Stevenage 3
Sutton United 0
League (League Two)

Match report written by Neil Metcalfe, The Comet

Luke Norris suffered both agony and ecstasy as Stevenage cruised to a 3-0 win over Sutton United in League Two.

The striker scored twice in the second half, doubling his tally for the season with his first strikes from open play, but then departing with blood spewing from his nose after catching a high foot.

Dan Sweeney had scored in a lacklustre first period for the hosts but one which paved the way to the three points, moving them behind leaders Leyton Orient on goal difference.

What will please the Boro management team though was this a performance that was not littered with as many shots as they have had in the last few weeks, but it did yield three goals, the most they have scored in any one League Two game this term.

A sixth straight win at home in the league won't go wrong either.

There were three changes for Stevenage from the win at Crawley Town, Michael Bostwick making his first start in over a month following injury.

Luther James-Wildin and Luke Norris were the others to return to the starting line-up with Kane Smith, Arthur Read and Jamie Reid the men to drop down to the bench.

The first half was just like Saturday's trip to Sussex, at least in one way.

It too ended 1-0 to Boro but unlike the game down at the Broadfield Stadium, this was not an all-dominating display by Steve Evans' men.

There was one shot only on target, and even then Sweeney's header seemed more like a ball back into the box rather than an attempt to get his second of the season.

It came from a free-kick out on the left that was played to the far edge of the box.

Sweeney met it and put it back into the mix but after taking a couple of bounces it somehow found the far corner without anyone else getting a touch.

The rest of the half was limited to a few balls played in but without Lewis Ward being tested in the Sutton goal.

Not that Taye Ashby-Hammond was rushed off his feet either with two efforts from Omar Bugiel that went wide being the best the south Londoners could muster.

The game was crying out for even the slightest bit of entertainment and it got the perfect start for those supporting Stevenage.

Jordan Roberts made it with his tenacity and got the space to chip it into the area.

Danny Rose met it with a downward header that brought a good save out of Ward. The ball ran loose though and to Norris who brought a sigh of relief from the entire Lamex by firing it inside the near post.

Rose brought another good save out of Ward with a half-volley through a crowd of players that the keeper got down to and pushed round the post.

From then the game got stretched and meant Stevenage could enjoy more fun going forward without moving up the gears

They made it three with a quick counter that gave them a 4-on-2 break, Rose slipping it to the left to Norris who took a touch and then curled it round Ward into the far corner.

Injuries then took over with Norris departing a bloody mess after a bang to the nose and then Jon Barden heading to the Lister on a stretcher after a lower leg injury.

It meant 15 minutes minimum of stoppage time and they passed without incident.