Page boy ends Boro run

Stevenage Borough’s brave run in the FA Youth Cup came to an end in a five-goal thriller at Broadhall Way on Wednesday evening.

The Nationwide Conference side failed to add another League One side to the scalp of Gillingham they claimed in the last round and fell to an extra time goal from Jack Page, his second of the match.

Stevenage leapt into an early lead when a cross from Daniel Nicholls found two unmarked attackers at the far post, David Iwediuno stooping to head powerfully past Alex Jennings.

The response from the League One side was swift and clinical, within two minutes Page powered a far post header past Luke Howard to restore parity.

The best chances of the half came in the dying moments when the home side spurned three glorious chances to regain the lead. First Scott Balderson fired wide, then Jack Bradshaw had an even better opportunity unmarked six yards from goal, but the full back screwed his effort horribly wide.

Just on the stroke of half-time Stevenage thought they had secured the goal that their enterprise had deserved. Romayne Thomas displayed sublime skill to trap the ball on the edge of the penalty area, turn and unleash a venomous drive all in one movement.

His drive beat the despairing dive of Jennings but crashed against the post and into the path of Tyron Sealey who stroked the ball home, but the celebrations were cut short by the lineman’s flag.

Just as in the first half the chances in the second period came in the dying moments and once again the best fell to the home side.

David Iwediuno sent his header wide before Nicholls collected a weak clearance 20 yards from goal and fired a shot that looked bound for the net until it struck Loick Pires on the goal line.

It did not take long for the League Two side to edge in front in extra time, a defensive lapse allowing substitute Henry Atu acres of space close to goal to trap a cross and slide the ball home.

But Stevenage were far from finished and when Jamie Davidge was baulked on the edge of the area chasing a long through ball, Matthew Cook strode forward to send the free-kick past Jennings, with the help of a deflection off the wall.

With both sides tiring and the game becoming ever more stretched Page made the decisive breakthrough, collecting his second goal of the evening, skipping through a weary Stevenage rearguard and slipping the ball past Luke Howard.

The only sour point of the evening came with five minutes remaining as a dreadful challenge from Chris Robson left Howard writhing in agony, the Orient substitute rightly shown the red card.