Substitute Olly Sanderson scored a stoppage-time equaliser on his debut to secure a 1-1 draw for Stevenage against Burton Albion in League One. The 1-1 result at the Pirelli Stadium was confirmed by a report from PA Sport this week.
Sanderson, a former Fulham academy player, came off the bench to bundle the ball home in added time. His effort cancelled out Jack Armer's 75th-minute strike for the hosts.
Burton Albion started the game brightly against last season's play-off semi-finalists. Charlie Webster had the first real chance in the 13th minute, turning and firing just over Filip Marschall's crossbar. Stevenage grew into the contest, with Luther James-Wildin seeing a good opportunity go wide. Burton skipper Curtis Tilt also headed a difficult chance off target before the break.
The home side had a glorious chance to take the lead immediately after half-time. Marschall could only parry a Kyran Lofthouse cross into the danger area, but Matty Dennis failed to steer the loose ball on target. The pressure eventually told when Lofthouse's cross found Armer at the back post to fire Burton ahead with a quarter of an hour remaining.
Olly Sanderson's late intervention marked a perfect start to his Stevenage career. He reacted quickest after fellow substitute Josh Magennis caused problems in the Burton penalty area. The goal salvaged a point that had looked lost. Stevenage's squad depth was tested, and the impact from the bench proved decisive.
Manager Steve Evans will be pleased with the character shown to fight back late on. The point keeps Stevenage firmly in the mid-table mix as they prepare for their next fixture. Sanderson's first touch in a Stevenage shirt resulted in a key league goal.
The draw at Burton continues a solid start to the campaign for Steve Evans's side. They currently sit 12th in the League One table, having taken eight points from their opening six matches. Their defensive record has been relatively strong, conceding just seven goals so far. Detailed statistics are available on our stats page.
Attention now turns to a home match against Cheltenham Town this coming Saturday. Securing points on the road, as they did at Burton, will be vital for any play-off aspirations. The team's resilience in securing a late draw provides a positive platform for the challenges ahead.
