Stevenage are still fighting for the prize of promotion and the win over AFC Wimbledon proves it according to manager Steve Evans.

Goals from Jordan Roberts and Jamie Reid were enough to seal a 2-1 success and send Boro back into the top three of League Two.

And for the manager, it was yet more vindication of the effort of his squad to defy the doubters.

"I thought they were all exceptional," he said. 

"They are young men playing for something that dreams are made of, that they'll tell their kids and their grandkids about. 

"We are fighting for the prize and there is pressure in every game we play in. 

"When you're a manager that has won promotions and you turn up at a club, then people have an expectation. 

"When I came here people said you can't go there and get promotion. 

"But I don't deliver it, players deliver promotions, the chairman delivers promotions, the, board and your infrastructure and the people around the stadium."

The match itself wasn't always pretty but there was a grit about the squad and the final whistle was greeted with a noticeable belief that perhaps, just perhaps, something special could happen this year.

For Evans, it was simply about finding something special.

He said: "It's a pressured environment at this stage of the season. It doesn't matter whether you're fighting at the top end for the prize we are or at the bottom end. 

"They are a good side and very seldom lose by more than one goal. 

"We got a great start, we’ve worked on that set play for a couple of days, but then the first time they are in our box and we give a silly goal away. 

"I think the referee gets it wrong when he gives them a decision near the bench but that happens and we should affect it. 

"We got ourselves in a dog fight rather than playing but we changed tactically and we became dominant for spells without having that little back quality. 

"The pitch was difficult too for the first time as there’s been a lot of water in the area but we found a way to win."

And the final word was for the supporters.

"They helped us," said Evans. "Many times this seasons, we've helped them go away and have a good Saturday night but they helped us have a good Saturday night tonight.

"Midway through second-half, the game was in a little bit of a lull and my boys are giving their maximum but that was probably the loudest I've heard and it just rose from all sides. 

"I’ve just said to the players, if we ever needed the people of Stevenage and the supporters of this football club, we needed them today. 

"Because when the whole ground started getting behind the team, the team felt that energy and that energy got us a goal in my opinion."