Stevenage topple high-flying Plymouth

Connor Ogilvie celebrates scoring Stevenage's first goal (Image: Archant)

Stevenage toppled high-flying Plymouth Argyle to register a second win in three matches.

Goals from Spurs loanee Connor Ogilvie and Chris Whelpdale gifted Boro a 2-0 half-time lead, but although half-time substitute Craig Tanner headed Plymouth back into the match early in the second half Teddy Sheringham’s men held on for the victory.

Sheringham made five changes from the side that drew with Dagenham the previous week, among them Watford loanee Connor Smith coming in for his first start for the club.

Chris Day was also recalled to the first team, with on loan Fulham keeper Jesse Joronen away on international duty with Finland.

Six minutes was all it took for Stevenage to take the lead, and it came from left-back Ogilvie.

Running on to a ball into the box, he showed great composure to wait for Luke McCormick to commit before firing over the keeper to open the scoring.

Whelpdale then went close to doubling his side’s lead, but his shot was deflected on to the foot of the post leaving McCormick stranded.

Ogilvie almost got himself an assist to add to his earlier strike.

He watched play unfold on the left, and made a run past it and behind the Plymouth defence. Played in, he then squared the ball to Charlie Lee but the forward lost his footing and screwed his shot over the bar.

Plymouth had carved out chances of their own, with Graham Carey firing off target and Peter Hartley doing the same from the edge of the box, but the next goal went the way of the hosts.

Lee made a superb run into the box before he teed up Dean Parrett, and his shot was poked over the line at the far post by Chris Whelpdale.

Plymouth made two changes at half-time with Ryan Brunt and Kelvin Mellor making way for Oscar Threlkeld and Tanner, and within 10 minutes they had halved the deficit.

Carey was the provider; he picked out Tanner at the far post, and the substitute’s header beat Day with Mark Hughes only able to help it into the goal.

Jake Jervis then forced Day into a save from 25 yards as the visitors pushed forward, but Boro should have extended their lead only for Lee to side-foot wide of goal when picked out superbly by Tom Pett.

Plymouth thought they had got back on level terms with 20 minute to go, but when Jake Jervis headed past Day the whistle went for a foul in the build-up and Boro’s lead remained intact as they went on to claim all three points.

Stevenage: Day, Franks, Ogilvie, Hughes, Wells, Whelpdale (Conlon 90), Pett, Parrett, Smith (Jebb 69), Lee (Williams 69), Hitchcock. Subs: Kettings, McCombe, Akinyemi, Henry.

Plymouth: McCormick, Mellor (Threlkeld 46), Sawyer, McHugh, Nelson, Hartley, Carey, Wylde, Jervis, Brunt (Tanner 46), Boateng (T Harvey 90). Subs: C Harvey, Cox, Purrington, Rooney.

Ref: G Sutton