For the second time this season Stevenage stumbled to a home defeat - and this one came with an added cost. 

They went down 2-0 to Cambridge United and it came with a poor performance, lacking anything that remotely looked like effort and desire.

To rub salt in the wound though, bookings for Carl Piergianni and Louis Thompson mean they will miss the trip to Rotherham United on Saturday.

It was also a second win of the campaign for the visitors, the first coming on Saturday, and it was totally deserved.

For Stevenage, it is a game they need to forget quickly, but whether they can be forgiven for the performance remains to be seen.

There were two changes from the team that beat Mansfield, Dan Butler and Dan Kemp coming in for Luther Wildin and Eli King.

The back four remained only with Lewis Freestone moving into the middle with Carl Piergianni.

Further up, Kemp, Jordan Roberts and Jamie Reid played in behind Jake Young, although all four were very interchangeable.

It turned out it didn't matter what formation was played in the first half, Stevenage were so far off the pace.

That was harsh on Cambridge but the visitors, perhaps buoyed by their first win of the season on Saturday, were quicker to the tackle, quicker to the ball and just better with it when they got it.

They could have scored after minutes as the ball scampered across the edge of the box to the unmarked James Brophy.

His shot was arrowed towards the far corner only to find the body of Piergianni in the way.

The goal was scrappy but avoidable. A free-kick was not cleared and Korey Smith had time to shoot, not cleanly and it took a deflection, but enough to creep inside the near post of the diving Murphy Cooper.

He could have repeated the trick not long after, given way too much time and space on the edge of the box and able to let fly right-footed.

This time Cooper tipped it wide.

It was obvious though something needed changed from Stevenage and a triple substitution at the break signalled the home bench agreed.

And for five minutes it seemed like something might be stirring.

That was a false dawn for most of the half though with plenty of possession but half chances at best.

A slight scramble in the box had Reid sniffing but never in complete control and that ended with Dan Phillips' shot being blocked.

Shortly after Roberts scuffed an effort well wide.

And that was it. It never looked like Stevenage would find a way through and then with 90 minutes almost up, they all pushed forward and were caught horribly on the break, Kaikai easily scoring.

Match details

Stevenage (0) 0 Cambridge United (1) 2

Stevenage: Cooper, Butler, Piergianni, Kemp (King 46), Roberts, Kane Smith (Freeman 72), Freestone, Reid, Phillips (List 82), L.Thompson (White 46), Young (Pressley 46).

Subs (not used): Ashby-Hammond, Simpson.

Goals: 

Booked: Piergianni 26, L.Thompson 40

 

Cambridge United: Reyes, Bennett, Digby, Morrison, Brophy, Nlundulu (Cousins 89), Kachunga (Andrew 67), Korey Smith (Longelo 89), Okedina, Gibbons, Njoku (Kaikai 67).

Subs (not used): Stevens, Watts, Rossi.

Goals: Korey Smith 32, Kaikai 90

Booked: Digby 26, Korey Smith 45+4

 

Added time: 5+5

Referee: Ben Atkinson (Cheshire)

Attendance: 4,574 (including 976 from Cambridge)