Boro midfielder Michael Doughty feels that Saturday’s relegation clash with bottom of the table Shrewsbury “will not define” the team’s fortunes.

Stevenage currently sit 23rd in the Sky Bet League One table, with only goal difference separating them from the weekend’s opposition, but Doughty refuted any suggestion that Saturday’s match is a ‘must-win’ game.

“I don’t think it is [a must-win],” said the 21-year-old.

“It’s so tight down there, points are obviously very important and we can jump five or six places.

“It’s not going to define us, but we do realise the importance of the game and we’re going to go into it hoping to get the three points.”

With just two defeats in their last 10, Boro’s form has seen them claw their way back into League One contention after previously being cut-adrift at the foot of the table.

“I think at this time in the season, we have to realise that we put ourselves in this situation,” said the Welshman.

“It’s a test of our character as individuals and as a team to go and get ourselves out of it and I think we’ve shown over the last 10 games that we’re more than capable of doing that and we go into Saturday’s game full of confidence.”

Doughty has been forced to sit out the last two fixtures through suspension, after picking up his 10th yellow card of the season in the defeat to Coventry earlier this month.

The ban has acted as a learning experience for the QPR loanee though, and Doughty is now desperate to get back involved.

“I think it’s really my own doing over the course of the season,” he said.

“Picking up 10 yellow cards is probably something that I shouldn’t be doing but I guess that’s part of the learning curve and the experience.

“I’ve paid the price for that now though and I’m just chomping at the bit and ready to be back involved.”

Watching from the stands does have its positives though, as the Welsh U21 international points out.

“I think it definitely does give you a different perspective and helps you see where the game can improve.

“You can see what the team is doing right and doing wrong and hopefully if called upon on Saturday, in whatever form, I can try and affect the team in positive way.”