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[casper]

Stevenage had a player player sent off, one of the worst decisions i have seen in a long time.

Steve Morison scored twice as 10-man Stevenage took a firm grip of their Blue Square Premier play-off semi-final against Cambridge United.

Stevenage looked up against it when Darren Murphy was sent off for violent conduct on the stroke of half-time.

But Mark Roberts fired the home side ahead, only for Lee Phillips to volley Cambridge level within two minutes.

Morison rose above Josh Coulson to head Stevenage back in front, before adding a third as Cambridge poured forward.

Chances were at a premium in a competitive first half, although the best fell to the visitors as Phillips was narrowly wide with a fierce 25-yard drive and Danny Crow headed Jai Reason's cross wide from six yards.

The tie truly appeared to turn in Cambridge's favour in first-half stoppage time when Murphy was shown a straight red card by referee Rob Whitton, following a consultation with his assistant, after challenging Jon Challinor in the air at a Stevenage corner.

But the 10 men refused to lie down and were ahead within two minutes of the restart when Roberts prodded home from close range after Morison had headed Andy Drury's free-kick back across goal.

The lead was shortlived thanks to Phillips brilliantly firing home from the edge of the box after Crow had chested the ball into his path.

Stevenage were back in front on the hour when Morison beat Coulson to head in another Drury cross for his 29th goal of the season.

And after the visitors had had a penalty appeal waved away, Morison took his tally to 30 and gave his side a two-goal cushion to take to the Abbey Stadium in the second leg when he fired left-footed past U's keeper Danny Potter after more good work from Drury.

report from the BBC.

[Ballers]

The game in the first half was everything wrong about full time teams in the conference. Full time fitter players without the skill to cut it in the football league (rather than slower but better part time players who could have but for an outside career - GH, Gary Anderson and elsewhere Geoff Pitcher and the like) resulting in being able to close down faster some technically deficient players and therfore some hoofball, mis controlling route one nonsense of the worst kind. Hey, at least Histon don't pretend to paly and every time you watch them you think that they are playing to their limit.

Sending off was terrible, Hatswell was as embarrassing as he was on Sunday btw, but Stevenage showed their spirit in the 2nd half.

Observations.

Westley is a bit of a cock with no class, like much of Stevenage's director but overly he's never annoyed me much and I think he's done well there.

Mark Roberts is a COTHO (Cock Of The Highest Order) but he is an excellent player. I thought he had a great game in midfield for Vics against Val Owen in the 1-1 draw at their place the other year and I'd (playing wise notwithstanding other factors) have him at here.

Steve Morison is a class act. I thought here he just looked for diagonal balls over the top. This might be why league sides aren't sure about him but now I see why he does it! A tremendous finish across the keeper, as emphatic as his finish in last (?) season's drubbing here, he doesn't miss those. Also, a real "we're getting promoted f*** you!" centre forwards header. I said on SUndaty that I thought Stevenage had a bit more spirit and purpose about them than Cambridge which would see them through and that came out tonight after a sh*te sending off.

I think they'll get though now as they'll score once more at Cambridge, I wouldn't be too confident to bet money on it though.

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p.s. I think Cambridge might be one of those teams that pays for a great effort to finish 2nd and will miss out on the play offs. For all the drama of them I think it could have been even better if the last day had been a scramble for a 2nd automatic promotion slot but thereyago!