Stevenage 0
Stockport County 1
Play-Offs (Semi-Final 1st Leg)

Match report written by Neil Metcalfe, The Boro

ADVANTAGE STOCKPORT AS STEVENAGE COUGH UP HORRIBLE LAST-SECOND GOAL

Stevenage shot themselves in the foot and handed Stockport County the play-off initiative - as they conceded a last-second winner.

The play-off semi-final was heading towards a stalemate when Benony Andresson ran through right at the death.

He stumbled over and that seemed to be that.

However, with the ball in the middle of a gaggle of Stevenage defenders, everybody looked at each other, allowing Ben Osborn to stick out a toe and send it bobbling away into the corner.

It was amateurish defending and it could prove costly, giving Stevenage a mountain to climb up at Edgeley Park on Wednesday in the second leg.

For the fifth game running, Alex Revell named the same starting line-up.

There was one alteration on the bench though, Jordan Houghton returning after his one-match absence in place of Beryly Lubala.

Neither side would have wanted to give things away early on and the first period was as cagey as you would expect.

That’s not to say both were sitting back, they weren’t, it’s just that final bit of quality was missing when it mattered.

Stockport had the first chance inside two minutes, Kyle Wootton meeting an Oliver Norwood corner at the back post, but glancing it wide.

Adama Sidibeh was the outlet for most of County’s quick attacks and when he was released by Corey Addai’s quick throw, he really should have done better with the pass across to an unmarked Louie Barry.

Filip Marschall was never tested though, and that was not something you could say of his opposite number.

Boro were pressing well but without creating anything of note until the final couple of minutes of the half.

First Jordan Roberts hooked a volley over his shoulder and while it wasn’t travelling that fast, it was heading to the top corner before Addai stuck a paw up to tip it over.

And after that corner was initially cleared, Roberts sent the ball into the middle where it was met by Carl Piergianni on the move.

The skipper, of all people, was exactly the man you wanted to see come onto it and he met it well with his head. The effort was off target.

Both managers would have had cause to be happy at the break and both would have only asked for a few tweaks.

Whatever those tweaks were, they took some time to bubble to the surface. Maybe the quality increased a touch but it still took a while for one side to grasp the nettle and take control.

And it was the visitors who did so.

Sidibeh had the first chance, taking a swing after the ball bounced off Piergianni’s foot.

He was off balance though and pushed it wide of the target.

He had another chance that he nodded wide while hearts were in home mouths when a Norwood free-kick flicked off Matt Phillips in the wall and dropped onto the roof of the net.

And there were a series of corners for County that caused Boro to defend at their best, although Charlie Goode did misjudge one delivery and was fortunate to see it bounce off his knee and go wide.

Stevenage did have some moments and Dan Kemp should have done so much better when he got in behind on a quick break.

However, he tripped over his own heels with the defender close behind and the chance was gone.

Piergianni also grazed the roof of the net with a header from a Jasper Pattenden free-kick.

But it was County who continued to carry more of a threat.

A Odin Bailey free-kick, from a similar position to the Norwood effort, was well saved at his near post by Marschall and then Bailey should have done so much more when presented with a gift 20 yards out.

He hooked it over though.

And that should have been it, until the finish. It was a deflating way to end the season at Broadhall Way and while it is still not season defining, it will make life that wee bit harder.