Competition: Blue Square Premier
Weather at kick-off: sunny
Goals:
Stevenage: Roberts 47'. Morison 61', 85'
United: Phillips 48'

Stevenage Borough:
Chris Day, Ronnie Henry, Jon Ashton, Mark Roberts, Scott Laird; Andy Drury (Callum Willock 88'), Darren Murphy, Michael Bostwick, Junior Mendes (Gary Mills 46'); Steve Morison (c), Lee Boylan (Lawrie Wilson 71').
Subs not used: Ashley Bayes, Peter Vincenti.

Booked: Drury foul 43'
Sent off: Murphy violent conduct 45'

Cambridge United:
Danny Potter, Dan Gleeson, Josh Coulson ( Courtney Pitt 71'), Phil Bolland, Wayne Hatswell, Anthony Tonkin; Jai Reason, Paul Carden (c), Jon Challinor (Robbie Willmott 69'); Danny Crow (Chris Holroyd 76'), Lee Phillips.
Subs not used: Daryl McMahon, Scott Rendell.

Booked: Crow foul 51', Challinor timewasting 54', Gleeson unsporting conduct 90'

A classic game of two halves as United dominated the first half without scoring, and a questionable sending-off on the stroke of half-time left the incensed home side fired up for the second half.

Gary Brabin made four changes to the team that drew 0-0 against Altrincham on Sunday, calling up Lee Phillips, Danny Crow, Jon Challinor and Josh Coulson in place of Scott Rendell, Chris Holroyd, Robbie Willmott and Andy Parkinson (ill). The changes saw a change of formation to wingbacks, with Gleeson and Tonkin in the wide roles, Carden sitting deep in midfield behind Reason and Challinor, and Phillips and Crow up front.

Stevenage boss Graham Westley made two changes to the side that lost 2-1 at Mansfield, calling up forward Junior Mendes in place of the suspended Mitchell Cole, and defender Jon Ashton in place of former U Mark Albrighton.

With the U's fans singing and drumming long before kick-off, their team started brightly and Jai Reason set up Jon Challinor with a strong forward run and pass but the former Rushden man's shot was blocked.

Lee Phillips won a free kick ten yards outside the area in a central position and Wayne Hatswell's powerful free kick hit the wall, but he lifted the free kick in to the far post where Phil Bolland's header was well-saved by the alert Chris Day. Then in the ninth minute Phillips's cross was cleared only as far as Challinor who volleyed just over the bar from 20 yards.

Referee Rob Whitton contributed to a fast flowing game by allowing play to continue wherever possible as both sides competed hard for the ball, but he had to stop play in the 18th minute when Challinor stayed down after a clash of heads and needed attention from physio Greg Reid.

Two minutes later Danny Crow forced a corner with sheer persistence as he harried Roberts into a rushed clearance, and Steve Morison received a talking-to from the referee as United continued to enjoy the better of the possession while the away support comfortably out-sang the home fans.

Phillips went close on 25 when a long through ball from Hatswell was neatly chested into his path by Crow, but his first time shot from 25 yards flew inches of the far post, and at the other end Dan Gleeson brought down Mendes in full stride but escaped with a warning as the Stevenage winger had gone down easily.

After a pause for attention to Reason, who appeared to have turned his ankle making a challenge, the loanee midfielder curled a searching ball down the right and forced a 38th minute corner as Henry cleared the ball away from Phillips who was charging through the middle.

With hard challenges still flying in, Danny Potter was bowled over by Morison as they challenged for a 50/50 ball in the U's area, and Mr Whitton finally had a produce a card in the 43rd minute when Drury slid into a challenge on the standing Wayne Hatswell with studs raised.

United then had two good chances to take the lead before stoppage time, with Phillips heading over the bar and a minute later Crow ghosting into the area after a good turn and cross on the edge of the area by Reason, but he nodded inches wide of the near post.

But controversy followed controversy in stoppage time as Mr Whitton wrongly awarded Stevenage their first corner of the half after Laird knocked the ball behind but the referee decided it had come off the unlucky Reason.

