Dayle Southwell’s first Wycombe Wanderers goal was the difference as the Chairboys beat Stevenage 1-0 at Adams Park.

The striker’s first half effort gave Wycombe only their second League Two win of the season and ends a run of three league defeats in a row.

After conceding eight goals in their last two matches, Wanderers recovered their defensive solidity and kept an uninspired Boro at arm’s length throughout.

They will now look to take their form on the road when they face Carlisle United next week.

Gareth Ainsworth opted to make one change from the side which lost 4-2 at Portsmouth as Southwell replaced Danny Rowe.

He also had the luxury of naming Paris Cowan-Hall in a match day squad for the first time this season as the summer loan signing returned from injury.

The Wycombe boss suggested the game could be cagey and was proved correct as both sides struggled to impose themselves in the first half.

The visitors were enjoying the better of the chances early on and went close in the ninth minute as Tom Pett caught Michael Harriman in possession and forced a low save from Jamal Blackman.

Wanderers had produced little to worry their opponents, but almost took the lead in spectacular fashion as Harriman lined up a free kick from 30 yards out.

His effort looked destined for the top corner until a flying Jamie Jones managed to get the faintest touch to the ball to send it wide.

In a half of few chances, Southwell would come to the fore at its conclusion to give Wanderers the lead at the interval.

He was initially wasteful as he fired a volley wide and then placed a weak shot straight at Jones when completely unmarked in the box.

He would not be so wasteful in first half stoppage time though as he got on the end of Sam Wood’s miscued shot to score his first Blues goal.

The winger’s volley across goal from the left fell perfectly for Southwell and he calmly passed home from inside the six yard box, despite the best efforts of Boro’s number one.

Stevenage had created little throughout the match but a moment of individual quality from Jack King nearly provided them with a leveller just before the hour.

Cutting in from the left, King clipped a delicate pass beyond the Wycombe backline to find a marauding Andrew Fox in space.

He struck a first time volley on the stretch, but could only direct his effort wide of the post.

Wycombe needed a second goal to kill the game off and may well have found one but for the intervention of Fraser Franks.

The Stevenage centre-back got a decisive header on Hayes’ strike after the Wanderers captain had been found in space by Wood’s pull back.

Cowan-Hall was introduced with 13 minutes to play and gave a glimpse of the attacking quality he offers as he cut in from the left and had a fierce strike well blocked.

He was lively throughout his brief cameo and provided extra encouragement for Wanderers fans as their side withstood a late Stevenage barrage to claim the three points.

Wycombe Wanderers: Blackman; Harriman, Stewart, Pierre, Jombati, Bloomfield, Gape, Wood (Rowe 90), Southwell (Cowan-Hall 77), Thompson, Hayes (C)

Subs not used: Richardson, McGinn, Akinfenwa, De Havilland, Kashket

Stevenage: Jones; Lee (C), Franks, Wilkinson, Ntlhe, Pett (McAnuff 75), Tonge (Liburd 85) King, Fox (Kennedy 58), Godden, Walker

Subs not used: Preston, Schumacher, Cowans, Kerr

Referee: Brendan Malone

Bookings: Gape (14 foul on Godden), Franks (52 foul on Southwell), Cowan-Hall (82 foul on Ntlhe)

Attendance: 3,181 (Away 292)