Stevenage fell to a 3-1 defeat to Carlisle this afternoon at The Lamex Stadium.
After trailing to a first half Lee Miller strike, Boro fought back in the second period and equalised through a Greg Tansey penalty. But further strikes from Matty Robson and David Amoo handed the Cumbrians all three points at Stevenage's expense.
Graham Westley made three changes to the side which started last week's defeat at Preston with Jimmy Smith, Simon Heslop and Robin Shroot dropping to the bench and James Dunne, Greg Tansey and Jordan Burrow - the latter partnering Oumare Tounkara up front in a 4-4-2 - coming into the starting XI.
The game had a low key start, not helped by early trips onto the pitch for the physio as Oumare Tounkara and Jon Ashton both took knocks. 11 minutes in Lee Miller saw a header comfortably saved by Chris Day before moments later a whipped cross by Matt Robson just eluded the Scot's diving header.
At the other end Tounkara was clearly worrying the visiting defence with his pace and power and nearly created a great chance of his own, stealing the ball off Sean O'Hanlon and advancing towards goal but slipped at the vital moment, allowing the chance to pass.
Carlisle took the lead on 26 minutes. David Amoo robbed Roarie Deacon on the Boro left and fired in a cross which found its way out to Robson on the left of the Boro box. His cross back in was eventually tucked home by Miller after Hartley had blocked on the line.
An early sub for Boro saw Shroot replace the injured Jordan Burrow just past the half hour.
David Amoo perhaps should have done better with an effort from inside the box as Carlisle visibly grew in confidence as the half progressed but with no further chances for either team it was the visitors who took a narrow lead into the break.
Lee Hills came on for Roarie Deacon at the start of the second half as Graham Westley opted for a change on the left flank. And it was from that side of the pitch that Boro's opening chance of the half came; Greg Tansey's corner finding Tounkara free at the back post and his bullet header was beaten away by Mark Gillespie.
The next chance however restored parity. Luke Freeman went down in the area under pressure from Troy Archibald-Henville as he went to shoot, providing Greg Tansey with the chance to score from the spot. The midfielder made no mistake, firing low into the corner.
Freeman was getting more and more influential in the game and nearly turned the game on its head with a lovely solo effort. Picking up the ball halfway inside the Carlisle half he advanced, left Archibald-Henville on his backside with a couple of step-overs and fired in a low shot which beat Gillespie but not the post.
Whilst the hosts grew in confidence and looked like the only team to go on and score a second, it was the visitors who struck again 14 minutes from time, Robson cutting in from the left and bending a curling effort into the far corner from inside the box.
Substitute Dave Symington then went close, meeting a Mark Beck cross but crashing his effort against the bar. However it wasn't long until the Cumbrians did give themselves a two-goal cushion and it was on the counter-attack - Amoo firing home into an unguarded net after another Symington effort had come back off the post.
Boro continued to search for a goal and Ashton saw an effort palmed away by Gillespie after good work by Tounkara in the box, whilst Freeman forced Gillespie into a finger-tip save from a free-kick. But it was Carlisle's day as Boro look to get back to winning ways at MK Dons next weekend.
Boro: Day, Gray, Ashton, Hartley, Deacon (Hills 46), Tansey (Smith 81), Dunne, Doughty, Freeman, Tounkara, Burrow (Shroot 33)
Subs not used: Arnold, Wedgbury, Jones, Heslop
Carlisle: Gillespie, Townsend, Archibald-Henville, O'Hanlon, Berrett (Symington 74), Amoo, McSweeney, Noble, Thirlwell, Robson, Miller (Beck 51)
Subs not used: Fleming, Livesey, Potts, James, Guy
Ref: Andy Davies
Attendance: 2,526