[23][24] Two days later, on 20 June, slight amendments were made to the list, with the club facing Championship side Watford at Broadhall Way on 20 July, instead of a trip to Chelmsford City as originally scheduled.
[27] The club opened the pre-season schedule with a behind-closed-doors friendly against newly promoted League Two side Mansfield Town, winning 5–2 courtesy of goals from Filipe Morais, Dani López, Robin Shroot and a brace from Roarie Deacon.
The game ended 6–0 in Stevenage's favour, with strikers Oumare Tounkara and Dani López both scoring two apiece, and midfielders Luke Freeman and Matt Ball also netting.
Stevenage's first defeat of pre-season came courtesy of a 2–0 loss to Watford,[31] before a Luke Varney hat-trick gave Leeds United a 3–0 win at Broadhall Way three days later.
[33] A day later, the club's pre-season schedule concluded with a 5–0 win at Hitchin Town, with goals coming from Roarie Deacon, Robin Shroot and a Dani López hat-trick.
Stevenage's Darius Charles gave the home side the lead just before half-time, firing in from close range after Luke Jones' header had rebounded back off the post.
The away side took a one-goal lead into the break courtesy of a close range Lee Miller strike, before Stevenage responded through a Greg Tansey penalty after Luke Freeman had been fouled in the area.
The first of which came when Zoko, making his league debut for the club, pounced on goalkeeper David Button's error to level, before the same man turned in the rebound after Jordan Burrow's initial shot had been saved.
A powerful header from defender Peter Hartley gave the home side the lead after just eight minutes, before Michael Doughty doubled their advantage in injury-time with a left-footed shot that crept into the corner of the goal.
[46] Source:[92] First Round fixtures for the competition were released on 17 June 2013, with Stevenage being drawn at home to Championship opposition in the form of Ipswich Town.
Debutant Jordan Burrow doubled Stevenage's lead, sliding in from close range following good work from Robin Shroot and Simon Heslop down the right hand side.
Stevenage took the lead ten minutes before half-time when Luke Freeman was on hand to score from close range after the Everton defence had failed to clear Oumare Tounkara's cross.
The Premier League outfit equalised in first-half injury-time when Gerard Deulofeu jinked his way into the box before calmly stroking the ball into the bottom corner of the goal.
Both teams had chances to win the tie in normal time, but it was ultimately Marouane Fellaini who won it for Everton in extra-time, capitalising on a defensive mistake to score from six yards out.
A debut goal from striker François Zoko restored parity in the match shortly after the interval, with the Ivorian poking in Michael Doughty's initial effort.