Cambridge United beat Stevenage Borough 3-0 in the second leg of their Blue Square Premier semi final play-off on Monday to sensationally reverse a 3-1 first-leg deficit, live on Setanta Sports.
Two goals down after their defeat a week previously, Gary Brabin’s side clinched victory in the last minute of extra time as Scott Rendell scored his second of the game to book a Wembley final for The U’s against either Histon or Torquay, who play later on Monday.
The first half failed to provide a goal despite both sides going close, but the second 45 minutes opened up perfectly to ensure a thrilling game unfolded.
Robbie Willmott put United ahead on the day as the home side took hold, and Rendell then put them two up to level the scores on aggregate, making his mark after being reinstated to the starting line-up.
Extra time beckoned but not before Cambridge went agonisingly close to snatching a 3-0 victory and progression to the play-off final when Wayne Hatswell had a header repelled by Chris Day, as United piled the pressure on.
Stevenage were reduced to ten men in the sixth minute of the extra 30 when Scott Laird was shown a second yellow card, following a challenge on Jai Reason, and Boro looked to have clung on for penalties until the 119th minute of the game.
Paul Carden then exchanged passes on the edge of the Stevenage penalty area before firing a first-time shot which Day could only parry into Rendell’s path, and the striker gobbled up the rebound to send the home crowd into raptures.
“I’m delighted because I think we deserved it,” Brabin told Setanta Sports after the game. “I thought we’d been professional all season, and I always believed.
“We were up against it a little bit but we’re used to bouncing back and I thought we did it excellently today.”