Stevenage hosted Grimsby Town in a League Two clash on Saturday. Read on for Layth Yousif’s match report from the Lamex.
A 78th minute Steve Seddon goal clinched the three points for Stevenage after a forgettable match at the Lamex, even if the welcomed three points cold prove vital come next May.
Stevenage began the day in 14th position but still only a single point off seventh placed Bury in the final play-off spot in a congested fourth tier table.
Boro were looking to build on their encouraging form since the disappointing 1-0 defeat to Cambridge at the start of September.
Four points culled from the last two matches has seen Boro steady the ship after consecutive defeats to Yeovil and Cambridge.
Victory against Macclesfield two weeks ago at Broadhall Way was supplemented with a hard-fought point in the 3-3 draw at Meadow Lane against Notts County last time out.
Seny Dieng made his first league appearance of the season as the 23-year-old Swiss keeper who impressed at Norwich in the Carabao Cup and against Swansea City U21s in the Checkatrade made his bow in place of first choice Paul Farmer who has a bruised hand but is expected to return to full training early next week.
The Mariners under Blundell Park boss Michael Jolley came into the game on the back of having won one point in their previous five matches including four defeats on the bounce.
The highly-rated right-back Luther Wildin was prominent in the early stages as he showed athleticism, pace, power and excellent technique supplementing his attacking colleagues.
Fellow full-back, the 20-year-old goalscorer Seddon, on loan from Championship Birmingham showed a good engine after a driving run in which he raced across three quarter of the pitch on one occasion as he continually chased down lost causes while showing good defensive discipline.
Emmanuel Sonupe saw a shot saved by the impressive visiting keeper James McKeown in the 19th minute before Danny Newton saw a shot narrowly fly over.
However, in truth it was an opening 45 minutes high on endeavour but lacking creativity and quality in the final third. Such a tepid first half wasn’t to do with a lack of effort from the home side as all disciplines throughout the side worked hard and press well but when referee Lee Collins blew for the interval it has to be said it was a blessed relief.
Thankfully the second period was far more lively.
Keeper McKeown pulled off a double save from Alex Revell and Emmanuel Sonupe early in the half as the tempo of the game increased as Maamria’s men went hunting a precious goal.
Revell then saw a low shot turned away by former Walsall youth shotstopper McKeown who has twice been voted the club’s player of the year. With such a solid presence it was easy to see why as he repelled Boro attacks as Steve Seddon went close moments after.
Boro eventually broke the deadlock after a Newton run down the left flank before he squared into the box.
Seddon, the young left-back on loan from the Blues managed to clip the ball into the net past the distraught McKeown to make it 1-0 on 78 minutes.
The 20-year-old Berkshire-born Seddon proved he is a quick learner as shown by a drastic improvement in performance levels in the space of a few weeks from his debut in the disappointing 1-0 loss to Cambridge in which he was hooked at the break.
It was a deserved reward for Seddon and his Stevenage side’s persistence in a match which will soon be forgotten - even if the three welcome points could be vital eight months from now.
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