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Match Reports

REPORT | Stanley 3 Stevenage 2

3 February 2018

Match Reports

REPORT | Stanley 3 Stevenage 2

3 February 2018

For the second home game running Stanley came from 2-0 down to win, beating Stevenage 3-2 at the Wham Stadium to move back into the play off places.

John Coleman's side fell behind to first half goals from Matt Godden and Mark McKee, but Sean McConville's free-kick on the stroke of half time gave them hope.

What followed was yet another stunning comeback as Billy Kee fired them level with 20 minutes remaining before the outstanding skipper for the day McConville secured his side all three points with a deflected effort.

Deadline day signing Harvey Rodgers went straight into the side replacing Jordan Clark, there was also a first Stanley start for on-loan Burnley defender Jimmy Dunne who replaced Ben Richards-Everton.

The Reds made a slow start on wet afternoon in East Lancashire and found themselves trailing following the first shot of the match, Godden found space on the edge of the box before calmly finishing beyond Aaron Chapman into the bottom corner.

Stanley took a while to recover from that early setback but begin to grow into the game, Dunne saw a half chance blocked inside the area before Kayden Jackson tested Tom King for the first time, seeing his low shot blocked. He had time and space and, by his own standards, will have been disappointed not to level it up in the 26th minute.

But the visitors lead was doubled in the 38th minute, Stanley, sloppy in possession, were caught out by McKee who picked the ball up in space before firing a low shot right into Chapman's far corner.

In first half stoppage time, the Reds found their way back into the game, McConville curling a pin-point free-kick beyond Tom King halving the deficit to give his side hope going into the break.

Stanley struggled to build on that momentum in the early stages of the second period and had Chapman to thank for still being in the game as he denied Jonathan Smith with a fine save on the hour mark.

Then with their first real attempt of the half, Kee drew the Reds level. In the 70th minute, McConville found the forward with a short corner, he advanced into the box before slotting a low shot right into the far corner for his 18th goal of the season.

With 12 minutes remaining, for the second home game running, the comeback was complete. Loose play at the back by Stevenage was punished by McConville for his second of the game to put Stanley 3-2 ahead as his shot from the edge of the area deflected into the back of the net.

The electric Jackson was inches from sealing the win with three minutes remaining, his shot clawed back off the line by King. But Stanley had enough to hold on and claim a huge three points.

Attendance: 1,324


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