Stevenage 5
Barrow 0
League (League Two)

Match report written by Aaron Tebbutt, Stevenage FC official website

Boro hit five past Pete Wild's Barrow in an entertaining affair at The Lamex Stadium...

Sky Bet League Two competition returned for Stevenage after two weeks of focusing on the domestic cups. Steve Evans made three changes from Saturday’s victory in King’s Lynn with Jake Reeves, Dean Campbell and Saxon Earley returning to the starting eleven.

It was an energetic opening ten minutes for Boro who looked to press high and keep Barrow in their own half. Despite this, it was Barrow who got the game’s first chance. Josh Kay saw an opportunity from a dangerous set-piece position, but his effort was deflected out for a corner.

Eighteen minutes in, Stevenage took the lead in fine fashion. Jake Reeves received the ball outside the area before striking it into the top left corner from twenty-five yards out to give Boro the lead and add a candidate for goal of the season.

Just before the half-hour mark, Barrow had a golden opportunity to equalise. Taye Ashby-Hammond’s weak pass was intercepted just outside the area by Ben Whitfield who drove forward and fired on goal, but his effort hit the side-netting to the relief of the Boro faithful.

Stevenage saw a lot of the ball after the goal but failed to create any clear-cut chances as they looked to double their lead.

As the second half got underway, the heavens briefly opened, and just five minutes after the break, Boro doubled their lead. Former Stevenage keeper Paul Farman failed to clear the ball, as it fell to Jamie Reid who was able to lob it into an open net to give his side a two-goal advantage.

Stevenage looked full of confidence with their two-goal lead and were playing some wonderful football in Barrow’s half. The move was ended, though, after Alex Gilbey shoulder barged a Bluebird defender and was handed a yellow card.

With fifteen minutes remaining, Stevenage grabbed a third goal. Jake Reeves’ corner found the towering head of Dan Sweeney who rose highest and nodded home to give Barrow a mountain to climb.

Just two minutes later, Stevenage were awarded a penalty in front of the travelling supporters. Boro’s own, Luke Norris, stepped up and fired into the bottom right corner to make it four on his 100th appearance for the club.

The goals did not stop there, however, as Stevenage scored their fifth in the final stages of the game. Jake Reeves sent in yet another pin-point corner as a Barrow defender headed past his own goalkeeper to increase Boro’s lead to five.

The referee then blew for full time to send Stevenage fans home smiling. Yet another three points for Boro as the push for promotion continues. Steve Evans’ men now get a seven-day rest before welcoming Mansfield to The Lamex next Saturday.