Stevenage boss Darren Sarll was delighted his team beat Premier League hopefuls Brighton and Hove Albion at The Lamex – but believes there is far more to come from his talented side.

Talking after the 1-0 victory over Chris Hughton’s Championship team – who are one of the favourites for promotion to the top tier of English football in the forthcoming 2016/17 season – Sarll was pleased with another pre-season victory.

Rowan Liburd, the manager’s recent signing from Reading, drew Seagulls keeper David Stockdale from his line before beating the onrushing former Fulham man by calmly slotting the ball into net to make it 1-0 just after the half hour mark.

But demanding boss Sarll told the Comet: “I thought we did ok. Ironically I thought we could have played a lot better in the first half, so I was pleased with our second half display.”

He went on to explain: “No-one trains all week to lose on a Saturday afternoon so it’s important the work we’ve done is of a winning nature.

“It’s also important we attempt to beat whoever is put in front of us and I’m very glad we have.”

WIth another pre-season victory gained Sarll explained his reasoning behind giving some of his squad a run-out in the heatwave temperatures.

He said: “I thought prior to the game I’d give as many 90 minutes out as I could. I certainly thought more would have 90 but when you actually reflect, especially on the first half, I think the boys had to do a lot of work.

“75 minutes for Michael Tonge tonight was 100 minutes in League Two. So I thought we had to get the right work-to-rest ratio for the games ahead.”

Speaking about goalscorer Liburd going off immediately after netting what turned out to be the game’s winning goal Sarll said: “Rowan will be fine.

“We just need to take a bit of sting off him.

“People forget although he’s 23, he’s really only in his second full year of being a professional.

“So his body has aches and pains all young professional footballers have.

“We just need to make sure that we take him off his feet for a couple of days and he’ll be fine in the short and medium term.”

South Coast supremo Chris Hughton confirmed none of the side which represented his club in an earlier game yesterday at Kenilworth Road – that saw Luton Town beat a Brighton select XI 2-1 – played at The Lamex.

The former Spurs man speaking exclusively to the Comet after the game praised Sarll’s men saying: “We put a good starting side out there against Stevenage containing nine senior players and two academy lads.

“Stevenage gave us a good test today which is just what we need in pre-season.

“I’ve know this place well, I’ve come here many times in the past and we knew we would be up against it against a tough side.

“I wish them well this season. They will be a tough side to beat.”