Competition: Blue Square Premier
Weather at kick-off: sunny
Goals:
Stevenage: Miller 67' pen
United: Convery 42', Rendell 62'
Cambridge United set a new club record with the best unbeaten start in the club's history, knocking Stevenage Borough off the the top of the table with an eleventh consecutive game without defeat.
Jimmy Quinn named an unchanged side for the visit to leaders Stevenage Borough while Borough boss Mark Stimson made one change to the side that beat Droylsden 4-0, bringing in midfielder Lawrie Wilson for the injured John Martin.
With United fans packing the away end and creating an electric atmosphere long before the game kicked off, both sides responded with a lively opening few minutes. Steve Morison and Scott Rendell were first to test the respective defences with strong attacking runs, while the home defence stepped up to catch Leo Fortune-West marginally offside twice in the fifth minute.
The high tempo continued in the sunshine with Mark Convery and Rob Wolleaston grafting in the midfield, and soon afterwards a good U's move culminated in a teasing cross from Dan Gleeson that Scott Rendell nodded over the bar.
United went close in the 11th minute when Alan Julian could only parry Leo Fortune-West's fierce drive, the rebound fell for Convery whose shot was charged down, and as the pressure continued in front of the United fans Convery crossed the ball back in but Fortune-West couldn't make the right contact and the ball bounced off his head onto the roof of the net.
United continued to dominate possession but Stevenage showed they were dangerous on the break and earned a 17th minute corner that the busy Convery cleared from the danger area.
Three minutes later Gleeson produced a good run and cross to pick out the run of Rendell as he stole into the area, and Ronnie Henry scrambled the ball behind for a corner. As the players jostled for position Courtney Pitt was pushed over at the near post and the referee had to calm things down before the flagkick was taken, and the competitive nature of the game continued as Gleeson and McMahon were warned for tussling for the ball.
McMahon drew a comfortable save from former Stevenage stopper Danny Potter and then Pitt broke away down the left and crossed for Fortune-West, whose sheer presence panicked Henry and Gaia to scramble the ball behind before it reached him.
Roared on by the legions of noisy away fans, United's midfield men teased and tested the Stevenage side and Pitt had a good cross hacked away on 26 as the fast-moving game switched from end to end at an incredible pace..
On the half hour the ball was flicked on by Fortune-West to Rendell but Julian got there first to clear, and three minutes later Gleeson's cross was turned behind and the Stevenage keeper plucked Stephen Reed's corner from the air.
Another U's move ended in the 38th minute when Julian beat Rendell to the ball at the near post and launched an immediate counterattack, and with United men committed upfield Stephen Reed made a vital challenge to stop the move, taking a yellow card as a result.
A good move down the left culminated in a cross by Reed that was only cleared as far as Pitt and the midfielder drove a shot past the near post, Miller set up McMahon to drive a shot wide at the other end, but United finally breached the Stevenage defence in the 42nd minute.
Dan Gleeson attacked down the right, Rendell and Fortune-West drew the defenders and Gleeson picked out the run of Mark Convery who glanced a header in at the near post , his first goal for Cambridge United and the first goal Stevenage had conceded in their last eight games.
If anything, the atmosphere and the pace of the game increased to even higher levels and the competitive nature was summed up in stoppage time when Stevenage broke away and Potter came off his line, called for the ball and made a brave save under pressure from Steve Morison, who was booked for a foul. Half-time Stevenage 0-1 United.
Half-time summary from match commentator Mark Johnson:
"A cracking half played at 100 miles an hour, made all the better by Mark Convery's goal three minutes before the interval. Two good teams going toe to toe."
Second half:
United started well again after the break and Rob Wolleaston produced a great ball in the opening moments for Fortune-West to glance a header narrowly wide.
The atmosphere was just as electric with the away fans making most of the noise, but the pace on the pitch had understandably dropped slightly. On 54' McMahon slid a shot past the near post and a minute later Pitt led a United breakaway to find Rendell in space, and the in-form young striker tried his luck with a 25-yarder that dipped over the bar.
Stevenage pounced a minute later when United lost the ball in the middle and Morison broke away at pace to beat Albrighton, although the U's skipper had succeeded in forcing him wide, but fortunately the home side's leading scorer dragged his shot against the near post.
The home side were pressing forward in search of a goal and were gifted a free kick when the ball bounced up against Gleeson's hand ten yards outside the area, but Albrighton blocked Miller's shot and United swiftly broke away to score at the other end.
