Stockport County took a late grip on their League One playoff semi-final on Saturday, beating Stevenage 1-0 at the Lamex Stadium after Ben Osborn struck in the 94th minute.
The winner arrived in a match that offered very little for long spells. Each side managed only two shots on target, but Stockport found the one moment that mattered and leave the tie with a narrow lead before the second leg at Edgeley Park on Wednesday, 13 May.
That late goal matters because Stockport now return home with momentum and a record that suggests they know how to make home advantage count. They have won 10 of their last 13 home games in all competitions, while Stevenage have won only two of their last 13 away matches since Boxing Day and have not scored more than once in any of those 13 away games.
Stockport also had the edge in territory and pressure. They finished with 60.6% possession and won 10 corners to Stevenage’s four, the third time in as many meetings this season that they have come out on top in the corner count. Stevenage, by contrast, were forced into 15 clearances and were outdone in 11 aerial duels, signs of a side spending too much of the night under strain.
The first leg was low on quality and low on chances, which suited the home side for most of the evening. Stevenage’s recent numbers tell a similar story: they have netted one or fewer goals in 13 of their last 14 fixtures, and 11 of those matches produced under 2.5 goals. In a game like this, that kind of scoring record leaves little margin once the clock starts to run down.
Alex Revell said the goal itself “doesn’t really change anything,” and in one sense he has a point. Stevenage still have 90 minutes left at Edgeley Park, and the tie is not beyond them. But the defeat leaves them needing a sharper away performance than they have produced for most of the season, against a Stockport side that has already shown it can control this matchup and finish it late.
Wednesday’s second leg will decide which club moves on in the 2025/26 League One playoff semi-finals, and the shape of the contest is already clear. Stockport have the lead, the home crowd and the stronger recent numbers. Stevenage need a cleaner game and a rare away breakthrough to turn the tie around.
