Boro boss Graham Westley has tipped Steve Morison to leave a special mark on the club after his double against Cambridge United left his side on the brink of a play-off final. With the game evenly poised at 1-1 and Boro down to 10 men after Darren Murp

Boro boss Graham Westley has tipped Steve Morison to "leave a special mark" on the club after his double against Cambridge United left his side on the brink of a play-off final.

With the game evenly poised at 1-1 and Boro down to 10 men after Darren Murphy's sending off, it was left to Morison to prove the difference between the two sides in what is likely to be his last appearance in front of The Lamex Stadium faithful.

A summer move is on the cards with several Football League sides keeping tabs on the 25-year-old and Westley acknowledged his skipper deserves the chance of playing at a higher level.

But the Boro chief insists he will not be leaving the Hertfordshire club without firmly establishing his name in the club's folklore first.

"The performance of the team was what won the game and I think there were a lot of exceptional performances within that team," Westley told The Comet. "But I think that's as good as Morison has played for me. In terms of players stepping up to the mark, he led the line like a true captain.

"He won't be at this football club next year because he is too good for this level and the level above.

"He will go on and do special things. If he keeps playing like that he will leave a special mark on this football club."

Boro's display was made all the more remarkable considering Murphy's dismissal for an innocuous incident worsened by the reaction of both the Cambridge players and their fans behind the goal.

The Irishman would normally be slapped with a three-match ban but Westley is confident the red card will be overturned on appeal and should be available for the second leg.

"It's bound to be overturned on appeal," added Westley. "If you look at Murphy his eyes are clearly on the ball. The referee said that he led with an elbow and it's very clear he didn't.

"Whether there was any contact or not I don't know. They showed a lot of experience in terms of getting around the referee.

"The boy was on the ground as though he had been shot. That experience has probably influenced the situation.

"I don't doubt that the official made an honest judgement because officials do. But in the heat of the moment I think it was a mistake and I'm sure it will get overturned.

"These things get done immediately and I would be surprised if he wasn't available for Monday.