Dan Kemp and Josh Magennis scored the goals that gave Stevenage a 2-1 home victory over Luton Town. The result at the SPORTA Arena lifts the club to ninth in the League One table with nine points from six games.
Kemp opened the scoring after 23 minutes, reacting quickest to a loose ball in the Luton penalty area. Stevenage then doubled their lead in the 70th minute when Magennis bundled the ball home from close range after a long clearance from Lewis Freestone caused confusion, with Ben Broggio credited with the assist.
Luton pulled a goal back just five minutes later through Kasey Palmer, whose effort took a deflection off team-mate Mads Andersen to beat the Stevenage goalkeeper. The visitors pushed for an equaliser in the closing stages, but a resolute defensive display limited their clear opportunities and secured the three points for the home side.
Manager's reaction
Stevenage's coaching staff were pleased with the application shown by the players. "The lads defended the lead with real discipline when they had to," a club spokesperson said after the match. "It's a good win against a strong side and builds on the momentum from last week."
League context
The win is Stevenage's second in a row, following their 5-1 thrashing of Barnsley, and extends their recent form to two wins, two draws and one loss from the last five outings. They have now scored 11 goals this season while conceding seven, giving them a positive goal difference of four. The victory also closes the gap to the top of the table, with Stevenage now four points behind leaders Sheffield Wednesday.
Looking ahead
Attention now turns to a trip to Brisbane Road to face Leyton Orient on Saturday, 19 September. Orient currently sit 15th in the division, making it another important fixture in this early phase of the campaign. The full schedule is available on our fixtures list. Stevenage will be aiming to make it three consecutive wins and continue their climb up the League One table.
Luton Town manager Jack Wilshere was sent off during his side's 2-1 defeat at the SPORTA Arena on September 10. Referee Andrew Humphries dismissed him after the 23rd-minute opener, with the Luton bench incensed no foul was given on Liam Walsh in the build-up. The club, now ninth in League One with nine points, saw Dan Kemp score that first goal. Wilshere had to watch the remainder of the match from the dressing room as his team slipped to a loss.
