Steve Evans: Stevenage 'need extra numbers' despite EFL Cup win over Watford

Nathan Thompson fired home Stevenage's winning penalty against Watford

Stevenage boss Steve Evans will be stepping up the search for additional signings after only naming a squad of 16 for their EFL Cup win over Watford.

Boro had five substitutes on the bench, while their Championship opponents had a full set of nine.

But Evans' League One side prevailed 4-3 on penalties after the game ended 1-1 at the Lamex Stadium.

"We'll try as hard as we can to add a player or two to the group because we really need them," the Scot said.

"I could have named nine, we could have brought kids up (into the squad) but we're not going to put them onto the field of play.

"They've been with us all pre-season and some of them will be really good players for this football club but are they ready to go onto the pitch with the Watford boys? No, they're not ready for that.

"I don't want to put them in an atmosphere or a situation where it sends their development in the opposite direction," he told BBC Three Counties Radio.

Stevenage were without skipper Carl Piergianni, who scored the winning goal in Saturday's opening league game at Northampton, because of injury.

"Obviously we had to make some decisions about players, whether we included them in the squad, for example the captain, we left him out, he felt a little tightness in training," said Evans.

"Last season we had a wonderful season, wonderful cup run, everything. [But] Every time we took to the field of play we seemed to make four or five changes because in our first-team squad, there are no stars, there are no automatic starters.

"It's 20, 21 lads, and hopefully 23 lads, competing to be in the team."

The two clubs are less than 24 miles apart, but Tuesday's meeting was only the second competitive match between them, Watford having won 1-0 at the same first-round stage of the 2014 competition.

"If you're in Hertfordshire, Watford is a huge club," Evans added.

"I look at where they've been and their history, I look at Sir Elton John - I've paid an awful lot over the years to be at his concerts with the family - they're a club that treat you in the right way. We wish them well."

Stevenage have another home game on Saturday against Shrewsbury Town, while Watford return to Championship action as they take on promoted Plymouth Argyle at Vicarage Road.