Manager Steve Evans pointed the finger at shambolic defending after Stevenage lost at home to Salford City.

Three very preventable second-half goals give the north-west side a 3-1 win at the Lamex, boosting their own hopes of reaching the League Two play-offs.

Boro remain focused on automatic promotion and are still in the top three but the boss knows they cannot have many more days like that.

Evans said: "We should be two-up in five minutes, shouldn’t we? That would have settled everyone down.

"We controlled the first half but we didn’t make their goalkeeper work anywhere near where we should. There’s one great save from Dan Sweeney but we don't make him work.

"There was nothing in the game in the second half but somebody doesn't do their job on the edge of the box, which is a simple thing to do when it's nominated for you, and we get punished with the goal. 

"The game then went end to end too much for my liking, and then we give a shambles of a second goal away, it’s an absolute shambles. The defending was poor. 

"But we got back into the game with 12 minutes added so there’s lots of time left and then within a couple of minutes we have another defensive shambles. 

"Those lads responsible have been great for us so what we'll do is we'll use this week to pick them up and refocus."

The Comet: Luke Norris pulled one back for Stevenage. Picture: DAVID LOVEDAY/TGS PHOTOLuke Norris pulled one back for Stevenage. Picture: DAVID LOVEDAY/TGS PHOTO (Image: David Loveday/TGS Photo)

 

Stevie Mallan got the first from a free-kick pulled back to him on the edge of the area while Callum Hendry got the second after a long punt upfield floated over the head of a static defence.

Luke Norris pulled one back before the mammoth amount of time added on.

But almost within seconds, Matt Smith was given a simple chance after Boro were caught napping at a throw-in.

And Evans refuted the suggestion Salford had done a job on them in the second period.

The boss said: "They did a job on us because we helped them. You can't defend like that.

"If we defend like that next week, it'll be more."

He was happy to finish on a positive though, saying the performance should only be a one off.

"You know how uncharacteristic that is as much as I do," he said. "We’ve watched these lads all season.

"They've been absolutely rocks for us all season but they're responsible for big goals at key times.

"But in fairness to the honesty and integrity of the two lads, they walked in and put their hands straight up to the rest of the room. I don't need to say a word to them. They know.

"That's always the sign of good characters and characters that are bound to be there next week for us.

"We've got a great game to look forward to next week against Northampton. That's a big game for us.

"We go there slightly behind with a game in hand so let's go there but we'll see if we can come out of there with three points."