Stevenage played out a goalless draw away at Peterborough United in a midweek League One fixture that lacked attacking quality. The match at London Road ended 0-0, a result that leaves Steve Evans's side 21st in the table with three points from four games, according to the latest standings.
The visitors had prolonged spells of possession in the first half but failed to create a serious chance. Peterborough were slightly more dynamic but also missed key opportunities. Stevenage goalkeeper Daniel Barden was rarely tested as the hosts did not register a single shot on target. Alex Bass in the Peterborough goal made the first meaningful save after four minutes, pushing away Phoenix Patterson's powerful effort at his near post.
Harry Leonard missed two glorious chances for the home side. In the 11th minute, he dragged an effort wide from a few yards out. Ten minutes from time, he blazed well over the bar from inside the box after a Chris Conn-Clarke drag back. Stevenage began to create chances again as the half wore on. Bass had to dive to his left to deny Josh Magennis after he sprinted past David Okagbue. Ethan Williams twice came close from outside the box from consecutive corners, but both efforts flew too high.
Peterborough were forced into an early change when Owura Edwards limped off holding his hamstring after a sprint at the 25-minute mark. Bolu Shofowoke replaced him and almost made an immediate impact, charging from the right wing and hitting an effort just inches over the bar. Stevenage manager Steve Evans made his first changes on 63 minutes, bringing on Jordan Roberts and Michael Mellon for Olly Sanderson and Josh Magennis.
Peterborough made three changes from their previous match against Blackpool. Tom O’Connor and Carl Johnston missed out due to knocks, with Josh Feeney and James Dornelly making their debuts. Harrison Jones was brought into midfield in place of Ben Woods. The only bookings of the match went to Peterborough's Josh Feeney and Stevenage's Terence Vancooten, both for fouls. Referee Darren Drysdale oversaw proceedings in front of a crowd of 6,565, which included 511 travelling Stevenage supporters.
For Stevenage, Daniel Barden had a quiet evening in goal behind a defence marshalled by Carl Piergianni. Luther James-Wildin and Lewis Freestone provided width, while Dan Phillips and Terry Taylor, who replaced Louis Thompson after 73 minutes, worked in midfield. Dan Kemp and Phoenix Patterson operated in advanced roles before being replaced by Ben Broggio and Jordan Houghton late on. The Peterborough Telegraph rated the performance.
Peterborough's player ratings from the same outlet saw debuts for Josh Feeney, who earned a 7, and James Dornelly, rated 5. Alex Bass and Harrison Jones also received 7s, while Harry Leonard's missed chances saw him rated 5. Liam Kelly and Brandon Khela were introduced on 68 minutes for Ben Woods and Chris Conn-Clarke, with Danny Ormerod replacing Leonard for the final six minutes.
The point leaves Stevenage in the lower reaches of League One, seven points behind early leaders Huddersfield Town. They have scored four goals and conceded five in their opening four matches, giving them a minus one goal difference. Their recent form reads DDLD. Attention now turns quickly to their next fixture, an away trip to face Barnsley on September 5th. Barnsley currently sit 5th in the table, presenting another tough test. Fans can follow the team's schedule on our fixtures page and view the full squad details here.
