It was a good end to a tough week for Stevenage, earlier in the week they broke a deal with Preston North End for the release of their manager Graham Westley. At the weekend, Stevenage travelled to Rochdale and came away with the three points thanks to a brilliant 5-1 win thanks to a star performance of new signing Luke Freeman. Luke Freeman joined permanently from Arsenal on a contract to 2014.
Club captain Mark Roberts took charge for his first game and he liked what he was seeing as just eighteen minutes in as new signing Luke Freeman opened up his account as he broke down the left hand side and bundled is way through the Rochdale defence and fired in a right footed strike which squirmed under the Rochdale keeper.
Just after the interval the away side doubled the lead as Freeman broke down the left and crossed in and the ball was laid off to Lawrie Wilson and his first time effort found the back of the net. Rochdale pulled one back when Daniel Bogdanovic broke down the right hand side and played a brilliant cross for Brett Omerod to volley home emphatically.
But just a minute later Stevenage doubled their lead when a hurried clearance fell to Lawrie Wilson on the right hand side and he broke down on goal and finished with aplomb. Just moments after conceding the third goal Rochdale was sent down to ten men as Joe Widdowson was sent off for picking up two yellows. Just before the hour Rochdale were crumbling and Stevenage took advantage and it was Luke Freeman who added with his second. This was the goal of the game as the left footed former Arsenal player cut in from the right hand side and unleashed an unstoppable effort into the top corner. The fifth Stevenage goal was added with twenty five minutes remaining and the influential Luke Freeman crossed in from the left hand side for Joel Byrom whose left footed strike condemned Rochdale to an embarrassing home defeat.
This was an emphatic away victory for Stevenage and with this way they pop up into the play-off spots at the expense of Carlisle whose game at MK Dons was called off not long before kickoff. As the club in the play-offs the club could be on for 3 promotions on the spin and the chance to play Championship football.
For the home side it is not looking great for Rochdale, the second season in league one is turning into a hard season for the club and they are sitting second bottom just three points ahead off Chesterfield. It is going to be long second half of the season for Rochdale and a relegation scrap is on the horizon.
Here is the rest of the league one results from the weekend.
Bournemouth 2-1 Notts County
Brentford 0-0 Walsall
Bury 0-3 Sheffield United
Colchester 1-1 Scunthorpe
Exeter 0-0 Hartlepool
Huddersfield 1-0 Oldham
Leyton Orient 1-1 Chesterfield
Preston 3-2 Wycombe
Sheffield Wednesday 0-1 Charlton A
Yeovil 2-1 Tranmere
