Advancing to the next stage is always the biggest thing in cup competitions and Stevenage did that with a 1-1 draw at home to Gillingham.

It wasn't the greatest team performance in the world mind you, but then Bristol Street Motors Trophy matches rarely produce the memorable nights.

However, they do give opportunities to old hands and youngsters, all of whom should be keen to showcase their abilities and push for a place in the next starting line-up.

Did they do that? Here's how I rated the players.

Player ratings

Stevenage (0) 1 Gillingham (1) 1

Taye Ashby-Hammond - 5

I thought the goal went in at his near post and not seen it back yet but by all accounts it was a bit more central, which is a worry. So was a dropped cross in the second half. Don't know why, maybe his injury is affecting him slightly, psychologically, but he's nowhere near his best at the minute. 

Nathan Thompson - 7

I keep thinking I'm being over generous with the marks I give him as they are always high but no, he's just playing really, really well at the minute. A leader when the team desperately needs a leader. Another hugely solid and good performance.

Nick Freeman - 7

Was all over the place at the start of the season but suddenly is finding his form. Played right back here but never looked in any bother and did what he needed to do well, at both ends of the pitch. 

Kane Smith - 8

By the end of the game, he was getting huge cheers and 'oles' as he kept pinching the ball off an attacker and went charging forward. That summed his game up - great in defence but a threat going forward. Clear Comet Sport man of the match.

Lewis Freestone - 7

I'll have said this before but I really like him. He's solid and dependable and while he is prone to the odd moment, he defends superbly. Only just turned 25, I honestly believe he can go on to be very close to the standard of Carl Piergianni. He's fearless in defence and here tracked back and kept the Gills at bay for the vast majority of the game.

Elliott List - 6

I didn't really see him do a lot which means while he wasn't excellent, he clearly wasn't awful either. More suited to being wider, rather than as a two, this formation was for him. There are going to be times when that isn't the case and he will be needed of the bench. That isn't a bad thing either.

Harvey White - 6

A bit like above. I love the fact that he is much more effective in the tackle these days but his set-piece delivery isn't as prolific as it was at the start of the season. Almost scored straight from a corner but that was more the exception rather than the rule in this one.

Aaron Pressley - 5

Just lacked a presence. When you're as tall as he is, balls invariably will get lumped up to him but he struggled to get hold of them and or get a productive flick or touch to them. One glorious chance on the stroke of half-time where he really should have scored and a tame header before that. That was it. Needs to be better, should be better.

Eli King - 6

One awful pass aside in the second half when he should have shot, he wasn't too bad here. Certainly grew into the contest and began to win more tackles as Boro started to press forward. Perhaps worryingly though, he seemed more tense when Gillingham were slightly on top. Still work to do but this was a slight step forward.

Jake Young - 5

If he was fired up, he'd be a handful. I know he's had a long time out with injury but he's been playing and training now for the last two months. He should be there, or very close anyway. Struggled to get into the game and was no surprise he went off.

Ryan Doherty - 7

Always had him pegged as an old-fashioned winger who would run at people and take them on. That's not his game at all and here he was all about passing and keeping the ball. Did that very well. Stuck a foot in too, that brought a big cheer. Looking forward to seeing him again in the FA Youth Cup on Monday. Enjoyed this performance though.

READ MORE

Stevenage through in Bristol Street Motors Trophy after draw with Gillingham - report

Stevenage 1 Gillingham 1 - full match recap, as it happened

Subs - Aboh, Kemp, Simpson, Brown

The first three came on together and made a difference. Kemp got the goal but all three were trying to make positive inroads, either by running with the ball or by passing it forward with purpose.

Delighted to see Lenny Brown get some minutes too, any youngster who gets  chance to shine is a good thing and he almost, almost, bagged a goal.

Gillingham's stand-out players

I quite liked the look of Joseph Gbode who was a big, strong and powerful runner. Unlucky not to score on the break in the second half.

Ethan Coleman also caught the eye. Seemed to cover a lot of ground and was effective when he got to the ball too.

Overall

There were things to be positive about in this, even if there were still worries in the overall performance.

And as this was really a second string, the positives perhaps shade the fears. There are players there, coming into form, and when most of the injured posse are back, which perhaps could be as early as next month, that leaves a good squad to tackle part two of the season.

Biggest takeaway though and biggest positive, the youngsters are not looking out of place and are getting opportunities to shine, opportunities they are grasping for the moment.