The Town slumped to a disappointing 2-0 defeat at Stevenage.

Matt Bloomfield made four changes to the side that came from two goals down to earn a point at Blackpool on Tuesday.

Three of those were players who came off the bench at Bloomfield Road. Gideon Kodua won and scored the penalty on Tuesday night while Norwegian striker Lasse Nordås also started in attack. Midfielder Jake Richards was given his first league start since joining in the summer and Teden Mengi returned to the centre of defence. Milli Alli, Shayden Morris and Nahki Wells dropped to the bench while Zack Nelson was left out.

In what was a largely forgettable first half dominated by the blustery conditions, the Town almost had the lead inside five minutes when Cohen Bramall latched onto a through ball by Richards to send a shot from the edge of the box narrowly over the crossbar.

On 13 minutes the hosts almost had the lead themselves – this time a fine defensive intervention from Mads Andersen denied home striker Jamie Reid, who had skipped past Josh Keeley.

In truth, those two moments were the closest either side came to breaking the deadlock in the opening 45 minutes as they struggled to cope with the wind.

After the break, Keeley needed to be on his toes to deny Reid on 48 minutes and then Harvey White moments later.

However, the Town should have taken the lead on 54 minutes. Richards’ cute lay-off released Bramall down the left and his cross was met by Nordås who, six yards out, could not force his shot past Filip Marschall in the Boro goal.

It would prove to be a crucial moment as, 11 minutes later, the hosts took the lead. Boro broke down the left and, after a cross was half-cleared, Chem Campbell ran onto the loose ball and curled a fine first-time strike into the far corner.

In response, Bloomfield made a quadruple substitution, introducing Joe Gbodé, Morris, Alli and Jordan Clark but, within 90 seconds of their arrival, it was 2-0 when Boro substitute Jordan Roberts drilled a low finish past Keeley.

With their tails up, the hosts almost made it 3-0 on 74 minutes – Keeley holding onto a goal-bound header from Reid before Kal Naismith denied Reid again with a last-ditch tackle moments later.

The Town knew they had recovered from two goals down already this week to grab a point and, as they went in search of the same, Morris wasn’t far away from connecting with Bramall’s low cross with 12 minutes left.

But it should have been game over on 81 minutes when Reid strode clear of the Hatters defence but somehow shot wide with the goal at his mercy.

As time ticked down, Bramall saw a free-kick well saved by Marschall on 84 minutes before Naismith saw an effort cleared from danger in the closing minutes.

But they would prove to the final chances as the Hatters were left to reflect on a frustrating afternoon.

Town: Keeley, Makosso, Naismith, Mengi, Andersen (sub Alli 68), Saville, Richards (sub Clark 68), Fanne (sub Wells 81), Kodua (sub Morris 68), Bramall, Nordås (sub Gbodé 68).

Subs not used: Shea, Nakamba.

Attendance: 7,228, including 1,363 backing the Town.