Town topple table-toppers

Town topple table-toppers

A second hard-earned win in the space of a few days, against in-form opposition, thanks to the predatory instincts of Alfie May, lifted Town above all except Cardiff in the table as the promising start to the season continued.

Stevenage posed a very different challenge to the lively and expansive Doncaster in midweek, offering a physical and resolute performance which rarely threatened but could easily have frustrated a home side still in the process of establishing patterns and rhythms.

Anticipating the visitors’ likely aerial approach looking to extend their 100% start to the campaign, Grant fielded three centre-halves in his back four, with Wallace—somewhat surprisingly—keeping his place on the left after a less than convincing midweek display, even if his selection made sense tactically.

Town began brightly, Kane firing over with a decent effort and May forcing a good save, but the half soon descended into an attritional contest in search of inspiration. Neither Roosken nor Harness could unlock a solid visiting defence, while Stevenage offered little attacking threat themselves.

Fans were, however, treated to the first application of the new law restricting goalkeeper possession to eight seconds in open play, as Marschall in the visitors’ goal conceded a corner for delaying his kick a fraction too long.

It seemed a little harsh—particularly when Goodman later flirted with the limit without sanction—but the novelty at least added some interest to an increasingly dour game.

Town promptly wasted the corner.

Despite the lack of thrills, yet another half had passed without a goal conceded, and those 12 manic minutes at Blackpool are beginning to look increasingly like an outlier.

A brighter start to the second half saw a move begun by Sorensen, who has started the season well, end with a May shot on the turn that was routinely saved.

Perhaps sensing that Stevenage’s reputation for long-ball dominance was overstated, Grant made an early and positive switch, replacing Wallace with the more adventurous Roughan, before Ashia and Taylor came on for the ineffective Roosken and—more surprisingly—Harness.

The changes injected dynamism, and a short spell of intensity finally broke down the previously obdurate defence.

Wiles and Kane, both very good throughout, worked their opponents around before Kane exchanged passes with Roughan, releasing the Irishman into the area.

Roughan cut the ball back; Taylor either swung and missed or cleverly dummied—injuring himself in the process—allowing May to pounce. The striker sat one defender down with a feint before seeing his first shot blocked on the line, only to bury the rebound.

It was an instinctive first open-play goal of the season for the prolific May and, hopefully, a portent of another fruitful year.

Taylor, hampered by the knock picked up in the buildup, managed a reasonable strike that was comfortably saved, but Town inevitably spent much of the closing stages on the back foot, testing the nerves of the home crowd.

Stevenage’s ascendancy amounted to little, with the excellent Low – well assisted by Feeney—marshalling a defence that rarely looked troubled.

Kane cynically brought down Kemp just outside the box to prevent a rare moment of danger, rightly earning a yellow card from the quietly impressive referee. From the free-kick, substitute Patterson curled well over.

Goodman made one smart save from a deflected shot near the end, and the subsequent corner saw Stevenage keeper Marschall join the attack to sow late confusion, but Town held firm to register a satisfying if unspectacular win over a tough but quite limited on the day, opponent.

May’s predatory strike will be the most remembered moment of an otherwise largely forgettable encounter, but the flawless Low was again outstanding at the back, while Sorensen, Wiles, and Kane— rightly maligned in last season’s disgraced campaign—were the pick of the rest.

We have, of course, been here before with a strong start, but the performances so far have been more convincing than last year’s false dawn. The squad looks significantly deeper, and there remains plenty of room for improvement.

What this latest victory lacked in entertainment and style, it more than made up for in defensive solidity, comfortably quelling a potentially dangerous opponent as Grant continues to find ways to win.

An intriguing Yorkshire derby with an improved Barnsley awaits next week, but first comes a trip to Sunderland—a stern test of Town’s resources as they look to complete a very successful August.