Stevenage 3
Bristol Rovers 0
League (League One)

Match report written by Neil Metcalfe, The Comet

Stevenage made sure that 2024 ended the same way as 2023 did - with a 3-0 home victory in League One.

Back then it was against Northampton Town with Elliott List, Jordan Roberts and Jamie Reid on target.

The trio repeated the trick here as Bristol Rovers were put to the sword, to lift Boro up to 14th.

For Rovers and new manager Inigo Calderon there is work to do but they were not helped by the sending off of Jamie Lindsay.

Boro manager Alex Revell made three changes from the stinker against Wycombe Wanderers on Boxing Day.

In came Murphy Cooper, back from illness, List and Louis Thompson with Taye Ashby-Hammond, Jake Young and Harvey White dropping to the bench.

They were joined there by the welcome return of Dan Sweeney from his long-term injury.

But while there were some coming back from breaks, Stevenage lost another on 19 minutes, Dan Butler taking a clatter from Cooper as the keeper came to clear a ball outside the box.

It may have just been a concern over concussion or a bang on the head but Lewis Freestone was the like for like replacement.

Away from the hospital drama, the game was a slow burner.

Boro sensed opportunities if they could get the press right, Rovers showing an inclination to play out from the back, but the best they could muster was a cross from Luther Wildin that was headed down by List to Jamie Reid.

The striker turned but Connor Taylor did well to get the block in.

The other slight opening was a free-kick from Dan Kemp that just floated over Carl Piergianni's head and was put over on the stretch by Freestone.

Rovers only had one real opening and they may have over-complicated what was a decent passing move, Luke McCormick's final pass into Promise Omochere perhaps one too many and the shot was pulled wide.

Omochere was heavily involved in the only goal of the half too, a moment that will probably anger the visitors.

The referee played on after Piergianni battled Omochere for the ball out on the far wing and the Rovers man went down.

It didn't look to be a head injury so Boro pushed on. Their initial foray was temporarily pushed back but Dan Phillips won it back instantly and found Wildin.

His cross was inch perfect for List to come in, in front of his marker, and put the ball to the right of the keeper with a diving header.

Rovers did push in the five minutes of stoppage time but Stevenage were able to keep them away but it was Louis Thompson who had the final effort of the half, hooking it wide.

It was comfortable for Boro without ever being commanding at this point but the game truly turned their in the space of a minute, 10 minutes after the break.

First Jamie Lindsay was given a second yellow card to reduce Rovers to 10 men and when the resulting free-kick was played into the box, it broke to Roberts at the back post and he swept it home.

From there it was a case of seeing the game out for Boro, and maybe trying to add to their lead.

Roberts did have the ball in the net again but Reid was flagged offside as he put the cross over.

There was a third to come though but with the roles reversed from the disallowed effort.

Roberts did the hard work and when his clever pull-back took out keeper Josh Griffiths, Reid rolled it into the corner of the net.

There was even the return of Sweeney to cheer as he came on after 90 minutes. Truly a happy new year for Boro fans.