Stevenage manager Darren Sarll was full of praise for his squad following their win over Grimsby Town at the weekend.

Boro picked up their first win of the Sky Bet League Two season with a 3-1 victory over the Mariners at the Lamex Stadium, and Sarll was delighted with the attitude of his players.

The Boro boss told the Comet: “I think every one of the players has a terrific selfless mindset that says whatever happens to me is irrelevant as long as Stevenage win.

“We try and grow that mentality at the club and make sure every player believes in the bigger purpose, which is brilliant.”

Danny Newton opened the scoring in the 37 minute before Jonathan Smith – on his home league debut – doubled the lead on stroke of half time, with Sarll describing the former Luton Town midfielder performance as ‘magnificent’.

“Jonathan Smith wants to be first, he’s a winner,” he said.

“You look at his career and it’s filled with trophies. I think that was typical of his mindset and it’s why we waited so long and worked so hard to bring him to the club. He was magnificent.”

Substitute Ben Kennedy scored the third Stevenage goal, curling the ball home from the edge of the area in trademark fashion.

The goal was Kennedy’s first of the season having only just returned from a groin injury suffered in pre-season.

Sarll was impressed with the impact the Northern Irishman made as a 60th-minute substitute, while also jokingly praising himself for making the change.

“How many times have we seen him provoke from the right and strike with his left?” he said.

“He’s just got such quality.

“Ben’s great attribute is that he doesn’t want to waste time. He wanted to get going, to impose himself and make sure next Saturday he wasn’t sitting next to me on the bench.

“He impacted the game and the intelligence of the manager with the substitution was telling!”

“Too many people look too far afield for the top player in this division. Ben is here every other Saturday at the Lamex. We’ve got some really good players at the club.”