Three goals, three huge points...
Stevenage emerged victorious this evening, beating title chasing Forest Green Rovers 3-0 courtesy of a first-half Danny Newton brace and a second-half Elliot List strike, moving Boro up to 16th in the League Two table.
Manager Alex Revell named the same starting eleven from Saturday's draw at Newport, with Jahmal Hector-Ingram making his first Stevenage appearance from the bench.
Forest Green gave Boro an early scare, after Chris Lines' cross-field pass was intercepted by Aaron Collins, who skipped past Terence Vancooten and Luther James-Wildin before striking over Jamie Cumming's goal.
A Forest Green penalty appeal was dismissed by referee Benjamin Speedie on 27 minutes, after Collins went to ground after minimal contact with Joe Martin, resulting in a yellow card for Collins from Speedie for diving.
Danny Newton put Boro in front on 29 minutes, after Elliott List found Elliot Osborne on the right, with Osborne delivering a low-drilled cross leaving Newton with the task of an easy tap-in from close range.
Tom Pett came close to doubling Boro's lead on 37 minutes, wriggling past his marker before his deflected shot rolled out for corner.
From the resulting corner Newton gave Boro a 2-0 lead, controlling Chris Lines' wayward shot and finishing through the gloves of Lewis Thomas, despite Thomas' best efforts to claw Newton's effort off the line.
The second half commenced and chances at either end were limited, with Boro looking to see out the second-half on the way to a deserved victory. A major chance presented itself on 62 minutes, as Thomas was intercepted on the edge of his own box by List, winning the ball but unable to find an unmarked Newton in the box.
List sent Stevenage into a 3-0 lead on 63 minutes, with Ben Coker winning the ball on the left, finding Lines who threaded an excellent pass into the path of List, beating the offside trap and poking home past Thomas to continue his current hot streak in front of goal.
The Boro defence handled late pressure from the visitors inside eleven additional minutes to secure another clean sheet and three points, lifting Alex Revell's men up to 16th and twelve points clear of the relegation zone.
---
