Alex Revell hails ‘outstanding’ Stevenage after edging Tranmere

Stevenage manager Alex Revell felt his “outstanding” side fully deserved their shock 1-0 League Two win at Tranmere.

Struggling Boro had only won one of their last six before this and looked up against it when they came under early pressure from high-flying Rovers who wanted a sixth-straight league victory.

But they grew into the game and substitute Danny Newton’s 82nd-minute rocket earned them all three points to keep them just clear of the drop zone.

Revell said: “I think to a man, the players were outstanding.

“They have come to a place which is a bit of a fortress in recent times and I felt there was only one team that looked to win the game.

“We controlled the game in really tough conditions and it was dogged, determined and professional.

“We won it with a brilliant piece of quality. We are delighted with them because it is fully deserved for the performances in recent weeks.

“We have found ourselves down there in the table but we knew were weren’t far away. We have got good organisation and players on the pitch are performing excellently.

“Now we are in a nice run of form and we have to make sure the next game is more points for us.

“At the end the players showed how much it meant to them and it was great to see.”

Tranmere started fast and Ali Crawford and Danny Lloyd were only denied by good stops by goalkeeper David Stockdale.

But the hosts, who have now dropped out of the League Two automatic promotion spots, could not maintain the momentum and never went close again.

In the second half, referee Bobby Madley ruled Stevenage striker Matty Stevens’ header had not crossed the line, but Newton’s dipper left Tranmere stopper Scott Davies beaten as the clock ticked down.

Rovers boss Keith Hill said: “We are really disappointed with that because we feel a draw is the least we deserved.

“It was one of those games when you’ve just got to get through it and hope for a bit of magic or an opportunity.

“But I feel as though they probably turned us better than we turned them. The ball was very lively and the pitch was getting harder and harder.

“That game was never going to be a spectacle but you want to remember it as being a valuable point, but there was a mistake and they got a goal. We have to be better with concentration in those type of circumstances.

“It would have been a good point and it is disappointing, but if you look at the points-per-game we are on it is very encouraging.

“It won’t always be on your terms so it’s about how we respond now.”