The outstanding Convery picked out Scott Rendell at the far post and the 20-year-old stooped under pressure to steer home his sixth goal of the season.
Before play resumed Convery was withdrawn to be replaced by Quinton, perhaps with Tuesday's match against Aldershot in mind, and Stevenage had to make a change of their own on 65 when the injured Morison was replaced by former U's loanee Tes Bramble.
The next drama arrived on 66 when referee Darren Cann awarded a penalty when Adam Miller was brought down in the area, Michael Morrison was promptly laid out by a punch thrown by Stuart Lewis, and the Stevenage man was instantly red-carded.
In front of the United fans, Miller stepped up to coolly roll the ball past Potter and Mark Stimson went for broke with a double change, bringing in striker Oliver Allen (son of Clive) for midfielder Craig Dobson and Mitchell Cole for Lawrie Wilson.
Allen made an early impression on Courtney Pitt as he brought him down with a nasty scissors challenge and was rightly booked, and caught the eye again on 74 when he escaped down the right wing at pace, rounded Michael Morrison's despairing challenge and drove a shot from 20 yards that Danny Potter tipped over at full-stretch.
With the home side pushing men forward in the search for a goal, Bramble fired wide in the 78th minute and Adam Miller should have equalised on 81 when Fuller crossed and the unmarked Miller headed wide from six yards.
With eight minutes left Stephen Smith replaced Rob Wolleaston, who had run himself into the ground, and the young midfielder launched himself into the battle, winning tackles and breaking into the area on 85 to round the keeper, who did well to force him wide, and firing into the sidenetting.
In the 89th minute Robbie Willmott was sent into the fray in place of Scott Rendell, who received a well-deserved standing ovation from the United supporters, and in stoppage time the 17-year-old took on his man and crossed towards Fortune-West, earning a corner as the ball was hacked behind and a booking for Fuller who argued the decision.
With United defending stoutly against desperate pressure from the home side in the four minutes of stoppage time, there was still time for Quinton to be booked for bringing down Bramble. Willmott scampered clear moments later and launched a shot from long range, but the offside flag was already raised and resounding cheers broke out moments later as the final whistle confirmed the 11th game without defeat and the best start to a season in United's history.
Stevenage:
Alan Julian, Barry Foster, Ronnie Henry, Mark Arber, Santos Gaia; Craig Dobson (Oliver Allen 69'), Stuart Lewis, Lawrie Wilson (Mitchell Cole 69'), Daryl McMahon; Adam Miller, Steve Morison (Tes Bramble 65').
Subs not used: James Russell, Jamie Eames.
Booked: Morison foul 45', Allen foul 72', Fuller dissent 90'
Sent off: Lewis 67' serious foul play
Cambridge United:
Danny Potter, Mark Peters, Mark Albrighton (c), Michael Morrison; Dan Gleeson, Rob Wolleaston (Stephen Smith 82'), Mark Convery (Darren Quinton 63'), Stephen Reed, Courtney Pitt; Scott Rendell (Robbie Willmott 89'), Leo Fortune-West.
Subs not used: Michael Hyem, Josh Coulson.
Booked: Reed foul 38', Quinton foul 90'
Att: 4,533 (away 1,556)
Referee: Mr Darren Cann
Match summary from match commentator Mark Johnson:
"The Cambridge juggernaut rolls on with a memorable win to knock Stevenage off the top of the table. A nerve-jangling match played at warp speed saw two teams go toe to toe with neither prepared to give an inch. Roared on by almost half the 4,500 crowd, the travelling 'Amber Nation' were in raptures of delight as headers from Mark Convery and Scott Rendell saw United two ahead just after the hour. But a Stevenage penalty made for a nailbiting finale as the home side threw everything at United despite having a man sent off. A memorable win and a result that will make a few sit up and take notice."
Mark's Man of the Match:
"Mark Peters - calmness personified at the heart of a busy United defence . Honourable mentions for Rob Wolleaston who never stopped running, Dan Gleeson and Courtney Pitt for demonstrating the art of 'wingbackery', and the front two of Rendell and Fortune-West who pulled the Stevenage defence all over the place."
Ref: Mr Darren Cann - "Tried to let the game flow and not get in the way of a good hard-fought contest. Didn't miss much. 7/10"
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