Steve Evans insists Stevenage will go all out to avoid another FA Cup upset at Maidstone United.

Boro played the Stones in the first round back in November 2014, drawing 0-0 at the Lamex before being beaten 2-1 at the Gallagher Stadium in the replay.

Back then Stevenage were in League Two while Maidstone were in the Isthmian League Premier Division, the third step of the non-league pyramid.

The gap is still the same, both clubs have being promoted one division since then, and the pressure on Stevenage to secure passage is also unchanged.

Evans said: "We got a break from league action which we're desperate for, to have a release from those pressures.

"But because of Maidstone's place in the pyramid and being the lowest ranked team left in, then all the expectation and the pressure goes to us.

"I've been blessed over the years to have some magical FA Cup memories that will be with me and my family and all everyone around me forever. 

"I understand what it means to Maidstone and the club and the players and the owners. 

"I've been in that situation many, many times. I've been in that dressing room, I know the feeling and the anticipation and I know [the memories] they want to create. 

"We've got to go there and make sure we’re not the headline on Sunday morning because if we lose the game, we're a headline. 

"So we need to protect ourselves and make sure we do enough that when we leave Maidstone on Saturday, we're in the next round."

Flashback to November 2014 and Graham Westley had been highly critical of the artificial pitch going into the replay.

That same surface is still at the Gallagher Stadium but while Evans acknowledges that it will have an effect, he says it will not be the reason for any shock, should that happen.

He said: "It's a leveller and it's not one of the better ones, I don't think George [Elokobi] or any of his staff proclaim it to be. 

"It’ll be difficult in its own right but a lot of our players will have grown up playing on three and 4G pitches.  

"That's where the game is now for the younger players in the game. 

"We won't think too much about that. We have to earn the right to play on whatever sort of surface it is. 

"When I was the manager at Leeds United, Massimo Cellino said Leeds could play in the car park and there'd be an expectation for levels of performance and for levels of application and for levels of effort. 

"Every club I've managed post Leeds, I’ve tried to bring the same expectations. 

"We have to be prepared for any eventuality and we know the issues it will bring and we know how tough it will be. 

"We have to get our mindset to win the game.  

"They'll be a couple [of changes]. We won’t obviously tell George who they are, they’ll know when they see the team sheet. 

"I spoke to Barrow manager Pete Wild [who Maidstone beat in round two] and he said he left two or three out, not because they wanted to but because felt those players could be out for months post playing on that pitch. 

"We're not expecting any issues and we’re not expecting to use it as an excuse. 

"The worst thing I could do is start blaming the pitch if we lose. We knew what the pitch was from the minute we come out of Port Vale."