Stevenage lost 1-0 to Milton Keynes Dons on Saturday, with a late defensive error costing them the game. Sam Nombe headed in the only goal after 81 minutes following a mistake by Dan Phillips.
Phillips hooked a clearance back into a dangerous area, where Aaron Collins clipped the ball to the back post for Nombe to nod home. The goal decided a match played in wet and windy conditions that saw five yellow cards in the first half.
Stevenage had chances before the break. Ben Broggio fired through a crowd and Josh Magennis saw a follow-up header clawed away by keeper Tommy Setford, who also tipped over a Jack Sanders effort. The visitors had a goal disallowed for a foul on the goalkeeper, a decision manager Alex Revell described as "a big moment" in the game.
Manager Alex Revell was frank in his overall assessment. "It was a horrible game, to be honest," he said. "It was always going to be won by a mistake or a set piece and was a game that lacked quality, really."
The defeat is Stevenage's third in five league games, a run of form that reads LWLWL. It leaves the club 12th in the standings with 15 points from 11 matches, now ten points behind leaders Huddersfield Town. The team has now failed to score in three of its last five league outings, a significant drop-off from its earlier attacking output.
Nombe's goal was his first in the league for MK Dons since a strike on New Year's Day in 2020. The 27-year-old, who spent six years away at Exeter City and Rotherham United, had previously scored in the EFL Trophy this season.
Stevenage must now regroup quickly ahead of a tough trip to face Leicester City on October 31. The Foxes sit 13th, one place below Stevenage, setting up a key mid-table clash. The match at the King Power Stadium is scheduled for a 19:45 GMT kick-off, and Stevenage will be aiming to improve on a record that has seen them accumulate 15 goal minutes for and 13 against so far this campaign.
The teams last met in early October, with Stevenage securing a 2-1 home victory. They will need a similar performance on the road to bounce back from this disappointing result.
More detail at thecomet.net
