Stevenage Borough 2 Sheffield United 1: Blades boss confident that beaten side will bounce back in style

Danny Wilson had warned how a trip to Stevenage would be a thorough test of his team’s mental and physical fortitude – and so it proved.

Now, the Blades manager insists his side have the quality to bounce back from their 2-1 defeat at Broadhall Way.

Scott Laird’s penalty for the hosts with only eight minutes to go saw United lose more ground on the League One leaders.

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After an entertaining first half Boro finally broke the Blades down three minutes before the interval when Mark Roberts pounced following Craig Reid’s cross.

With 21 minutes left Wilson’s side equalised through substitute Ched Evans who made no mistake with a free kick. But as Wilson looked for a winner, it was the hosts who broke away and secured all three points when Lawrie Wilson was fouled inside the box.

“You have to hand huge credit to Stevenage, they make it so difficult for opposing teams here,” Wilson said.

“We’d worked on certain scenarios during the week in training, but they’ve done us with two excellent finishes and that brings our excellent little run to an end. But we’ve got enough quality in the squad.

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“We can bounce back. We’ve had chances to have probably scored one or two more, and that is probably the main reason for all the disappointment there is in the dressing room right now.

“We’ve got into some great positions, but just not found that finish that’s required. When we got back into the game there was only one team going to win it in my mind.

“This is a tough division, make no mistake about that. I’ve got lots of experience of this level and it’s going to be a hard league to get out of, but we’ve just got to go away now and prepare for the next game.”

Stevenage: Day, Henry, Ashton, Roberts, Laird, Wilson, Bostwick, Mousinho, Long (Shroot 78), Reid (Harrison 78), Beardsley (Edwards 85). Unused substitutes: Julian, Cowan.

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Sheffield United: Simonsen, Lowton, Maguire, Collins, Williams (Jean-Francois 71), Phillips, Montgomery, Doyle, Quinn, Cresswell (Porter 87), Clarke (Evans 54). Unused substitutes: Long, McDonald.

Referee: N Swarbrick (Lancashire).

Man of the match: Steve Simonsen.