Scotland's win over Spain is the perfect example of what Stevenage need to do at Northampton Town says manager Steve Evans.

The 2-0 win for his beloved nation had the Boro boss dancing a jig at home but he was impressed with the manner of the success for Steve Clarke's men.

And as he prepares for a huge clash with the second-placed Cobblers on Saturday, Evans is wanting the same bravery.

He said: "It was a fantastic result. Spain turned up to play tiki-taka and got elbowed and pushed and shoved but it's how you win a game if you can't compete. 

"How did we win at Villa? With more vigour, more determination and more aggression; channelled aggression, not nasty aggression. 

"That's what Scotland did because everyone knows that if Spain turn up at Hampden Park and it's a game of football, it's going to be the longest night ever. 

"It was the longest night but only because all of Scotland was partying."

They have previous of playing like that, and not just the win over Aston Villa in the FA Cup third round.

The most previous example was a 0-0 draw with Carlisle United just two weeks ago.

Evans said: "Carlisle was the most professional and disciplined performance we’ve produced all season - professional performance, not the best.

"Every player played the role to a T but the one or two opportunities that came to win the game, we didn't take. 

"That was the disappointing aspect in that performance but we have to go [to Northampton] and be really professional, really disciplined and be in the game on 70 minutes. 

"We have to remember that we're playing a team that's got big resources. 

"We know that winning on Saturday gives us a massive advantage and we know that if Northampton beat us, it gives them an advantage. 

"But we’re going there in a good place mentally because we know that over the last few weeks we've played really well in spells, back to our best."

Stevenage are still in the automatic promotion positions but with nine games to go, including the trip up the M1, he knows they can't afford too many slip-ups if they are to secure elevation to League One.

"If we come out of Sixfields sitting third in the table, with eight to go and a game in hand, you couldn't have picked it any better," he said.

"But we now know it's nine games to go and every time a game goes by, it is an opportunity missed and opportunities don't continue to be there. 

"If they get missed, they never come back. 

"So we have an opportunity to be really focused and at it and produce a good performance. 

"We know we're against a formidable opponent who should already be in League One, after what happened last year. 

"For them to bounce and for John to lead it, they deserve nothing but my applause. 

"But Saturday is a separate battle altogether."