Stevenage bowed out of the Papa John's Trophy with defeat in the round of 16 at Portsmouth.

Goals from Jay Mingi, Josh Koroma and Joe Pigott gave Pompey a 3-0 win at Fratton Park and sent them into the quarter-finals.

There was an improved performance after the break from Steve Evans' men but the League One side were always in charge on a chilly night.

There were five changes from the side that drew 0-0 with Mansfield Town on Saturday.

Aaron Chapman replaced Taye Ashby-Hammond in goal while Max Clark, Kane Smith, Arthur Read and Danny Rose all came in.

Jake Reeves (suspended) and Alex Gilbey (ill) missed out altogether while Luke Norris, Jordan Roberts and Saxon Earley dropped to the bench.

Terence Vancooten was another who was ill while Michael Bostwick is injured.

The first half was in keeping with what Boro fans had witnessed against the Stags, although this one didn't even have the interest of a good battle.

Stevenage went with a back three again but with Luther James-Wildin alongside Dan Sweeney and Carl Piergianni.

And they were obviously still sorting themselves out when the skipper almost gave Pompey an early gift.

He didn't notice Koroma had yet to come back from an early attack when he played a no-look back pass.

Fortunately Chapman was off his line to block the danger.

Further up the field the midfield seemed unsure of their jobs, either when to press or if so, who with.

It left Rose and Jamie Reid as almost spectators.

But while Pompey had the possession and did open Boro up from time to time, they didn't create too many efforts on Chapman's goal.

Reeco Hackett pulled a shot across goal and wide while Koroma chipped a cross too high for Joe Pigott in the middle.

The goal though was avoidable and came again as Pompey were allowed to get in behind Stevenage way too easily.

Mingi nicked the ball beyond the Boro back-line and then slid the ball to the right of the advancing Chapman.

Boro's only real chance did hit the crossbar but it was an effort that Piergianni seemed to think was not going to count.

A free-kick into the box wasn't ever cleared and when it was put back into the middle, the centre-half found himself in between defence and keeper.

However, he seemed to believe an offside flag would come and his lifted shot over Josh Oluwayemi lacked intensity and clipped the top of the bar on its way over.

That lack of intensity was the one thing that needed changed and changed quickly at the break and Evans decided for a triple substitution and a change of formation.

On came Norris, Roberts and David Amoo and for a time it looked like Evans had gone with a 4-3-3, although the truth of the matter was probably Amoo was playing as the right wing-back.

And bar the first minute, it looked to be working.

Sweeney should have done much better than poke a Clark corner wide while a Roberts effort forced a good save out of Oluwayemi who then made an even better one to deny Taylor with the rebound.

The offside flag made that moot though.

And so it was slightly against the run of play that Pompey extended their lead.

Boro were left looking for a raised flag of their own as Koroma was played in through the middle.

That never came and the striker, on loan from Huddersfield, simply took a few strides before guiding the ball wide of Chapman.

He had another attempt as the confidence grew among the home side, Chapman pushing it wide with a diving save, before the hosts rang the changes, making all five in the 10 minutes between the goal and the 70th minute.

Tormentor-in-chief Koroma was among those to go off and it gave Boro a brief taste back on the front foot.

Roberts hit another low shot that was saved by the keeper while Reid was just off target with an effort across the face of goal.

But Pompey never looked too concerned and they finished it off with the final kick of the game, Pigott whipping in a free-kick from 25 yards.

 

Stevenage: Chapman, James-Wildin, Clark, Piergianni, Sweeney, Taylor, Campbell, K.Smith (Roberts 46), Read (Amoo 46), Reid, Rose (Norris 46).

Subs (not used): Ashby-Hammond, Earley.

 

Portsmouth: Oluwayemi, Hume, Robertson (Pack 62), Ogilvie, Pigott, Dale, Morrell (Tunnicliffe 70), Hackett (Raggett 62), Mingi (Jacobs 62), Koroma (Curtis 70), Morrison.

Subs (not used): B.Smith, Bishop.

Goals: Mingi 37, Koroma 59, Pigott 90+4

Booked: Dale 19, Oluwayemi 73

 

HT: Portsmouth 1 Stevenage 0

Referee: Neil Hair (Peterborough)

Attendance: 2,162 (with 76 from Stevenage)