Stevenage manager Alex Revell had a big smile on his face after victory in their penultimate pre-season friendly at Braintree Town.

An own-goal following a Harvey White shot and then a second-half strike from Makise Evans gave them a 2-1 win.

But it was the overall performance form a squad that contained a mixture of senior pros, like Dan Sweeney and Nick Freeman, and youngsters that gave the boss the most pleasure.

"It was a really good game for us," he said. "We've chose to have two games this this weekend to make sure we get 90 minutes in all the legs of the players.

"We had to adjust with the personnel. A couple of players are just feeling a few little knocks so we didn’t risk them. 

"But we're really proud of that performance because the youngsters that came into the team and came onto the pitch produced some excellent performances and against the team that that are going to be a strong, physical side in the National League. 

"I’m really proud of not only the younger lads but also the pros because the likes of Dan Sweeney, Harvey White, Ben Thompson, Louis Appere and Nick Freeman are starting to show aspects of what they’re about. 

"And they led the youngsters and that's all we asked from them." 

In terms of the youngsters, the boss yet again said they were in his thoughts.

"We want to see if they're good enough, we've always said it," admitted Revell. 

"They have to be good enough and this was a really good test because physically, it was a challenge. 

 

"With all of these boys, they have to warrant being here. They have to keep those demands on themselves and not drop [them].

"Ultimately they are young lads learning their trade so when we do see that drop, they go back [to the academy] and they pick themselves up and when they come good again, we bring them back up. 

"That's how we have to do it but they know that and for me, they have to know that and they have to understand that's the way we work."  

Boro ended the game with a plethora of teenagers on the field, most of them first-year scholars and aged just 16 - the likes of Lenny Brown, Max Woodford and the impressive Alfie Thornett.

One youngster who played from the start and lasted the full 90 was David Hicks and there is a feeling he could be moving close to regular first-team outings.

That is something he needs to keep pushing for.

Revell said: "With David, he’s been in and around it and earlier in the season we sent him back down because we just saw a drop.

"He was down for one day and came back up and since then, he's been with us. 

"It was just that realisation that ‘I need to keep doing what I need to keep my standards up’. 

"At the moment he's with us but the biggest thing for me, the reason why they stay with us, is because they get buy-in from the senior pros.  

"That's when you know they are doing alright, they're doing well, they're working hard, they're doing all the things they have to do to be a professional. 

"Hopefully then we can then add to them and make them better and Hicksy is one of those.

"But there are many at the moment that we're looking at and we’re giving them the opportunity. 

"It's now down to them to take it, no matter how old they are."  

And while there were positives and smiles, the boss still has things he needs to improve.

"We should have taken more chances," he said. "It should have been out of sight in the first 10 minutes.

"But we're creating good chances and that's the thing we've always spoke about. 

 

 

"We wanted to keep working and getting better at putting people in the box. 

"We've got to keep improving and the hardest thing to do is to put the ball in the back of the net.  

"But what we did see was a goal of real quality from Makise Evans. He was set, he turned and then he slides in a fantastic goal 

"The first goal, it’s a deflection, but it's good play up to Harvey, getting into the final third and we're getting there nice and quickly now. 

"It's just [adding] that last little bit now."