boro’s skipper was part of the side that won 3-2 at Bradford City on Saturday to move the club off the foot of the League 1 table and to within four points of the teams just outside the relegation zone.

The win over the Bantams was the first time since October that Stevenage have posted back-to-back wins in the league, and it was also the first time, at the 17th attempt this season, that Boro had won a game after trailing at half-time.

Speaking ahead of the trip to Crawley Town on Tuesday evening, Ashton said: “We’re off the bottom now so that’s good, and we’ll look to kick on on Tuesday.

“We’re showing what we’re all about. We’ve left it until the last minute. In a perfect world we’d be top of the league, but we’re at the wrong end of the table.

“But it’s better late than never, and we’re just going to keep fighting now and make sure we’re still in League 1 next season.”

Stevenage have as many as two games in hand on those teams above them, but tomorrow’s nights opponents, who last week made their head groundsman redundant, have in some instances six games in hand on the teams around them following a number of postponements this season.

A home victory against Peterborough United has moved Crawley up to 14th in the table, but Ashton says Boro will be ready for the challenge come Tuesday.

“We’ve beaten them already this season, we’ll be preparing and making sure that we’re in the best shape possible to get the three points,” Ashton said.

“I don’t know what [their pitch] has been like the past three weeks; it hasn’t coped the best with the weather has it? We’ll be ready for any situation so if it’s soft and wet we’ll be ready for that.”