Boro midfielder returns from injury to score from the spot against Bournemouth

John Mousinho praised his side’s resilience after they won at Bournemouth on Tuesday evening.

The returning midfielder, playing his first game of the season since recovering from a calf injury, said that fans in the Seward Stadium would probably have thought the home side would come back to claim all three points after Bournemouth equalised minutes after the restart following Craig Reid’s first half opener.

However Mousinho, who scored Boro’s second from the spot after a handball in the area, believes his side showed a good strength of character to recover from that set back and to see the game out.

“We’re really happy with the outcome - to come here against a side that were in the play-offs last year and to get a win with the three goals,” Mousinho said.

“We’re disappointed we conceded so soon after half time - but the end result, we’re very pleased with.

“It was really disappointing that we conceded in the fashion we did (Bournemouth’s goal started off as a Boro set piece)

“I think it shows good strength of character, good resilience that we came back, we got the second and went on and got the third.

“I think a lot of people in the stadium, at one-all, would think Bournemouth would go on and win the game.”

The victory over a side that finished sixth last season was an impressive result - even more so as Stevenage had to put the disappointment of dropping two points in the 97th minute at Chesterfield on Saturday out of their minds.

“It can be (tough to bounce back) but I think we’ve got enough strength in the squad and enough resilience to learn from mistakes rather than dwell on them,” Mousinho said.

“I think we were under the cosh a bit at 2-1, but we came on and I think the subs did well to take the game away from Bournemouth and give us the third goal.”

Mousinho was one of those players substituted late in the second half, and the midfielder said he is working his way back to full fitness after time spent on the sidelines.

“I just need to get back into it and to get my fitness back up,” the midfielder added.