Stevenage boss Graham Westley has warned his players winning football matches is the priority for the next week, and not Christmas festivities.

Boro head to Colchester United on Boxing Day followed by a trip to Bristol City on Sunday, looking for their first Sky Bet League 1 win in a month, their last being the 1-0 victory at Peterborough on November 23.

Westley said: “This is a really important time for the squad, I spoke to them this morning [Monday] about everybody being ready to play their part making sure it’s football and football results that are the priority not Christmas and the festive spirit.”

The same fixture in Essex was played out in 2011 with Stevenage running away with the points after a 6-1 demolition with goals from Robin Shroot, Chris Beardsley, Michael Bostwick, Scott Laird, Luke Freeman and Joel Byrom.

A result like that would be more than welcome for fourth from bottom Stevenage, Westley added: “We all know that the past and the future are completely different things, you take confidence obviously from smashing them six on Boxing Day previously, it was a good day for us, a bad day for them, and I’m sure they wont be eating as much Christmas turkey this year.”

Stevenage will have Roarie Deacon and Michael Doughty back from suspension for the trip and hope Peter Hartley make a return from injury.