Two second half goals condemned United to a fifth home league defeat of the season after they had taken an early lead.

Martin Ling named an unchanged starting line up for the fourth successive match, with Sam Ives retaining his place alongside Paul Carden in midfield. An attack minded bench features winger Andy Parkinson and strikers Mark Beesley and Adam Marriott. Ling's opposite number Graham Westley made two changes, with Yemi Odubade and ex-U Mark Albrighton replacing Stacey Long and Charlie Griffin. With Mark Roberts and Andy Drury already on the sidelines, Westley was dealt a further blow in the warm up when Mitchell Cole went down with an injury. He was replaced in the starting line up by Eddie Odhiambo, with Long joining the substitutes.

The match began with both sets of fans contributing to a decent atmosphere, and Anthony Tonkin recieved applause from the home support for a crunching early tackle on Beardsley. Although that challenge was well timed, Murphy's lunge on Dan Gleeson seconds later was less so, earning the Irishman a talking to from referee Cooper. Gleeson was eventually helped to his feet by Greg Reid, and Willmott's free kick was headed away by the Boro defence.

But United were in front in the fourth minute thanks to Danny Crow, who sent Holroyd away with an inch perfect pass over the top. The United top scorer's pace was too much for Mark Albrighton, who pulled him back for a clear penalty. Albrighton was booked, and Crow converted the resulting spot kick, low to Day's right.

Murphy followed his team mate into the book in the seventh minute for dissent, and having given United an early penalty, referee Cooper seemed eager to redress the balance, awarding Stevenage a couple of dubious free kicks, the second of which in the ninth minute saw Michael Bostwick fire in an excellent shot which whistled over Danny Potter's cross bar from 30 yards.

A decision went the way of the U's in the 12th minute when Ives was brought down 25 yards out. Pitt's free kick beat the wall, but not Chris Day, who turned it round the post, and the resulting corner was cleared. The visitors almost equalised in bizarre fashion when Murphy's cross appeared to hit Odhiambo in the head and float just wide with Danny Potter stranded.

Stevenage continued to press though, with Odhiambo wandering in from the left to find space on several occasions. Yemi Odubade won a free kick in a dangerous position in the 18th minute, but Scott Laird's cross floated over the head of Bostwick and out of play at the far post. A Boro corner caused chaos in the 23rd minute, with Tonkin having to hack the ball away from the six yard line under pressure from Beardsley. And the visitors were level in the 26th with a highly dubious penalty. Having ridden the challenge of Hatswell, Odubade crumpled under tackle from Tonkin. The linesman flagged for a spot kick, which Odubade tucked away, sending Potter the wrong way.

And it got worse for United in the 28th minute when Hatswell lunged in on Beardsley, and was shown a straight red card by Mr Cooper. The ensuing melee saw a gaggle of players pushing and shoving, and Danny Potter also received a yellow card. Martin Ling made an immediate change, with Rory McAuley replacing Courtney Pitt and slotting in at centre half.

Although Hatswell's challenge was a wild one, a straight red seemed a little harsh, but Mr Cooper continued to dish out the cards at regular intervals, booking Ashton for a trip on Tonkin just outside the area in the 33rd minute. Willmott's angled free kick was blocked by the wall. United were lining up in a 4-3-2 formation now, and Dan Gleeson's intelligent through ball found Crow, who could only cross into the side netting under pressure from Henry. Another controversial Stevenage free kick followed, when Odubade went down outside the box despite there appearing to be little contact with the challenger Ives. United defended the free kick, but the visitors were in the ascendency now, using their man advantage well by working the ball into wide areas.

A United break saw determined play from Ives help the ball on to Crow, who curled a shot into Day's arms. And it should have been 2-1 when a superb through ball from Crow put Holroyd in the clear, but Day raced off his line to block the shot and a defender completed the clearance. Three minutes were added on before the whistle blew for half time, allowing both sets of fans to catch breath after a frantic 45 minutes.

