Steve Evans called Stevenage “the warriors of the EFL” after Jamie Reid’s 100th-minute winner capped a thrilling 4-3 FA Cup victory over Tranmere.
The League Two strugglers travelled to the Lamex and found themselves a goal down after three minutes courtesy of Jordan Roberts.
But Nigel Adkins’ side hit back through ex-Boro striker Luke Norris and Rob Apter, before Reid equalised and former Rovers forward Kane Hemmings nudged the hosts ahead.
Kieron Morris thought he had taken the first-round tie to a replay in the 90th minute, but Reid tucked home a last-gasp rebound, prompting Evans’ bullish claim.
Evans said: “I thought Nigel [Adkins] got a real tune out of his boys today, so credit to them.
“But if they think they’re the warriors, we’re the warriors in the EFL. We’re the warriors. We never stopped going. Great character from the boys.
“The FA Cup is simply about getting through. For a neutral it was fantastic. We never forget that we’re Stevenage and we beat Tranmere Rovers.”
The Boro boss picked out substitute Hemmings’ performance, after the summer signing forced the last-minute save from Luke McGee that Reid profited from.
“Real praise for Kane Hemmings,” said Evans. “Kane wasn’t thought to be good enough for Tranmere and I’ve always liked him.
“It was a fantastic first goal and a brilliant run and strike for Jamie Reid to get on the end of the winner.
“We were tempted to start him today. I’ve got absolutely no sympathy for players playing against their old clubs and all that nonsense but my God, when he came onto the pitch he looked like the Kane Hemmings who’s played for me before. He looked electric in everything he did.”
For Rovers boss Adkins, who was taking charge of his first game as permanent Tranmere manager, there were plenty of positives to take from the defeat.
Adkins said: “I think the commitment from the players was top drawer. I think that was there for everyone to see.
“We played some good football at times. You can see there were some good little intricate passages of play and movement.
“We’ve shown resilience, we’ve shown all the things you want. All in all, the lads put a really good shift in today.”
But the timing of Reid’s winner stung, especially after Morris’ equaliser might have contributed to the nine minutes of added time being extended.
Adkins said: “It’s just such a shame that after 99 minutes we’ve managed to get the ball forward and the fourth official said, that’s it, time’s done.
“We’ve put the ball, maybe naively or maybe trying to win the game, into the box and they’ve gone down the other end and scored.”
[(Vissel Kobe) Strength]: 1. Taisei Miyashiro has scored 7 goals for Vissel Kobe in the J1 League this season, making him the team's top scorer.2. Daiju Sasaki has contributed 6 assists for Vissel Kobe this season and is the team's assist leader.3. Vissel Kobe have achieved a record of 7 wins and 2 draws in their last 9 official matches, demonstrating an outstanding form.4. Vissel Kobe have achiev...
[(Deportivo Toluca) Strength]: 1. Deportivo Toluca currently ranked third in Group A of the Leagues Cup. Facing New York City FC who are 13th-place in Group B, Deportivo Toluca, who performed better, are aiming for the three points, so they are motivated.2. Deportivo Toluca have many strong players, with Helinho and Alexis Vega leading the forward line, Marcel Ruiz and Ricardo Angulo anchoring the...
[(FC Tokyo) Strength]: 1. FC Tokyo forward Motoki Nagakura scored a goal in the last Emperor's Cup game, helping the team take the lead. So far, he scored in both the Emperor's Cup matches, showing stable performances in this tournament.2. FC Tokyo won 3-2 over Urawa Red Diamonds in the last league game, securing a winning streak of two competitive games, which revealed fit form.3. FC Tokyo scored...
[(Columbus Crew) Strength]: 1. Columbus Crew currently ranked fifth in Group B of the Leagues Cup. Facing Club Leon who are in 13th place in Group A, Columbus Crew are aiming for the three points and are full of fighting spirit.2. Columbus Crew striker Diego Rossi has scored two goals in the last two Leagues Cup matches, with high goal-scoring efficiency.3. Columbus Crew have remained unbeaten in ...
[(Tigres UANL) Strength]: 1. Tigres UANL have won both of their 2 group matches and are at the top of the group. However, they are only one point behind the teams behind them. The team still need points to consolidate their current position and have a strong motivation to grab points.2. Tigres UANL striker Angel Correa scored a brace in the last game, helping his team secure all three points. So f...
[(Mazatlan F.C.) Strength]: 1. Mazatlan F.C. are 2nd with 5 points in the table and still need points to secure a qualification spot, indicating strong motivation in this game.2. Nicolas Benedetti made 2 assists in a row in the last game, helping his teammates score.3. Mazatlan F.C. won 2-0 over Houston Dynamo in the last game. They received 2 wins, 2 draws, and 1 loss in the last 5 games, showing...
[(Hamrun Spartans F.C.) Strength]: 1. Hamrun Spartans F.C. were eliminated by FC Dynamo Kyiv in the previous stage of the Champions League qualifiers and can only compete for a Europa League spot at present. Facing Israeli giants Maccabi Tel Aviv F.C., Hamrun Spartans F.C. hope to strive for a win to lay a solid foundation for the second leg and are highly motivated.[(Hamrun Spartans F.C.) Weaknes...
[(Houston Dynamo) Strength]: 1. Starting forward Ezequiel Ponce scored 9 goals across all competitions this season, the top scorer of the team.[(Houston Dynamo) Neutral]: 1. The two teams met only once in the last 10 years, where Houston Dynamo drew 0-0 with Pachuca in the 2023 Leagues Cup.[(Houston Dynamo) Weakness]: 1. Houston Dynamo lost two games in the Leagues Cup, ranking at the bottom of th...
[(Malmo FF) Strength]: 1. As the traditional giants in the Allsvenskan, Malmo FF are now 4th in the league with stable performances this season. In this Champions League qualifier against F.C. Copenhagen, they will take home advantage to go all out.2. Malmo FF performed well in the league and the Champions League qualification lately. They have remained unbeaten since July, receiving 7 wins and 2 ...
[(PFC Ludogorets Razgrad) Strength]: 1. PFC Ludogorets Razgrad striker Ivaylo Chochev has scored in the last two matches. The player is in good form and is expected to start in this game.2. PFC Ludogorets Razgrad defeated FC Dobrudzha 2-1 in the last First Professional Football League (Bulgaria) match and have remained unbeaten in regular time in the last five games, with a commendable performance...
- 1 Bayern Munich confirm Palhinha "transfer negotiations" as Spurs move closer
- 2 TIPS - Real Salt Lake VS Atletico San Luis
- 3 Arsenal legend backs Premier League rivals to become next invincibles and take prestigious title from Gunners
- 4 Daily Laugh - Raya nair
- 5 Man Utd, Newcastle turn to Stuttgart striker Woltemade
- 6 TIPS - FC Kairat Almaty VS SK Slovan Bratislava
- 7 Transfer rumors, news: Chelsea face dilemma over Simons
- 8 Real Madrid Willing to Sell Rodrygo — But Only If Two Key Conditions Are Met
- 9 TIPS - KF Shkendija VS Qarabag
- 10 Man United Go All In for Benjamin Sesko! Premier League Giants Notify RB Leipzig of Imminent Bid