Newton’s on target as Boro win at last
STEVENAGE boss Darren Sarll reckons the victory over Grimsby was just reward for his side’s encouraging start to the season.
Having begun their League Two campaign with two draws, Boro went one better at the Lamex Stadium against their ten-man visitors.
Danny Newton, Jonathan Smith and Ben Kennedy grabbed the goals for Stevenage, before Danny Collins nodded home a late consolation.
Sam Jones saw red for Grimsby in the second half, following an off-the-ball incident.
Sarll said: “We turned up, like we do every week, to try and win the game.
“We always hope the performance can entertain our supporters, and we always hope to put on a bit of a spectacle.
“But the overriding factor of playing football is winning games, and we have done that here.
“It has been a very good day.
“I thought the first two draws we had showcased what we are about, but also that, at times, things don’t always go to plan.
“In both of those games, we nowhere near looked like we were going to lose, and I thought it was the same here.”
Grimsby manager Russell Slade added: “It was an appalling firsthalf performance from us.
“We didn’t move the ball anywhere near quickly enough, and for me the players didn’t appreciate the basics of the game.
“We have an awful lot to prove, because it was a disappointing performance from our point of view.
“Whatever the environment is, you have to work hard, press and win your tackles. It’s disappointing because we have looked really sharp in training.
“All the things that are basic about the game, we didn’t do. We didn’t perform anywhere near the levels we can.”
Luke Summerfield went close for Grimsby with a free-kick that – according to those in blue – crossed the line.
But it wasn’t given, and Stevenage ultimately took advantage with a clinical display.
Newton opened the scoring on 38 minutes with a clever chip over James McKeown, before Smith made it 2-0 on the stroke of halftime, courtesy of a powerful finish.
After the break, Jones was given his marching orders after a tangle with Fraser Franks, while Kennedy piled further misery on Grimsby with a sublime strike.
With ten minutes left, Collins rose highest to pull one back, but it was too late.