Stevenage fell to a 2-1 defeat at Exeter City on Saturday during a hard-fought encounter with the promotion-chasing hosts…
After trailing for much of the game, Dan Kemp produced a moment of brillaince to draw Boro level with less than 10 minutes to go, only to see the home side go straight down the other end to retake the lead.
Graham Westley named five changes from last Saturday's defeat against Leyton as Daniel Kemp, Patrick Reading and Canice Carroll all made their full debuts, whilst Simeon Jackson and Tom Soares returned to the team.
Like in many games recently and this season, Stevenage started the match brightly and had the better of the opening 20 minutes. Kemp was influential early on, seeing a shot blocked, a cross coming close to finding Jackson inside the box before picking out Cassidy whose volley deflected just the wrong side of the post in what was the games best chance so far on 21 minutes.
A cross/shot from Cassidy came close to catching out Ward as his deep ball flew narrowly over the bar, but Exeter started to grow into the game and were forcing Stevenage back as the half went on.
After forcing a number of successive corners and looking dangerous, without creating any clear cut chances themselves, the Grecians found the breakthrough on 35 minutes with a bullet header from Williams to make it 1-0 to the home side.
Stevenage laboured through the rest of the first half to go into the break one down and with it all to do against the promotion-chasing hosts.
It was better from Boro in the second half who asked questions of the Grecians without really testing Ward in goal. Kemp fired wide from the edge of the box and Jackson got in-behind the defence, only to fail to pick out the on-rushing Parrett with the pull-back.
Despite this, Exeter saw two opportunities go begging as Ajose lofted the ball over Farman and wide of the post before Bowman rattled the woodwork to leave the game on a knife edge going into the final 20 minutes.
Graham Westley brought on Ben Folami and Charlie Carter on 79 minutes and one minute later, Stevenage were level. Dan Kemp showing superb anticipation to first win the ball then superb skills to jockey his man before firing his shot into the net at the near-post to send the travelling supporters wild.
That joy only lasted all of 60 seconds though, as Exeter went right down the other end to make it 2-1 almost immediately after, sealing the victory for good.
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