CAMBRIDGE CITY 1 STEVENAGE BOROUGH 1

After Saturday’s glittering performance it was a much more prosaic affair at Milton Road on Tuesday evening. Two second half penalties were the only goals as Borough failed to impose their class on their Southern League Premier division opponents.

Graham Westley made eight changes to the starting eleven that took on Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday, with only Lawrie Wilson, Joel Byrom and Stacy Long retaining their shirts.

Borough almost got off to the perfect start when Jon Ashton powered a Stacy Long freekick just over the bar. Stevenage continued to press and Lee Boylan was the next to come close, stooping to head just wide after Yemi Odubade had raced clear down the right.

Cambridge responded well wth Scott Neilson pivotal to most of their enterprise. The winger, back at the club after a two week trial at Norwich, fired just over Ashley Bayes’s bar after good work from Antonio Murray.

Borough continued to make inroads and the once again impressive Lawrie Wilson showed skill and perseverance to weave through the midfield only for Jerome Anderson to fire straight at the keeper from his layoff.

Ten minutes before the interval the home side came closest to breaking the deadlock. The Stevenage rearguard were caught napping at a freekick just outside their area as Adie Cambridge’s pass was squared by Neislon and Neil Midgley’s powerful drive looked destined for the top corner until Bayes sprung to his right to superbly tope the ball against the upright.

Borough began the second half in a determined mood with Joel Byrom and Odubade coming close in the opening exchanges. A rampaging run from Lawrie Wilson unlocked the Cambridge defence but half-time substitute Chris Beardsley was beaten to the ball by Zac Barrett, the goalkeeper. But from he resulting corner Borough got their reward as Dave Theobald tugged the shirt of David Bridges, Lee Boylan sending the goalkeeper the wrong way from the penalty spot.

Long almost doubled the advantage when he latched on to a pass from Beardsley, rounded the goalkeeper only to have his shot blocked on the line by Theobald.

Borough looked comfortable before lax defending allowed Cambridge an opening. Mark Albrighton misjudged a long ball allowing Midgley to run clear. Ashton chased back and barged the Cambridge striker off the ball, giving referee Chris Francis no option but to award the second spot kick of the evening. Midgley dusted himself down to fire straight down the middle to restore parity.

Borough now have a few days to prepare for a tough week that features home friendlies against a trio of Football League clubs in Millwall, Southend United and Peterborough United. If they are to emerge from that spell unbeaten they will have to improve on this performance.

STEVENAGE BOROUGH (4-4-2) A Bayes – L Wilson, J Ashton, M Albrighton, E Odhiambo – J Anderson (Sub: C Beardsley, 46), J Byrom, D Bridges, S Long – Y Odubade, L Boyan (Sub: C Doyle, 75). Booked: Albrighton

Scorers: Stevenage: Boylan 50 Cambridge: Midgley 75