Elliott List: Stevenage forward delighted with first goals since serious injury

Image source, Rex Features

Image caption, Elliott List has scored 29 goals for Stevenage since joining them in 2019

Stevenage forward Elliott List says there is still more work to do to get back to his best after scoring his first goals after an injury lay-off.

The 26-year-old was on target twice in a 3-0 win at Cheltenham, having missed almost all of last season with a serious knee injury.

He had to watch Boro win promotion to League One from the sidelines but the club gave him a new deal for 2023-24.

"I should've had four, but it's nice to get off the mark," List said.

He suffered the injury at Tranmere in July last year and told 大象传媒 Three Counties Radio that working to regain fitness in time for the start of this season had taken over his life.

"It becomes the sole purpose of what you're doing, just to get fit," the former Gillingham player said.

"For 12 months, I've been imagining my first goal and I'm slowly getting back to the levels I know I can produce. There's more to go but we're getting there.

"Any player that's gone through that sort of injury knows how tough it is and moments like that make it worth all the effort you've been putting in."

His goals at Cheltenham came in the space of four minutes - his first for the club since scoring in a 4-2 home win over Salford City in May 2022.

The result left Stevenage third in the table and extended their unbeaten run to five league games.

Asked what it has been like, being unable to play a part in last season's promotion push, he added: "Obviously it's great that we were going well but you just want to be out there helping the team. You want to feel part of it.

"But we're in League One now and hopefully we'll kick on and do well. It's a good group. There's a lot of competition so everyone knows you need to be on it every single day."

Stevenage are at home to Oxford United on Saturday, who also have 18 points - but who are above them in second place because they have won one game more.