Steve Evans believes Stevenage have not yet earned themselves favourite status in League Two matches as they prepare to welcome Harrogate Town to the Lamex.

The Yorkshiremen have scored in just three of their nine League Two matches, bagging six in total, while the home side have a perfect record so far on their own turf.

But while bookmakers may gave Boro the nod, the boss knows that it will take a bit longer for people to take the club as one of the big boys in the division.

"I don’t see us as favourites against anyone," said Evans.

"We have come from humble beginnings in the last four or five years and as our chairman readily admits, we should have been in the National League were it not for financial misdemeanours at Macclesfield.

"We came through that and then we came in last season and managed to keep them up, even after many people had written us after Oldham.

"People in our offices were really down on that Monday but we galvanised, on and off the pitch, and this summer we went about picking the type of player who would give us that reaction.

"Harrogate will provide stern opposition. They had a little run where they weren’t so good but I watched a re-run when they lost late to a good Salford side and they could have beaten them four or five, Harrogate’s performance was very good.

"They have a very good competent 0-0 at Stockport last week so we know it will be another tough game."

The manager has been impressed with how his team have coped with the loss to Bradford City last Saturday, both in training and the 3-0 win over Wycombe Wanderers in Tuesday's Papa John's Trophy match.

But he says bouncing back in the league is just as important, if not more so.

He said: "We look forward to all the games we play, especially at home.

"It’s all down to the players. They put in the performances that ultimately get results.

"We had a poor performance by our own standards at Bradford but when you look for a reaction as a manager, we provided one on Tuesday.

"We need to provide a reaction back in league games.

"It’s a pivotal moment because we look all at our points total after 10 games to see where we are.

"If you are averaging two or over then you are having a fantastic start.

"At the minute we don’t have them so we have to get them."

Player-wise, most injuries have cleared up meaning the decision on who plays could be harder than usual for Evans.

"Any player could play," he said. "Michael Bostwick has trained and will be available. David Amoo will train [Thursday] so he could be available.

"So for the first time we probably have options, rather than just 18 players.

"It doesn’t matter who we pick, we seem to get a reaction and everyone believes in the club.

"We’ll pick a team that we believe can deal with Harrogate and get us three points."