Westley revels in late win

Stevenage manager Graham Westley felt his side deserved three points despite leaving it late against Northampton.

The visitors held a first-half lead through Zander Diamond, but Chris Whelpdale levelled midway through the second period before Simon Walton pounced with a 90th-minute winner. The visitors finished the game with ten men as Ryan Cresswell picked up a second booking in the final seconds, allowing Boro to secure a second straight victory. Westley said: "The players worked very hard and Northampton really tested us. "It was a good first half, I was pleased with the performance as a whole, I thought we played intelligently, decisively and with confidence and to go in 1-0 down was tough to take. "We talked about attacking more intelligently in the second half and developing the way we were using our attacking threats. "We showed real intent, purpose and patience and it was a very resilient and determined performance and the boys thoroughly deserved the victory. "The goals were well crafted, we got into the areas we knew they were weak in and it was good to see the players showing intelligence and a real drive, determination and quality. "We had to show a lot of steel and stand there and be counted. I thought we stood the test very well, we're not the biggest or strongest side but we're very determined and I thought we were excellent physically. "It was a disciplined, organised and very professional performance." While the result leaves Stevenage in sixth place with four games to play, Northampton are now down in 11th with their play-off hopes lying in tatters after a third game without victory. The gap to seventh-placed Plymouth is now seven points, but boss Chris Wilder is adamant his team are not ready to throw in the towel. He said: "We have an obligation as professional footballers to ourselves, the team and the club to go and get as many points as possible between now and the end of the season and we'll re-evaluate in the summer. "It's disappointing, we're playing cup-tie football in the position that we're in, and we needed the victory, but the equaliser has killed us, it was a poor goal to concede. "I thought after we made the changes at half time we were pretty comfortable. Stevenage were better in the first half, but the pitch here is horrific and it makes it hard for both sets of players. "When we got ourselves in front, we should have had enough experience to see it across the line, but we conceded a poor equaliser and then the game's always in the balance. "We had two or three opportunities where we could have taken the lead, but unfortunately it's gone against us."