A dramatic finish saw Stevenage claim all three points against Stockport County with a 2-1 win in League Two.

They had trailed to a Callum Camps strike 13 minutes into the second-half, the midfielder coming on six minutes before half-time to replace Will Collar who picked up a knock.

But with three minutes to go Saxon Earley was flattened to give Boro a penalty, Ash Palmer seeing red for a second yellow, and Luke Norris rolled home the equaliser.

But the drama wasn't done and five minutes into the six added at the end, Earley's low cross rolled past Ben Hinchcliffe in the Stockport goal for Jamie Reid to poke home and send the Lamex Stadium into rapture.

Had they lost, it would still not have been a bad result as Boro gave the promotion favourites just as much as they received.

But this side is made of sterner stuff than previously and a win like this will send the already ridiculously high confidence rocketing to the sky.

Despite Steve Evans hinting at more than one, the only change for Boro was the one forced on them by Elliott List's injury at Tranmere.

As he was then, Jordan Roberts was the man brought in to replace him, Jamie Reid drafted back on the bench after his exclusion on Wirral.

What had impressed seven days ago was the work rate of the new-look Boro squad and the aerial threat of defensive pair Carl Piergianni and Dan Sweeney.

It turned out though that Stockport were from a similar mould - strong in the air, tough in the tackle and quick to press.

It frustrated both sides as balls into the area, where both would have fancied their chances, were mopped up time and time again by the opposition defence.

It meant chances were limited with only one recorded before 45 minutes were on the clock.

That was for Ryan Rydel who was slipped in on the left after a pass from Jake Reeves put Piergianni under pressure and he was robbed off the ball.

It took a deflection on its way over the top with the corner coming to nothing.

A corner was also the outcome when Reeves let fly in the first of five added minutes, Ben Hinchcliffe needing to tip it over the top.

And the extended stoppage time meant there was still time for Taye Ashby-Hammond to make an even better stop, flinging himself to his left to push an effort from Paddy Madden away, Sweeney making a timely tackle to stop the rebound from going in.

The five minutes at the end was because of a number of stoppages throughout the half, some because of tackles.

And it was Boro who felt more aggrieved at the end, assistant manager Paul Rayner talking himself into a booking as the teams went off.

The second period began totally differently with both sides realising the game was there for the taking. It stretched it out and that meant more chances.

Luke Norris had two sights of goal for Stevenage but was wide of Hinchcliffe's right-hand post on both occasions and Stockport's first chance of the half had seen a crucial touch from Terence Vancooten, if a little inadvertent, take the ball away from the onrushing away strikers.

Camps had delivered the cross on that occasion and just minutes later he grabbed the goal that put County in front.

Rydel's cross from the left had found Piergianni and Kyle Wooton battling for it, with neither dong enough to win it.

The loose ball ran to Camps though and with space and time from the more stretched game, he fired low inside Ashby-Hammond's near post.

Evans made a triple substitution three minutes later as he looked to rescue the situation and a fourth, fifth and sixth followed when Danny Rose, Dean Campbell and Kane Smith came on for their debuts.

They started to have an effect and both Sweeney and Reid flashed cross-shots across the face of goal without anyone getting a vital touch.

And their forward charge was rewarded in the dramatic conclusion.


Stevenage: Ashby-Hammond, James-Wildin (Smith 83), Clark (Earley 61), Reeves (Campbell 74), Piergianni, Sweeney, Taylor (Reid 61), Norris, Roberts (Rose 70), Vancooten, Bostwick (Read 61).

Subs (not used): Chapman.

Goals: Norris (pen) 88, Reid 90+5

Booked: Rayner (bench) 45+5, Rose 85


Stockport County: Hinchcliffe, Southam-Hales, Palmer, Horsfall, Madden (Hippolyte 86), Sarcevic (Lewis 90+4), Collar (Camps 39), Johnson, Rydel, Croasdale, Wootton (Quigley 77).

Subs (not used): Jaros, Crankshaw, Brown.

Goal: Camps 58

Booked: Palmer 10, 87, Horsfall 66

Sent off: Palmer 87


HT: Stevenage 0 Stockport County 0

Referee: Adam Herczeg (Dunston, Gateshead)

Attendance: 2,973 (709 from Stockport)