Match report: Stevenage 2 Northampton Town 1

Sky Bet League 2

Stevenage further boosted their claim for a play-off place after coming from behind to beat Northampton Town.

Eight points from their last four matches have moved Boro up to sixth in the League 2 table – and with only four games left this season, their play-off fate is firmly in their own hands.

Yet Boro fell behind in the first half when Zander Diamond’s low drive from the edge of the box gave the visitors the lead.

Until that point, Boro had been the better of the two sides.

Tom Pett and Tom Conlon had started the game ahead of Dave Martin and Simon Walton, but it was Chris Whelpdale on the left of midfield who caused the Cobblers a few problems early doors.

The winger should have put the hosts ahead when, running in at the far post, he could only poke Chris Beardsley’s low cross wide of the post.

Beardsley then went close himself. Dean Wells went over in the box, and while some players looked at the referee the forward reacted quickly to strike goalwards and force Matt Duke into a superb save.

Stevenage trailed at the break, thanks to Diamond, but they drew level just after the hour.

With time to pick out Whelpdale, Dean Parrett hung up a deep cross to the far post and the winger nodded in for his first goal since Boxing Day.

The visitors then had the ball in the back of the net again, but Ivan Toney’s effort was ruled out for offside. Bruno Andrade, on as a substitute, then fired off target from a tight angle with team-mates awaiting a cross.

John-Joe O’Toole fired straight at Chris Day as both teams pushed for a winner, and it was the home side that achieved it.

Andrade had been a constant threat since his introduction, and as Boro attacked again he looked inside to find fellow substitute Simon Walton whose deflected shot flew past Duke and into the net.

There was also still time for Ryan Cresswell to receive a second yellow card from Peter Banks, for handball, as the visitors finished the match with 10 men.

Ref: P Banks

Att: 3,378 (731)