The ten men of Cambridge United were comprehensively beaten as they fell to a heavy defeat at local rivals Stevenage. This signalled the end to a point-less Christmas for The U's, who have fallen to three defeats in a week.

Lee Boylan struck on the stroke of half time and Chris Beardsley increased the lead immediately after the break to sink Martin Ling's side, who had their defensive crisis reach new levels when Brian Saah was sent off late on for a second booking. The U's will be without both of their first choice pairing for next week's FA Trophy tie with Eastbourne, as both Saah and Wayne Hatswell will be suspended.

Trailing to Yemi Odubade's close range header, Danny Crow headed home Courtney Pitt's excellent delivery to give United hope, but Boylan's effort in first half stoppage time put a dent to their ambitions. Chris Beardsley's close range header immediately after half time made things even more of a struggle, before Boylan walked home his second against his former club.

Saah was sent off late on to complete a miserable afternoon for United, who now have eight days without a game before attempting to rectify their season as attentions return to the FA Trophy.

Full minute-by-minute account below.

Matt Ramsay

14.11 Welcome to the Lamex Stadium for this afternoon's Blue Square Premier fixture between Stevenage Borough and Cambridge United. Team news will follow shortly.

14.15 Stevenage have won the past two meetings on this ground, both taking place last season. Lee Boylan's winner earned them a 2-1 win in the league before a 3-1 win in the Playoff Semi-Final, preceding United's epic 3-0 Second Leg win which sent The U's to Wembley.

14.25 The last time The U's won here was 2-1 under Jimmy Quinn in September 2007. Only Danny Potter, Courtney Pitt and Dan Gleeson remain from the starting eleven, while Josh Coulson and Robbie Willmott were on the bench.

14.30 Team News. Brian Saah returns to the starting eleven while Paul Carden is not fit enough to take his place in the sixteen. Saah comes in for Dan Gleeson who suffered a broken nose at Mansfield on Monday. Seventeen year old scholar Blaine Hudson is on the bench for the first time in his career.

14.45 Seven of United's sixteen today are graduates of the club's academy. The away end is filling up with just under 800 away fans expected, and they'll hopefully all be well warmed, it's a cold afternoon.

14.57 The teams make their way onto the pitch, Stevenage sporting their traditional white and blue strip, with the U's back in blue after their one off green outfit on Monday.

14.59 Brian Saah is captain in the absence of Carden and Hatswell. United will shoot towards their own fans in the first half.

15.00 United get the game underway.

15.02 Rory McAuley wins a freekick, and from it Danny Crow shoots into a defender's chest, before the referee waves away handball appeals.

15.04 Anthony Tonkin's cross from wide lands on the crossbar, but the linesman's flag is up as the ball had gone out of play before coming back in.

15.05 Brian Saah clears a goalbound Lee Boylan shot away for a throw, and the ball is played back in before Tonkin concedes a corner.

15.06 Josh Coulson concedes a second corner, and Beardsley heads the ball back across goal but wide for a goalkick.

15.09 A third Stevenage corner ends in a United freekick for a foul on Brian Saah.

15.11 A flurry of misplaced passes from both sides ends with Courtney Pitt just overhitting a wide ball to Sam Ives.

15.12 Chris Holroyd crosses from the byeline onto a defender's hand, but once again the ball had already gone out.

15.14 Jai Reason gets forward well on the right and his cross is desperately smacked away.

15.16 Danny Crow pressurises goalkeeper Chris Day and his kick slices out for a throw. The ball is launched by Pitt to the back post, where Robbie Willmott's header back across goal just can't find the onrushing Crow and Holroyd. Crow and Willmott both need treatment so United have to restart with two men off the pitch.

15.19 Lee Boylan miscontrols a through ball and fouls Brian Saah in the process.

15.21 Sam Ives is clattered by Darren Murphy and United win a freekick on the right forty yards out. The ball is wasted by Yemi Odubade and Sam Ives and plays a long ball on the ground which finds Courtney Pitt just offside.

GOAL Stevenage 1-0 CUFC 15.23 Ives is tugged back and wins another freekick wide on the right. United commit men forward and Stevenage bring everyone back to defend. Pitt's powerful freekick is well headed out, Stevenage break and Lee Boylan is denied by a fine save by Danny Potter, only for the rebound to be headed back across goal for Yemi Odubade to head into an empty net from two yards.

