Bristol Rovers continue play-off push with emphatic win at struggling Stevenage

Bristol Rovers continued their push for the League Two play-offs as they made it back-to-back wins with an emphatic 4-0 victory away at struggling Stevenage.

Sam Finley, Elliot Anderson, Harry Anderson and Aaron Collins all registered for Joey Barton’s dominant visitors at a sodden Lamex Stadium.

Rovers are now five points from the play-off places in 11th place with games in hand on many of the teams above them, while Stevenage sit 19th after five winless games.

The visitors took early control, with Christy Pym twice denying Collins, while Finley then launched a one-man counter-attack from his own half but was denied by the Stevenage goalkeeper.

However, from the resulting corner, Finley gathered the clearance and curled a stunning effort into the top corner to put Rovers ahead.

Victory was sealed after the break when Sam Nicholson’s inventive backheel allowed on-loan Newcastle midfielder Elliot Anderson to fire into the bottom corner for his first Rovers goal.

Scorer then turned creator as the visitors made it 3-0 four minutes later, the 19-year-old midfielder’s cross poked home by Harry Anderson at the far post.

Elliot Anderson was also involved in the fourth, as Pym tipped his ambitious effort onto the bar before Collins converted the rebound.

Pym made a string of sensational saves in defeat, but Stevenage now sit just five points above the drop zone.