Stevenage made a half time substitution, with big front man Charlie Griffin replacing Albrighton as they switched to a 3-4-3 formation. Early panic in the U's defence caused by Henry and Bridges was ended by a thunderous tackle from Willmott, but with Beardsley looking lively up front for the visitors, they continued to press, though a counter attack involving Willmott ended in the U's winger ignoring options to the left and right and losing possession. A foul by Ives on the edge of the area gave Stevenage a shooting opportunity in the 51st minute, but Murphy's elaborate effort was blocked. But the respite didn't last long, and in the 53rd minute Brian Saah couldn't clear a cross from Odubade, and Griffin squeezed the ball under Potter at the far post to put the visitors ahead.

United rallied, winning a free kick, then a corner, both of which were overhit by Willmott, and Stevenage almost netted a third seconds later when Beardsley slid but couldn't quite connect with Griffin's cross. The same player was also inches away when he beat McAuley to head a Henry free kick wide of the far post.

Holroyd almost made something out of nothing when he chased down a long Carden pass near the byline in the 62nd minute and crossed for Crow, who couldn't get his shot on target. Another chance went begging for the visitors when they couldn't convert a free kick awarded after Odubade went to ground theatrically outside the box, and the frustration of Robbie Willmott boiled over in the 61st minute, when he was booked for a lunge on the Stevenage winger. Moments later Willmott made a more positive contribution, striding forward to strike a 40-yard shot which Day had to turn behind for a corner. And in the 70th minute Ling made a second change, bring on Jai Reason for Sam Ives.

Reason was immediately involved in a good move on the right with Danny Crow, which ended in the United striker being flagged offside as he was about to pull the trigger. Carden was then pulled back by Mr Cooper as he looked to launch an attack, much to the frustration of the home crowd, and the U's skipper became the latest name in the ref's notebook in the 73rd minute for a wild challenge on the quicksilver Odubade.

Ling's final throw of the dice in the 76th minute saw Beesley replace Willmott, and in the 79th Griffin stayed down after a clash with Reason but was able to resume play after treatment. With time running David Bridges shot straight at Potter, before the limping Griffin was withdrawn and replaced by Lee Boylan. McAuley was forced to leave the field to with a cut to the headf in the 85th minute, and with United down to to nine men, the visitors took full advantage. Ronnie Henry surged down the right and flung in a great cross which Beardsley converted from six yards.

This was the cue for a plethora of home fans to head for the exits, but United almost snatched a consolation in injury time when McAuley met a Carden free kick but headed across goal and just wide of the far post, and minutes later Mr Cooper's final whistle condemned United to an fifth home defeat of the season. The U's battled hard, but the visitors made their extra man count and on the balance of chances deserved their victory. However the match ended as a contest after the dismissal of Hatswell, and some baffling decisions by Mr Cooper and his colleagues spoiled what was shaping up to be an intriguing contest.

Man of the Match: Danny Crow - It would be tempting to give it to the ref as he seemed intent on playing a starring role in the match. But for United Danny Crow toiled hard up front to no avail.

Cambridge United: Danny Potter, Dan Gleeson, Anthony Tonkin, Brian Saah, Wayne Hatswell, Robbie Willmott (Beesley 76), Courtney Pitt (McAuley 30), Paul Carden, Sam Ives (Reason 70), Danny Crow, Chris Holroyd. Subs not used: Andy Parkinson, Adam Marriott.

Bookings: Potter (29), Willmott (66), Carden (74)

Sent off: Hatswell (28)

Stevenage Borough: Chris Day, Scott Laird, Jon Ashton, Mark Albrighton (Griffin 45 (Boylan 83)), Darren Murphy, Yemi Odubade, David Bridges, Chris Beardsley, Eddie Odhiambo, Michael Bostwick, Ronnie Henry. Subs not used: Ashley Bayes, Stacey Long, Joel Byrom.

Bookings: Albrighton (5), Murphy (7), Bostwick (33), Laird (86)

Referee: Ian Cooper.

Assistants: Shon Meale, Jerry Kelly.

Attendence: 4439 (Away: 652)