15.27 Jai Reason does well to win back a lost ball and his through ball earns a throw in thirty yards from goal. Once again United fail to make anything of their set play.

15.29 Only a covering Anthony Tonkin prevents Odubade going clean through. Danny Crow loses the ball, Josh Coulson is beaten in the air, Brian Saah is beaten to the loose ball and Tonkin is forced to concede a corner. An angled drive from distance takes an important touch off a defender with Potter unsighted.

15.33 Another corner sees the ball headed powerfully back across goal, and it's just too high for Beardsley to tap in at the far post.

15.35 United fail to keep hold of the ball and Stevenage string a number of passes together, although it ends in a powerful long ball going all the way through to Danny Potter.

GOAL Stevenage 1-1 CUFC 15.37 United put a move together with Reason and Pitt seeing plenty of the ball, and Rory McAuley surges forward to wins a freekick. Courtney Pitt whips in a brilliant powerful left footed delivery, which gets the faintest of flicks from Danny Crow and into the far corner.

15.39 Stevenage win a freekick from a similar distance, which Odubade sends straight out for a goalkick.

15.41 Chris Beardsley throws himself over under the challenge from Josh Coulson and Stevenage win themselves another set piece opportunity. The ball is disguised and played down the line, and runs over Odubade's foot and out for a throw.

15.43 Chris Beardsley is fouled outside the area, plays on and goes down inside the box, and the freekick is given for the first offence. Michael Bostwich gets in front of his man and heads over from inside the six yard box.

15.45 Two minutes to be added on.

GOAL Stevenage 2-1 CUFC 15.46 Just as it looks like United might make it to half time level, Odubade breaks on the right and feedsthe ball inside, and Lee Boylan strikes the ball cleanly from the edge of the box that goes into the near corner.

15.48 Day flaps at a Holroyd cross and the ball falls to Robbie Willmott on the volley, but he strikes wide when aiming the ball back across goal.

15.48 That's the last action of the half as the referee blows to end the first period.

16.00 The players are out for the second half. No changes from either side.

16.02 Stevenage get the game underway again.

16.03 David Bridges turns his man on the edge of the area and then fires wide of Danny Potter's right hand post.

GOAL Stevenage 3-1 CUFC 16.06 A long ball from wide on the right beats everyone and is headed back across by Yemi Odubade who does well to keep the ball in, and Chris Beardsley throws himself at the ball to head home from three yards.

16.09 Nobody pushes out after Rory McAuley's defensive header, allowing David Bridges to have time and space to fire a powerful effort which is heading goalwards before being blocked.

16.10 Jon Ashton gets his head on the ball from a freekick after a cynical Saah foul but heads just over. Just moments later Odubade races through with the flag staying down, and only a fine Danny Potter save prevents a fourth goal.

16.11 Chris Beardsley gets away from Brian Saah despite being fouled, but is just unable to retain the ball so the referee brings play back. Saah is booked.

16.16 A slight lack of goalmouth action in the last few minutes. Courtney Pitt wins a freekick and is trying to play in a more advanced position. Robbie Willmott smacks his freekick straight into Chris Day's hands.

GOAL Stevenage 4-1 CUFC 16.18 Lee Boylan is played through by Stacy Long, and he rides several tackles before finally slotting the ball home for his second of the game. Andy Parkinson comes on for Robbie Willmott.

16.20 Beardsley gets ahead of the defence from a corner, but heads over under pressure from Potter.

16.21 United finally get the ball forward into the area before Danny Crow heads into Day's arms. Stevenage take the ball up to the other end and win a throw by the corner flag.

16.23 Stevenage look dangerous every time they get the ball in United's half. Chris Beardsley is nearly played through, before United get some space at the other end and sub Parkinson fires well over from on the right.

16.25 Stacy Long cuts inside from the right and fires just wide with the aid of a deflection. Rory McAuley bravely heads the delivery away for another corner, before Chris Beardsley heads over.

Teams- Stevenage Borough. Day, Henry (c), Laird, Ashton, Murphy, Bridges, Beardsley, Long, Boylan, Odubade.
Subs. Bayes (gk), Odhiambo, Albrighton, Byrom, Vicenti,

Cambridge United. Potter, Tonkin, McAuley, Saah, Coulson, Reason, Ives, Willmott, Pitt, Crow, Holroyd.
Subs. Beesley, Parkinson, Coakley, Marrriott, Hudson.

Referee: S. Burt