AS he left the field following the warm down, a member of Stevenage’s backroom staff summed up their game with Accrington Stanley: “Thankfully they only had 10 men.”

Only an 89th-minute leveller from the visitors denied Stanley a win over their former rivals, despite the home side having had Nicky Hunt sent off in the first minute of the game.

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From almost the first exchanges referee Scott Mathieson was the centre of attention at the Store First Stadium, producing a red card before some people had even taken their seats.

Hunt advanced down the right to take a throw in only to find his path blocked by Charlie Lee and his response was to shove the striker away with an arm to the back of the neck.

To the bewilderment of everyone bar the handful of visiting players surrounding the ref, Mr Mathieson produced the red card.

John Coleman was forced into a reshuffle but his team’s numerical disadvantage didn’t show and it was them who took the lead.

Quarter of an hour in Josh Windass chased Dean Winnard’s throw down the left, breezed past the ponderous Dean Wells to the byline and cut the ball back for Sean Maguire.

The Irishman did the rest, sweeping it into the net and racing to the Stanley dugout to celebrate.

The lead lasted just four minutes though, with on loan centre back Lloyd Jones handling the ball inside the box when challenging Lee for a header and giving away a penalty.

Midfielder Simon Walton stroked home the spot kick to make it 1-1.

The penalty papered over the cracks in the Stevenage performance and Stanley continued to cause them huge problems.

Six minutes from the break Maguire found the lively Windass and he forced Chris Day into a parry with a stinging shot that ultimately flew out for a throw in.

With the next move the Reds retook the lead.Winnard’s throw was laid off by Luke Joyce to Maguire inside the box and he curled in his and Stanley’s second to make the half time score 2-1.

After the restart the predicted backlash from the visitors never really materialised. Instead, Stanley had chances to make it three.

A super move involving Piero Mingoia and Maguire played in Windass down the left only for his low strike to be saved by Day’s legs before the same player found the keeper’s gloves from a tight angle.

Stanley keeper Scott Davies was a virtual spectator, pressed only into meaningful service to deny Dean Parrett just past the hour mark.

Still the Reds focused on attacking, with Mingoia dragging an effort agonisingly wide.

But inevitably Graham Westley’s play-off hopefuls Boro had a late chance and took it. Sub Bruno Andrade crossed for centre back and emergency centre forward Bira Dembele and he headed across goal for Chris Beardsley to bundle home the equaliser with just a minute remaining.

It was rough justice on a Stanley team that had been far the better side throughout and never looked a man down until the crucial moment.

It left many in the ground wondering how it might have been had they kept all 11 men on the field.