Stevenage 5 Accrington Stanley 0. . .

THE supporters had a race against time to make it into the ground before kick-off. But it seemed more like the players who were late arrivals.

By the time Accrington Stanley had got into their stride they were already 2-0 down, twice caught out by virtual carbon copy left wing crosses.

John Coleman had warned his men against complacency as they sought to extend their 100 per cent record, while Stevenage were looking for their first points.

But even Boro took themselves by suprise when they got off the mark as early as the seventh minute then doubled their lead just three minutes later.

After Barry Laker had struck the angle with a speculative 30-yard shot which dipped over Jon Kennedy, Brian Quailey pounced to give Boro the perfect start.

Left winger Justin Gregory broke and crossed to the far post where an unmarked Quailey rose to thump a header home.

Gregory turned supplier again after being left with time and space to pick out his man, this time finding Richie Hanlon to hit the spot with another towering header.

Stanley had looked defensively frail in those early stages, but while some of their clearances were at times rushed, given their early deficit, buoyant Boro were kept at bay as the Reds began to create chances of their own.

Ged Brannan linked well with Peter Cavanagh close to the corner flag, but the midfielder's cross had a little too much on it for Paul Mullin to get a good connection in front of goal.

Lee McEvilly had a chance from outside the area but couldn't keep his shot down.

Anthony Elding looped a header just over the bar for Stevenage from Quailey's cross on the half-hour, but Stanley broke quickly.

Ian Craney pulled the ball back from the byeline for Steve Jagielka, who went for placement rather than power and goalkeeper Robert Burch kept the ball out with his legs.

The longer the game went on without a goal to inspire Stanley, the more frustrated they became against a side who were second bottom of the Conference before kick-off.

Coleman's men almost went 3-0 down three minutes into the second half when Steve Halford and Robbie Williams' offside trap failed, leaving Jo Flack with a clear run at goal. Thankfully, the Boro substitute aimed his shot straight at Kennedy.

But, after Steve Jagielka headed wide from Craney's pull back, the Stanley stopper was picking the ball out of the back of his net for a third time.

Jagielka was penalised for a foul on the left, Gregory pumped the ball into a crowded goalmouth and Jason Goodliffe knocked it into the net on the hour.

It was all but game over for the deflated Reds, but Boro insisted on torturing an already wounded animal as, from Matt Hoc king's corner, Goodliffe sent a bullet header past Kennedy for the central defender's second in as many minutes.

Stanley made changes, with Paul Cook replacing and Jagielak and Lutel James making way for Jody Banim to make his debut, but the damage was irreperable at that stage.

Kennedy got down well to deny Dannie Bulman's 30-yard drive, but Flack completed a miserable afternoon for Stanley with nine minutes remaining.

The centre forward ghosted past Williams, then Halford before striking the ball underneath a helpless Kennedy.