Darren Sarll wants Stevenage to step into Accrington Stanley’s shoes this weekend as the two go head-to-head in the final round of League Two games.

Second placed Stanley require a victory to guarantee automatic promotion to League One at the WHAM Stadium on Saturday.

The game is a matter of just pride for Boro having beaten the drop three games ago with victory over Newport County but the boss wants Boro, undefeated in their last four games, to treat the occasion like it is them on the brink of promotion.

Sarll said: “The players have been first class since we beat the drop.

“Imagine if the players took an attitude where they thought ‘we’ve not been told anything, we’ve not got a permanent manager, we’re safe so we’ll just switch off’.

“Since we’ve ensured our safety in League Two, we’ve not had a bad performance and the players’ motivation will always be fed, I believe, off of their leader.

“If I’d have given the impression I wasn’t interested once we were safe that would have fed down to them and we would have had two shoddy performances. That wouldn’t have done me or the club any favours.

“When you see how that back five, including the goalkeeper [Jamie Jones], have defended in the last couple of games, you can see we have a strong mentality here.

“It’s a big game for us on Saturday. I’m not going up there and rolling out the red carpet for anyone. I want to win.

“If John [Coleman - Accrington manager] was in the same situation he’d want to beat me so you have to have that competitive edge as a manager.

He added: “If the club has any ambition or aspirations we have to attack these games [against the top teams] like it’s us playing for automatic promotion.

“Why miss an opportunity to experience that? Why miss an opportunity to practice being that team? I want them to have that mentality because I have it.”

As has been the case since taking the reins at the Lamex, the 33-year-old’s managerial future still hangs in the balance and he has challenged chairman Phil Wallace to pull the trigger on a decision, claiming he wants to know one way or the other.

He continued: “I trust Phil with making the decision that’s best for this football club.

“If I’m the best decision for the football club make it, if I’m not, then make someone else it. I firmly believe that.

“Survival in football is one of the greatest things you can achieve.

“I look at Glenn Roeder [Stevenage managerial adviser]. He’s had a life in football. He may not have won too many trophies and picked up a promotion here and there but for me his greatest achievement is that he’s had a life in football.

“The longevity of the Sir Bobby Robsons and Sir Alex Fergusons, etc.. their biggest achievement is the fact they did it for so long in an industry that’s so fragile and weak.

“Phil and I have spoken many times about the role of manager and he has said ‘are you sure you want to do this? This is a violent industry when it comes to job security’ and as an academy manager I probably had a free pass for 10 more years of employment but that’s not me. I’m not that character.

”I want to test and push myself but I wholeheartedly trust Phil’s decision. He’s been very good to me in the time I’ve been here, especially the second time, so whatever decision he makes I’ll back it.”