Mark Sampson expressed pride in his group of players as Stevenage secured their first win of the season at Wycombe Wanderers on Tuesday Night in the EFL Trophy...
Jason Cowley’s first half header proved the difference between the two sides in a Boro performance that was more than worthy of the 1-0 result.
“We needed a win. Both teams tonight went with strong starting XI’s and it showed how much Wycombe wanted to win the game by how they used their bench as well. They didn’t want to get beat today, they haven’t lost at home in a long, long, long time so to come here and get that result is an incredible effort from all the players.
“We piled the pressure on as well. Saturday in the second half was just no way near. We were no way near the eight ball, it just wasn’t good enough. We said to them tonight, we have to win.
“We have scored a goal and had three or four other good chances to score. Up until the last three minutes, they haven’t had a shot on target, Farms hasn’t been worked all night.
“It was an incredible effort from the players but it has got to be just the start and we have another big one on Saturday. We now focus our attention on that.”
Still searching for a league victory, Sampson hopes that the group will be able to take the positive momentum gained on Tuesday into the league campaign for Saturday's home match against Grimsby Town.
“It is a platform for us and it is a big, big win. It is definitely something off our back, it is a weight off our shoulders but it has got to be just the start.
“We also have to realise is that not only have this group of players not won a league game yet, but they hadn’t won a Cup game until tonight and we had lost our last four pre-season friendlies. I think it was the 23rd July since this group of players last won a football match and that had to be addressed.
“That win tonight, that feeling in that changing room we have to take into Saturday. We know that Saturday is a huge game. It is at home and every home game is a huge game but we have to be better on Saturday than we were tonight, against a very good Grimsby team who are very well coached and on a good run of form at the moment.
“We have got to create a mentality at our football club where every next game is a World Cup Final. The next game is the most important and we have to set that environment and that tone.”
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