Boro face a tough encounter as they try to return to winning ways

Stevenage will be without Filipe Morais for tonight’s trip to AFC Bournemouth due to suspension.

Luke Freeman, who came off the bench in Saturday’s 4-1 defeat at Sheffield United, is the most likely of replacements, though Robbie Rogers could be involved, as manager Gary Smith aims to turn around a run of form that has seen his side concede more goals in their last four league matches than in the previous 14.

Defensive problems persist, but Lee Hills is likely to remain at left-back following his debut for the club on Saturday after missing the first third of the season due to injury.

If Smith decides that two games in such a short amount of time is too much for the former Crystal Palace man then Miguel Comminges could come into the side.

Smith admitted to a lack of a cutting edge in the final third after Saturday’s defeat, and he has a choice to make whether to continue with Marcus Haber or bring in Patrick Agyemang.

For Eddie Howe’s Bournemouth, Dutch pair Frank Demouge and Lorenzo Davids may miss out due to injury though Simon Francis is expected to be involved.

Speaking after Saturday’s defeat, Smith said: “I don’t think AFC Bournemouth are going to be showing us any kind of sympathy on Tuesday night.

“They’ll be getting out of the traps and I suspect after we’ve conceded eight goals in two games they’ll be licking their lips. It is roll your sleeves up time.

“As I’ve said the games are coming thick and fast. We knew that this month was going to be a tough one.

“We have two more extremely tough games, and what I know about these fellas is that they’re not just going to curl into a ball, and say ‘let this just wash over us’, they’re going to stand up and be strong and we’re going to do our utmost [at Bournemouth] to make sure that we get something out of it.”