It doesn t get much better than this if you re a Boro fan. Thirteen unbeaten, six wins in a row and now a 4-0 trouncing of Blue Square Premier league leaders Burton Albion to secure a quarter-final place in the FA Trophy – life is pretty rosy in Boro s b

It doesn't get much better than this if you're a Boro fan.

Thirteen unbeaten, six wins in a row and now a 4-0 trouncing of Blue Square Premier league leaders Burton Albion to secure a quarter-final place in the FA Trophy - life is pretty rosy in Boro's back garden at the moment.

"Nightmare November" is a distant memory as goals from Steve Morison (2), Mitchell Cole and David Bridges underlined Boro's superiority over Albion, who looked to have bigger fish to fry in the league.

If Boro can maintain the performance level of Saturday then there will be even better days ahead with the prospect of a Wembley final looming.

The big surprise before kick off at the weekend was the inclusion of Lee Boylan in the starting line-up with the striker making a quicker than expected return from an ankle injury sustained against Barrow.

The former Cambridge man's partnership with Morison had been a real feature during Boro's unbeaten run and the pair linked up well in the fourth minute to carve out a fantastic chance for Andy Drury.

Morison's clever ball over the top found the midfielder behind the Burton defence but he seemed to hesitate and his right-footed effort was saved well by Kevin Poole in the Burton goal.

Boro weren't having it all their own way however and Burton were trying to play some nice football on a pitch feeling the effects of drainage problems.

Tricky striker Lee Morris executed a lovely turn in the 10th minute to get away from Mark Roberts but his left-footed effort from 20 yards was well gathered by Chris Day.

Darren Murphy then almost added to his goal against Kettering on Tuesday with a fine left-footed strike from just outside the Burton penalty area but the ball whistled past Poole's post.

Stevenage had a massive let-off in the 24th minute when John McGrath missed a golden opportunity to give Albion the lead. Scott Laird's hard tackle on Jamie Yates ran on to Shaun Harrad, whose sumptuous flick put McGrath through on Day but the midfielder never looked convincing and sliced horribly wide.

Chances were now coming thick and fast and you got the feeling that whoever struck first was going to be crucial. Poole saved well with his feet to deny Boylan before the ball rebounded to Morison, whose measure effort was cleared off the line.

Burton still couldn't clear the danger and Morison had another chance from eight yards but blazed over with his left foot.

The 25-year-old was not to be denied however and in the 31st minute he had his goal.

The Burton defence had no answer to Cole's searing pace down the left wing and his cross fell to Morison, who calmly chested down past defender Jake Buxton and blasted home with the kind of aplomb which made you wonder just why a Football League side has not taken a chance on him.

Burton then showed why they are sitting pretty at the top of the Blue Square Premier as they came flying back at Boro.

Yates' 30-yard screamer had Day flying to his left to tip round the post before Marc Goodfellow's cross-cum-shot glanced off the crossbar.

Then just before half time only Day will know how he managed to get fingertips to Shaun Harrad's bullet strike to divert the ball over the bar.

Boro should have doubled their lead just after the break however when Cole's cross found Boylan free in the penalty area but his glancing header bounced agonisingly wide.

Burton 'keeper Poole got then got lucky when he took too long over a clearance allowing Drury to close him down but the ball bounced off the midfielder and just wide.

But Boro's pressure eventually told as Cole grabbed his fourth goal in three games. Burton couldn't clear the danger on the edge of their penalty area and Morison prodded the ball wide to Cole, whose low left-footed shot found the bottom corner with the aid of a deflection off Darren Stride.

It was game over just after the hour-mark as Morison grabbed his second of the afternoon. Bridges' slide-rule pass split the Burton back four and Morison won the race with Poole to dink over the keeper.

Morison came close to claiming another hat-trick against Burton when he latched on to Drury's through ball but was denied by Poole before picking up the rebound and being denied on the line by Tony James.

Poole had to be at his best again in the 70th minute to deny the former Northampton man when he saved well with his feet but the rout was complete in the last minute when Bridges strode through the midfield before unleashing an unstoppable right-footed strike into the top corner.

Boro (4-4-2): Day 7, Henry 7, Bostwick 7, Roberts 7, Laird 7, Drury 7, Murphy 7, Bridges 8 (Mills 90), Cole 7 (Vincenti 88), Boylan 7 (Wilson 71), Morison 8. Subs not used: Bayes, Wilson, Mills, Willock, Vincenti.

Referee: R Lewis

Attendance: 1,296