Striker scores late on to cancel out Dean Wells’ opener

Cambridge United 1 Stevenage 1

Sky Bet League 2

The enigma that is Robbie Simpson struck late to deny Stevenage all three points this afternoon.

The striker, whose 30th birthday is tomorrow and who used to spend his summers turning out for Knebworth Cricket Club, fired home from close range deep into injury-time to deny Boro a fifth win in seven matches.

Afterwards, U’s manager Richard Money referred to the forward as an ‘enigma’, asking why it was that such performances from the front man were not that common.

But that will matter little to Stevenage, who were the victims of the striker’s touch of class.

Stevenage took the lead on 17 minutes when Dean Wells’ shot went in off Tom Champion after a free-kick had been cleared into his path, and for over an hour they were looking good to go into Saturday evening in the League 2 play-off places.

But then United grabbed a deserved equaliser when a long throw was flicked into the path of Simpson, and he turned his defender before beating Chris Day to make it 1-1.

It is the second time in a week that Boro have conceded a late goal, but unlike Newport County in their previous game this time it was to prove costly.

It was a match short of quality in the final third.

The U’s flattered to deceive at times, playing some nice football until they reached the part of the pitch which really mattered; Boro, on the other hand, were a threat down the right in the first half, but were unable to maintain it in the second.

In an attempt to frustrate the U’s in the second period, Boro brought on Andy Bond for Ben Kennedy to help shore up the midfield, and it almost worked.

However, Simpson was able to convert Cambridge’s only real chance of the second period to earn his side a point.

Cambridge Utd: Dunn, Tait, Coulson, Nelson, Dunk, Donaldson, Hughes (Taylor 64), Champion, Kaikai, Mendez-Laing (Margetts 68), Slew (Simpson 61). Subs: Norris, Miller, Ball, Hunt.

Stevenage: Day, Henry, Okimo, Dembele, Wells, Pett, Martin (Andrade 61), Keane, Parrett, Lee, Kennedy (Bond 68). Subs: Beasant, Ashton, D Johnson, R Johnson, Conlon.

Ref: G Horwood

Att: 5,503 (926 away)