A monumental effort from Stevenage gave them a second home win in a row and keeps them locked on in their pursuit from promotion from League Two.

A goal from Jordan Roberts was enough to seal a 1-0 win over Doncaster Rovers, keeping them third.

But while the result was narrow, it was the performance that caught the eye.

The Boro squad almost crawled off the pitch after chasing every lost cause and ball but the ultimate prize is worth the exertion.

And there was a professional end to the game as they kept Doncaster pinned in their own half to run the clock down.

The team news was simple for Stevenage, just the two changes from Saturday's win over AFC Wimbledon with Luther James-Wildin and Jake Taylor moving into the starting line-up and Kane Smith and Jake Reeves switching to the bench

The good thing about Saturday was Boro scored early, even if Wimbledon levelled on 11 minutes.

This time Boro's go-ahead goal came on that 11-minute mark. 

It was a cross from the right that almost gave Taylor a chance.

It ran through to Roberts though and while he took a touch instead of hitting it first time, that just gave him the space to shoot left footed, low past the sprawling Jonathan Mitchell.

It was a just reward for a good start. Boro charge around for the full 45 minutes, closing down the Doncaster players at source, stopping goal kicks and forcing turnovers high up the pitch.

Taylor was one of those prominent figures, Danny Rose another while Roberts was an untamed whirling dervish.

The biggest gripe though was despite plenty of patient possession and some wonderful positions, they didn't truly open Doncaster up and put them to the sword.

The other opportunities of note fell to Taylor, one put over after good work from Reid and then a second bounced past the post, and Reid himself, kicked away by Mitchell at his near post.

The travelling Rovers was still disgruntled by their team's performance and so too, it appeared, was the boss as he made two changes at the break.

Doncaster get more glimpses of the Boro half but that was more to do with Stevenage's natural slowing down.

The visitors still struggled to test Thimothee Lo-Tutala, one good run from Kyle Hurst aside but that was easily held at his near post by the on loan Hull keeper.

It still had Steve Evans in boisterous mood, the booming voice echoed by the West Stand as the Scot served a touchline ban.

And as the game reached 20 minutes to go, the exertions of the first period seemed to be catching up to the Boro players.

Taylor had already been replaced by Reeves and Rose was seemingly stuck in treacle as he tried to get onto a Roberts pass and round the defender.

Mind he still kept going, one charge to keep a ball in on the touchline leaving with him with his hands on his hips and his chest heaving up and down.

That did win a corner though and from it a scramble that ended with the Yorkshireman having an acrobatic effort that bounced off the top of the bar.

To complete his tough couple of minutes, he picked up a booking for fiercely rebuking the officials.

The final stages saw Boro pin Rovers in their own half for large parts of the added time.

It was a professional end to a good performance and the roar suggests the faithful are beginning to really believe now.

 

Stevenage: Lo-Tutala, James-Wildin, Clark, Piergianni, Sweeney, Taylor (Reeves 56), Roberts, Gilbey, Reid, Forster-Caskey (Bostwick 87), Rose.

Subs (not used): Pryzbek, Campbell, Smith, Horgan.

Goal: Roberts 11

Booked: James-Wildin 62, Rose 84

 

Doncaster Rovers: Mitchell, Brown, Molyneux, Long, Barlow, Nelson (Williams 46), Hurst (Miller 78), Agard (Goodman 46), Ravenhill, Faulkner, Close.

Subs (not used): Bottomley, Seaman, Degruchy.

Booked: Faulkner 77

 

HT: Stevenage 1 Doncaster Rovers 0

Referee: Craig Hicks (Sutton)

Attendance: 2,990 (including 179 from Doncaster)