Match report and photos: Stevenage 0 Notts County 2

Ahead of this game Teddy Sheringham said he’d be a fool if he declared he knew everything management would throw at him.

This defeat in his first game as Stevenage boss will have been something of an eye-opener then for the former England striker.

The 49-year-old is already aware of the work that needs to be done if Boro are to better last season’s play-off defeat.

But if he is to reach his intended target, then the former Spurs and Manchester United striker will probably need more depth to his squad.

Without the inclusion of Tom Pett and Chris Whelpdale in today’s starting XI, due to injury, Boro lacked both width and pace and it is here where a streetwise Notts County side punished them.

County’s players embody their manager Ricardo Moniz’s traits, for as he stood on the touchline waving, pointing, jumping and causing the assistant referee to duck under his arm, his players put in a performance that was full of energy and maturity.

Boro had their chances – teenager Dipo Akinyemi fired wide of the post in the first half while substitute Tom Hitchcock then flicked over a shot from close range late in the game.

Hitchcock was later sent off for a coming together with Mawouna Amevor, who also got his marching orders, meaning that the striker could miss three games of his one-month loan deal.

By the time of Hitchcock’s miss Stevenage were already 2-0 down and they had goalkeeper Chris Day to thank for producing a string of saves to keep the score that low.

Jon Stead had already headed wide for the visitors when Akinyemi was put in at the near post by Dean Parrett only to flick his shot the wrong side of the post for Boro.

The visitors then took the lead when they broke the length of the pitch and Stead found the unmarked Curtis Thompson at the far post, and he tucked the ball under Day.

It was a stunning break, and Boro just couldn’t keep up with the Magpies.

Day saved from Julian Jenner early in the second period before he then denied Kyle De Silva with his feet.

Pett came off the bench to play through the middle, and his early link-up play with Hitchcock was encouraging with the latter going close only to fire over.

Day then saved Thierry Audel’s header and with five minutes to go got down quickly to keep out Stead’s shot. However, Amevor was the only person following up and he slotted past the keeper for 2-0.

There was then a red card apiece as the game ended in farce, but for Sheringham this will be no laughing matter and he will seek to improve his side in the weeks to come.

Stevenage: Day, Franks, Hughes, Wells, Okimo, Lee, Conlon (Pett 76), Schumacher (McAllister 62), Parrett, Akinyemi (Hitchcock 62), Williams. Subs: Jackson, McCombe, Johnson, Gorman.

Notts County: Carroll, Amevor, Thompson, Noble, De Silva (Snijders 67), Jenner, Swerts, Stead, Audel, Sprockel (Bennett 46), Aborah. Subs: Loach, Hollis, Spencer, Snijders, Campbell, Burke.

Ref: Graham Salisbury