WE rode our luck, but after last week's defeat at Aggborough - why not!

A goal each for Jefferson Louis and Marc Williams tied up the points, after Callum Willock had pulled his side level with a wonder strike.

On 11 minutes the Wrexham youngsters combined through the middle to set Nathan Woolfe away on the right wing and from his cross Jon Brown forced his marker into conceding the corner.

This was followed up with a free kick on Sam Williamson near the flag and from Wes Baynes' set piece the ball was only half cleared, for Louis to follow up with a shot that was deflected behind for another flag kick.

The pace of former Posh man Willock was displayed on 17 minutes, when Baynes lost the ball  and then the striker turned Ashley Westwood before racing away to the edge of the Wrexham box, but keeper Gavin Ward stood his ground before making a neat save down to his left.

Wrexham responded with a clever five-man build up that saw the ball swept up field and from wing to wing, for Brown to cross deep and while Louis was able to get his head to it, he could only direct his effort wide.

Route one football saw Willock head on a ball down the middle and winger Luke Thomas' pace took him clear of the Wrexham back line, but his effort clipped the top of Ward's crossbar on 24 minutes.

The 300 travelling Wrexham fans behind Ward's goal were in good voice and needed little encouragement to urge the Dragons forward on a cold and foggy day in Hertfordshire.

New boy Jonathan Brown

The speed of Boro's Thomas on the left flank was causing problems for Baynes and his resulting crosses were becoming more dangerous to the Wrexham goal as the half progress, fortunately not even the giant figure of Peter Vincenti could take advantage for the home side.

Next up it was Willock who cut in from the left and his deflected shot was well dealt with by Ward, before the keeper had to be on his mettle minutes later to tip away a drive from Mitchell Cole.

There was a poor challenge by Borough's Andy Drury, who was lucky to only receive a yellow card, for a two-footed challenge on Woolfe with 33 minutes on the clock.

Borough were turning the screw at this stage and keeping the visitors pinned back in their own half. Two successive corners were not well defended, but happily Gary Mills' header from six inches(!) off the ground screwed wide of the target.#

There was no doubt which manager was the happiest to hear the half time whistle and get his side back in the dressing room for a disccusion how to improve in the second period.

Ht

A change at the interval saw Neil Taylor on for Wes Baynes, taking over the right back role in a straight swap.

There was a lengthy hold up early in the second half, as Scott Laird took a knock to the head and the Stevenage physio did well to stem the flow of blood, but he did have to change his shirt.

The opening goal came on 56 minutes, when Brown did well on the right wing, drove to the line and crossed into the goalmouth, where a flick on took the ball passed the near post and to where three blue shirts were lurking, before Jefferson Louis steadied himself and from five yards fired home.

As a former Borough player he celebrated by racing back to his own half and reminding the locals what they were missing after releasing following just 18 games in their colours back in early 2006.

The big man then saw a second in his sights on the hour, when centre half Luke Oliver misjudged a high bouncing ball and allowed the Wrexham forward through, but on his wrong foot the final effort was not one of his best from distance.

Vincenti then thought he had an equaliser moments later, when the tall forward climbed high and headed down towards a corner of the Welshmen's goal, but somehow Ward got across to claw the ball away.

There was a leveller on 64 minutes though, as the Wrexham defence let a ball bounce outside the box and when no one challenged up stepped Callum Willock to fire in a curling effort from 22-yards that beat the diving keeper.

The introduction of Christian Smith for Woolfe on 70 minutes, saw Marc Williams pushed back into the front line of a 4-4-2 set up.

A fortunate moment for Wrexham three minutes later, when Ward came outside his area to clear a long ball, but as it dropped to Thomas some 40-yards away he saw his chance of glory with the goal unguarded, only for Smith to get his head in the way of the effort - although unintentionally and leaving the midfielder in a heap on the ground!

There was a home Borough debut for former Wrexham trilaist Kieron St Aimie with quarter of an hour remaining, as the striker replaced Thomas.

Sam Williamson in defence

Brown's pace once again took him to the line and a cross to the near post was diverted behind for a corner with Marc Williams throwing himself into the mix at the near post.

Then with just nine minutes remaining, Louis won the ball on the edge of the box, seemingly pushing his marker out of the way, before laying off to Marc Williams for a shot that was placed out of the reach of Chris Day in the Stevenage goal.

With the Dragons back in front, they took a grip in the match and carried the game to their hosts.

It took a great tackle from Laird to deny Brown, but he did win the corner and from the flag kick Wrexham kept the ball down the Stevenage end of the pitch, wasting valuable secondss as the clock continued to tick down.

A booking followed for Smith with Mills rolling round and drawing a caution for the substitute.

Stevenage took a defender off with five minutes left on the clock, sending on Lee Boylan for Oliver, as Graham Westley looked to salvage something from the afternoon which had promised so much for his side.

Deep into the four minutes of added time, Ward produced another great save to keep the home side at bay and then was left to celebrate with the happy band of travelling fans.

Stevenage Boro: Chris Day, Scott Laird, Luke Oliver (Lee Boylan 86), Anthony Thomas (Kieron St Aimie 76), Gary Mills, Mark Roberts, Callum Willock, Mitchell Cole, Andy Drury, Ronnie Henry, Peter Vincenti.
Subs: Ashley Bayes, Tommy Black, Michael Bostwick.

Wrexham: Gavin Ward, Wes Baynes (Neil Taylor 46), Mike Williams, Ashley Westwood, Sam Williamson, Jon Brown (Shaun Whalley 87), Nathan Fairhurst, Angelos Tsiaklis, Nathan Woolfe (Christian Smith 70), Jefferson Louis, Marc Williams.
Subs: Steve Evans, Patrick Suffo.

Referee: Ray Lee (Essex)
Attendance: 1,673
Away: 293

Booked -
Boro: Drury (33, foul), Thomas (74, handball)
Wrexham: Williamson (8, foul), Smith (84, foul), Whalley (90, dissent)