Salford City 1
Stevenage 0
League (League Two)

Match report written by Neil Metcalfe, The Comet

Late goals have been a feature of Stevenage's season so far this year - although Salford City's effort was the first time they had been on the wrong end of one.

Ryan Watson thumped home a 90th-minute effort from the edge of the area past a diving Taye Ashby-Hammond to give the home side a 1-0 win in League Two.

The Ammies had edged the second half and forced the Boro keeper into a couple of saves but it looked as if the visitors to Moor Lane would hang on for a point and extend their unbeaten run.
That wasn't to be and manager Steve Evans will now get the chance to see how his squad responds to adversity.

The day had begun with Boro naming an unchanged side for the third league game in a row.

That meant both Danny Rose and Luke Norris were included, the former having missed Tuesday's Carabao Cup win over Peterborough altogether with Evans rating him 60-40 to be available.

Norris had been on the bench against Posh but the boss decided not to utilise him, much to the hometown striker's annoyance.

The Rose selection was obviously a gamble and one that backfired as the striker limped off five minutes before the break with what looked like a flare-up.

That was a blow as Boro's tactics up to that point had been to find him with any long ball forward.

He had won most too with his colleagues then expected to pick up the scraps.

It didn't often lead to a chance but it did give the Salford defenders something to think about.

The best chance for the visitors fell to Arthur Read to the left side of the penalty area.

Jake Reeves had poked the ball to him and screamed "hit it" at his flame-haired midfield partner.

Read obliged and it took the hands of Tom King to tip the effort over the top.

Norris also sent one wide as the half closed but Salford created a few more.

Taye Ashby-Hammond had to get down low at his near post to smother an effort from Brandon Thomas-Asante while he needed to push out a curling shot from Callum Hendry.

The Salford number nine also sent another curling effort just wide of target.

The Rose substitution saw Jamie Reid come into the fray in a like for like swap and Evans felt more was needed as he replaced Kane Smith and Read with Luther James-Wildin and Jake Taylor at half-time.

It gave them an instant burst of momentum but slowly Salford started to push forward, forcing a number of corners that didn't cause Ashby-Hammond any problems.

It did mean a fourth introduction in a third change, Dean Campbell on for Jordan Roberts but it didn't stop the red shirts from getting into the final third, the home fans also sensing a change in the tide.

Conor McAleny, Salford's first replacement, should have done so much better when the ball was cut back to him from the right wing, but his swing of the boot only glanced the ball and Boro cleared.

He was a livewire for City though and engineered a shooting opportunity for himself that was arrowing towards the far corner until a diving Ashby-Hammond pushed it away.

Boro still conjured up a couple of chances on the break, usually though the industry of Reid.

He crossed low for Norris on one attack, Jason Lowe needing to knock it to the relative safety of a corner, while his best chance came after he was given a loose pass.

He opted for power and the near post, slicing across his drive and putting it wide.

Saxon Earley was brought on as Max Clark picked up a knock but just as Boro were looking good value for a point, Watson struck his winning shot.