Match Previews

Match Preview | Stevenage v Wanderers

28th March 2024

After a week to refresh during the international break, the run in is well and truly underway with seven games remaining and 21 points up for grabs in Sky Bet League One.

Wanderers begin that phase of fixtures with a trip to Stevenage on Good Friday with a sold out away end making the trip south to back Ian Evatt’s men in search of three points.

Manager quotes

Ian Evatt: “We just focus on ourselves. We can only do that at this stage and make sure we're ready for Friday to play against Stevenage.

"For me, Steve (Evans) is one of the managers of the season, if not the manager of the season, after getting promoted from League Two and then being in and around the top six, which is extremely competitive as we know. It's been an incredible season for them and great credit to Steve and his team.

“They are a really challenging team to play against, really effective and they are extremely good at doing what they do. It will be a different test (from Derby) but a test you have to stand up to. I don't think there are any secrets. I think we know what we're going into and I'm sure Stevenage should know what they're going to face with us as well."

Team News

Ian Evatt confirmed that Wanderers will remain without Dion Charles and Nathan Baxter.

Gethin Jones will return from international duty ahead of the Stevenage game and will be assessed to see if he will feature as soon as Friday after a lot of travelling.

Eoin Toal, Josh Sheehan and Zac Ashworth were also on international duty and appear unscathed from their time away with Wales and Northern Ireland.

Calvin Ramsay has recovered from a slight muscle injury and is back in training whilst George Johnston is also back in full training but Wanderers will have to weigh up the "risk and reward" of his return to playing says Ian Evatt.

Form Guide

After promotion from Sky Bet League Two last season, Stevenage could well be labelled as the division’s surprise package as they remain on the verge of the play-off places with just seven games to go.

Under the guidance of Steve Evans, Stevenage are on 62 points which is just one point below 6^th place Oxford United in the last remaining play-off position.

If they are to catch United, Boro will have to improve on their recent form with their last win coming on the 27^th February against Cambridge United. Their last five fixtures have resulted in three draws and two defeats but with a manager in charge with previous promotion experience and a notoriously hard-to-beat team, Boro will be sure to take their promotion challenge to the wire this campaign.

As for Wanderers, they will feel they deserved more from a narrow defeat to Derby County before the break and will look to kick on from their form prior to that game.

A resounding 5-0 win against Oxford United on the Tuesday night beforehand is probably the best recent example of what Wanderers can do when firing on all cylinders.

The reverse fixture was a 3-2 win for the Whites at the Toughsheet Community Stadium with Dion Charles, Jack Iredale and Josh Sheehan on the scoresheet that night.