Then as the corner was taken, Murphy flew into an aerial challenge with Challinor and left the United midfielder in a heap after a clash of heads. After consulting with his linesman, the referee showed Murphy a straight red card to reduce his side to ten men for the second successive game.

Half-time summary from match commentator Mark Johnson:
"A lively half ended in explosive fashion with Murphy sent off for an elbow on Challinor. Before that Stevenage had started like a house on fire but United have doused their flames and created the best chances. However we know how difficult it can be to play against ten men..."

Second half:
Graham Westley made a change at half-time, sending on midfielder Gary Mills for forward Mendes, and his side took the lead just two minutes later, Drury delivering a free kick to the far post where Morison headed it across the face of goal for Mark Roberts to head his first goal for the club.

The United supporters were momentarily silenced but United scored right in front of them from the restart, Reason retaining possession to dink a pass over a defender to Crow who had his back to goal and touched the ball back to Lee Phillips, and the powerful striker drove a volley past Day to restore the status quo.

The competitive nature of the match had risen and Danny Crow was booked on 52 for a high challenge on Laird. He was joined two minutes later by Jon Challinor for delaying a throw-in, and after a high tempo spell from both sides Stevenage took the lead with a goal from nothing in the 61st minute.

Drury looked up and delivered a looping cross from the right towards Morison, and he beat Coulson to head his 29th goal of the season past the wrong-footed Potter.

There was further danger on 66 when Stevenage forced two corners and at the second Paul Carden made an uncharacteristic error as his defensive header fell nicely for the onrushing Boylan, but the former U's striker's close-range shot was smothered by former team-mate Potter.

Jai Reason drew a save from Day with a long-range drive from the left, and then Gary Brabin made two changes and reverted to 4-4-2, sending on Robbie Willmott for Challinor in the 69th minute and a minute later, after Hatswell's header was saved following a free kick, Courtney Pitt came on for Coulson while Graham Westley responded by sending on defender Lawrie Wilson for Boylan.

Gary Brabin introduced more pace and fresh legs in the 76th with Chris Holroyd replacing Crow, and two minutes later United's penalty claims were waved away when Reason and Pitt linked up and Pitt was pushed in the back as he looked for the return pass in the area, but the referee waved play on and Phillips' follow-up shot was charged down.

On 83 Tonkin crossed low for Carden whose shot from 25 yards was deflected behind, and two minutes later Phillips released Holroyd into the area and he was beaten to the ball by Day. As the U's striker jumped to his feet the Stevenage keeper launched a counterattack and it proved costly for United. With men committed upfield they were stretched as Drury headed Day's goalkick into Morison's path and the Stevenage captain struck a low shot across the diving Potter to extend his side's lead to 3-1.

It could have been even worse with three minutes remaining as Roberts beat Bolland to a corner but headed wide, Dan Gleeson's frustration showed in stoppage time as he went head to head with Laird following a challenge and was booked, and the final whistle left United with a mountain to climb in the second leg on Monday.

Referee: Mr Rob Whitton

Attendance: 4,446

Match Summary from Mark Johnson:
"The U's have a mountain to climb after crashing to a 3-1 defeat against ten-man Stevenage. The home side started like a house on fire but United doused the flames and had the better chances of a lively first half. But the embers were rekindled by a harsh red card in first half stoppage time and Mark Roberts' header sparked the home side into life two minutes after the restart. Lee Phillips levelled instantly, but that was the high water mark for United's front line, and Steve Morison took advantage of slack defending to twice net for the ten men and leave United with a mountain that they will need ropes and pitons to scale in Monday's second leg."

Mark's Man of the Match:
"Lee Phillips - battled, scored a good goal and led the line quite well until it all went pear-shaped in the second half. Honourable mentions to Tonkin and Gleeson who threatened to prosper as wingbacks but in the second half too many went missing."

Ref: Mr Whitton - he did OK until first half stoppage time when I thought he made a mistake, then spent the rest of the match making up for it. 3/10."

AT090430 web@cambridge-united.co.uk