With the chance to go top of the League One table with a victory, Stevenage will take on fellow newly-promoted outfit Carlisle United on Saturday in the seventh round of third-tier fixtures this season.
Following their respective rises from League Two last term, the two sides have experienced differing starts to the new campaign, with the hosts sat third on 13 points from six outings, while their visitors moved onto five points with their first league victory of the season at the weekend.
Match preview
© Reuters
After winning promotion from League Two in second place last season, marking their return to England's third tier for the first time since 2014, Stevenage have enjoyed a seamless transition into the new level in the early stages of the campaign.
In their second full season under the management of Steve Evans, who initially guided them to safety in the 2021-22 season after his March appointment before leading them to promotion, the Boro have quickly put themselves in the leading pack in the League zone, with a joint league-high tally of 13 points from their six outings.
In those games, Evans's men have suffered just one defeat while picking up four victories, including three straight triumphs over Northampton Town, Shrewsbury Town and Cambridge United.
After the solitary defeat away at Reading and a goalless draw against Portsmouth, the Boro were most recently in league action away at fellow promoted side Leyton Orient last weekend, and they made an impressive return to winning ways, dishing out a 3-0 beating at Brisbane Road as Charlie McNeill and Dan Sweeney got on the scoresheet in the first half and Nick Freeman added a third 11 minutes from time.
Now on the back of a 1-1 draw with AFC Wimbledon and a subsequent penalty shootout defeat, and with Exeter City and Bolton Wanderers only leading them in the league on goal difference, Evans's men will turn their focus fully back to England's third tier and bid to climb to the top of the division with another triumph on Saturday.
© Reuters
They meet a Carlisle United side who joined them in winning promotion after also last turning out in the third tier in 2014, with Saturday's visitors having finished fifth in League Two before toppling Bradford City in the playoff semi-finals and Stockport County in a penalty shootout in the final at Wembley.
Paul Simpson's men have not experienced the same fortunes as Stevenage at the start of the new campaign, though, as they picked up just two points from their opening five outings, having started with a draw at home to Fleetwood Town and a defeat away at Oxford United.
They would then pick up a commendable point in a draw with Wigan Athletic, thanks to Owen Moxon's leveller, but the Cumbrians were unable to avoid defeat in the following two outings against Exeter City and Port Vale, failing to score in the process.
That left Simpson's side winless, but they were able to put an end to that slump on Saturday when Shrewsbury Town arrived at Blundell Park, as they went ahead through a Tom Bayliss goal on the hour mark before Joe Garner wrapped up a 2-0 victory deep into injury time.
Now following a 1-0 defeat to Accrington Stanley in the EFL Trophy in midweek, with their attention firmly on their league exploits, Carlisle will be keen to continue their improvement and make it back-to-back League One victories at the weekend.
Team News
© Reuters
After rotating his squad for their midweek EFL Trophy tie, Steve Evans will likely revert to the same starting XI that featured in the 3-0 beating of Leyton Orient last weekend, with Jamie Reid and Manchester United loanee Charlie McNeill expected to come back in up front from the outset.
They will have support from Jordan Roberts, while Finley Burns will likely operate at the base of midfield alongside Nick Freeman, although they do face competition from Jake Forster-Caskey and Harrison Neal.
Behind them, Dan Sweeney, Carl Piergianni and Nathan Thompson will line up in a back three in front of goalkeeper Taye Ashby-Hammond.
Carlisle United will also revert to an XI similar to in their last league outing, in which they triumphed over Shrewsbury Town, with Simpson expected to deploy a trio of his own in the middle of the defence in the form of Sam Lavelle, Paul Huntington and Jon Mellish.
In a relatively conservative shape, Fin Back and Jack Armer will complete the back five in right and left-back roles respectively, while Jordan Gibson, Callum Guy and Owen Moxon should all keep their places in midfield.
At the top end of the pitch, former Preston North End man Sean Maguire could again join Crystal Palace loanee Luke Plange up front, although Joe Garner is fighting to come in and lead the line after his goal off the bench last weekend.
Stevenage possible starting lineup:
Ashby-Hammond; Sweeney, Piergianni, Thompson; Wildin, Freeman, Burns, Butler; Roberts; Reid, McNeill
Carlisle United possible starting lineup:
Andresson; Back, Lavelle, Huntington, Mellish, Armer; Gibson, Guy, Moxon; Maguire, Plange
We say: Stevenage 2-0 Carlisle United
Carlisle United will have a renewed sense of optimism from last weekend's win, but Stevenage have momentum on their side following their promotion and fine start to the new campaign, and we see them having too much for the Cumbrians on home turf.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
