Stevenage boss Alex Revell was happy to focus on the positives despite Boro’s exit from the Carabao Cup to Portsmouth on penalties.

Boro had raced into a 2-0 lead after jut 10 minutes against the League One side and were 3-1 up deep into first-half stoppage time.

They were eventually pegged back to 3-3 and lost the shoot-out 3-1 but the manager saw enough to give him confidence ahead of the new season.

He said: “It was a game of two halves for us. We asked the players to go out in the first half and show their intensity and we started really well to go 2-0 up.

“The first goal was a real quality goal from us and shows the way we want to play and the way we want to work it.

“The second was a bit scrappy but a really good start.

“But the goal just before half-time took the wind out of us a little bit. If we had come in at 3-1 it could have been a different story.

“We didn’t get going in the second half but we got through the game because they are a great group and they want to work hard for each other.

“To lose on penalties is disappointing but there are some big positives and a few things we need to iron out.

“We have to put it in context. This is a team that nearly got to the Championship last year.

“It was really good game to start with because you need these types of game to see where you are at.

“The work we’ve done and the games we’ve had have all been learning curves and at times we played some good football.

“We’re a week ahead of the others so we can have a really good week now and build up to Barrow.”

Elliot List, Charlie Carter and Scott Cuthbert got the goals in the first-half and the number of chances created, and converted, is a product of the newly-found belief at the club.

Revell said: “We scored three goals at home and we’ve got great quality up front.

“When you work on things and you see a goal like the first one, it’s great.

“We have players who want to learn and they want to do it and we just have to believe in them.

“And they need to believe and take their opportunities.

“We have to keep getting numbers in the box, keep creating chances and we’ll convert more than we miss.”