Match ends, Stevenage 2, AFC Wimbledon 1.
Stevenage 2-1 AFC Wimbledon
- From the section League Two
Stevenage beat AFC Wimbledon to extend their unbeaten run to five games and move within a point of the play-offs.
Chris Beardsley missed two good chances for the Boro early on but Tom Pett drilled them ahead from close range.
The lead lasted just three minutes as George Francomb curled in left-footed from 12 yards to level at the break.
But Stevenage moved eighth with a fourth win in five when Simon Walton's clinical penalty followed Deji Oshilaja's foul on Dean Wells.
Stevenage manager Graham Westley told BBC Three Counties Radio:
"The conditions were really tough and certainly in the first half we were pegged back by the wind. The boys had to work really hard and up until the goal I thought we were terrific.
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"Second half we had it all to do and we took the game to them. We then did enough to see the game out although we did defend a bit deep.
On the penalty: "From my angle it looked like common assault. I think everyone in the ground thought it was a penalty. Managers are going to protest decisions here and there, but in the cold light of day I think he'll realise it was a penalty.
"Calvin (Zola) will score goals in League Two and he will be a vital player if we can keep him fit for the second half of the season. So it's good to see him out there for 30 minutes and hopefully we'll get some more minutes in him on Thursday."
AFC Wimbledon boss Neal Ardley told BBC London 94.9:
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"I thought it was a draw, I thought both teams deserved a draw. It's decisions that other people make that take it away from you so unfortunately you have to accept it.
On penalty decisions: "It wasn't a foul, it's not like he caught him late with a bad tackle. He's watching the ball and they've clashed heads.
"It doesn't surprise me that is was given - it was a brave call to do it.
"That was the game from the first minute to the last and we lost a game because of it."
Line-ups
Stevenage
- 16Day
- 25Henry
- 9Charles
- 19Wells
- 23Okimo
- 7Whelpdale
- 8Walton
- 18Parrett
- 11Pett
- 14MarriottSubstituted forLeeat 85'minutes
- 20BeardsleySubstituted forZolaat 61'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Beasant
- 3Dembele
- 10Zola
- 22Lee
- 32Conlon
- 34Deacon
Wimbledon
- 20Shea
- 2FullerBooked at 75mins
- 40OshilajaBooked at 18mins
- 33Goodman
- 17Kennedy
- 7Francomb
- 4Bulman
- 19Reeves
- 11RiggSubstituted forOakleyat 81'minutes
- 14Azeez
- 10Akinfenwa
Substitutes
- 6Bennett
- 8Moore
- 12Pell
- 23Oakley
- 26McDonnell
- 29Harrison
- 30Fitzpatrick
- Referee:
- Graham Horwood
- Attendance:
- 3,306
Match Stats
Home TeamStevenageAway TeamWimbledon
- Possession
- Home49%
- Away51%
- Shots
- Home12
- Away4
- Shots on Target
- Home6
- Away2
- Corners
- Home4
- Away6
- Fouls
- Home6
- Away9
Live Text
Full Time
Second Half ends, Stevenage 2, AFC Wimbledon 1.
Chris Whelpdale (Stevenage) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Jake Reeves (AFC Wimbledon).
Dean Parrett (Stevenage) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Dannie Bulman (AFC Wimbledon).
Corner, AFC Wimbledon. Conceded by Simon Walton.
Corner, AFC Wimbledon. Conceded by Dean Wells.
Attempt saved. Calvin Zola (Stevenage) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Substitution
Substitution, Stevenage. Charlie Lee replaces Adam Marriott.
Substitution
Substitution, AFC Wimbledon. George Oakley replaces Sean Rigg.
Dannie Bulman (AFC Wimbledon) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Adam Marriott (Stevenage).
Booking
Barry Fuller (AFC Wimbledon) is shown the yellow card.
Jerome Okimo (Stevenage) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Adebayo Akinfenwa (AFC Wimbledon).
Goal!
Goal! Stevenage 2, AFC Wimbledon 1. Simon Walton (Stevenage) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the bottom left corner.
Penalty Stevenage. Dean Wells draws a foul in the penalty area.
Penalty conceded by Adedeji Oshilaja (AFC Wimbledon) after a foul in the penalty area.
Corner, Stevenage. Conceded by James Shea.
Attempt saved. Tom Pett (Stevenage) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
Attempt missed. Adebayo Akinfenwa (AFC Wimbledon) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left following a corner.
Corner, AFC Wimbledon. Conceded by Jerome Okimo.
(Stevenage) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Adebayo Akinfenwa (AFC Wimbledon).
Corner, AFC Wimbledon. Conceded by Ronnie Henry.
Corner, AFC Wimbledon. Conceded by Ronnie Henry.
Substitution
Substitution, Stevenage. Calvin Zola replaces Chris Beardsley.
Foul by Simon Walton (Stevenage).
Adebayo Azeez (AFC Wimbledon) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Adam Marriott (Stevenage).
Barry Fuller (AFC Wimbledon) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt missed. Simon Walton (Stevenage) right footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high from a direct free kick.
Adam Marriott (Stevenage) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Barry Fuller (AFC Wimbledon).
Foul by Simon Walton (Stevenage).
Dannie Bulman (AFC Wimbledon) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Attempt saved. Dean Wells (Stevenage) header from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Corner, Stevenage. Conceded by Barry Fuller.
Attempt blocked. Chris Whelpdale (Stevenage) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.