U's:3 Chavs:0

DESTINY WILL ALWAYS TAKE OVER.

So proclaimed a banner held aloft by the Stevenage fans during Monday's game, a reference to one of manager Graham Westley's favourite psycho-babble mantras.

Memo to Westley, Dino Maamria, David Bridges, Lee Boylan, and Stevenage generally; Your destiny is to remain in non-league for ever and ever and ever (or at least one more season) you big losers. Mwahahahaha.

Sorry for that little outburst, but having taken a large amount of stick from my Stevenage-supporting colleagues and boss last week, I've been feeling smugger than Bono/Angus Deyton hybrid for the last two days. Part of the smugness stems from the sheer surprise element of our victory. If I'm honest I never expected Stevenage to capitulate in the way they did, and that is great credit to our players, who put in surely their best performance of the season at the time when it was most desperately needed.

Credit also to the Brabinator for his team selection, which was pretty spot on. I would have opted for the pace of Chris Holroyd, but in choosing the power of Rendell and Phillips up front, I think he managed to sufficiently ruffle the Stevenage defence in a way we never did in the first leg.

From the off it was clear the Chavs had reverted to usual Westley type of timewasting and feigning injury as they looked to protect their two goal advantage. United began on the front foot, but wasted a couple of good opportunities to score an early goal, with Pitt and Willmott delivering poor corners that were easily dealt with. Reason also tumbled in the box, but his claims for a penalty were met with a dismissive hand gesture from the referee. Mr Tierney seemed acutely aware that he was on television, with massive sweeping arm movements accompanying his every decision. Perhaps someone should tell him that the best ref's are usually those that you don't notice.

Anyway, Rendell headed into Chris Day's arms from a Pitt cross, but that was about all we had to show for our possession, and the best opportunities fell to the visitors. First a ball over the top from Drury found Morison in the clear, but with the whole goal to aim at Stevenage's leading marksman dragged his shot wide. Then a slalom run from full back Ronnie Henry took him into the box, but he tried to dink a shot over Danny Potter and only succeeded in chipping it into the grateful keepers arms.

0-0 at half time, but as we saw in the first leg a lot can happen in 45 minutes. Again United began positively, and got the slice of luck they needed in the 55th minute. Phillips laid the ball off to Willmott, who cut inside an unleashed what was probably a cross, which deflected off Laird and found the net with Day flat-footed. Robbie's John Cena-style celebration was a bit last season, but who cares, we were back in the tie. 1-0.

United still look susceptible to that most rudimentary of tactics, the big hoof into the box, and Mark Roberts saw a header fly wide of the post after connecting with a Drury free kick. Stevenage were beginning to find more and more space as United pushed on for the crucial second, and it took some determined play from Jai Reason tackling back thwart Morison as he ran in on goal.

But the next goal went the way of the good guys. Reason's free kick into the back post found Hatswell who nodded the ball across the face of goal and found Rendell, who scuffed the ball past Day into the far corner.

At this stage The Chavs looked a spent force, and they passed up two glorious chances to win the match in the dying minutes. First, Gary Mills found space in the area, beat Potter, but saw his cross/shot half cleared by Tonkin. The ball dropped to Morison eight yards from goal, but the usually deadly striker inexplicably miskicked, allowing a combination of Tonker and Hatswell to smuggle it behind for a corner. The flag kick was met by Jon Ashton, who powered a free header from six yards straight at Danny Potter, when directing it anywhere else would surely have resulted in a final, very cruel, twist in the script. The final whistle sounded shortly afterwards, meaning the 22 exhausted players faced another 30 minutes on the pitch.

Scott Laird had obviously decided he couldn't be bothered with all that. Having been booked in normal time for body-checking Willmott, he lunged in at Reason in the first period of extra time was sent off. While Stevenage may have had grounds for complaint about their red card in the first leg, it didn't appear they had much to moan about this time. Westley then inexplicably withdrew Drury, who had been central to most of his teams good work, and replaced him with loanee Junior Mendes.

Despite a few ooh's and ahh's from the crowd, United didn't do much to trouble Day in the first period, but that all changed in the second half, as Stevenage battoned down the hatches and prepared for penalties. Substitute Andy Parkinson's shot was blocked, Rendell headed straight at the keeper, then missed an even better chance when he found space at the far post but headed across the goal and wide.

The tie looked destined to be decided by spot kicks, but United found one last push. The inspirational Carden drove forward, exchanged passes with Reason, and unleashed a low drive from just inside the box. Although Day parried the initial shot, Rendell swooped to gloriously drive the rebound high into the net. 3-2.

Cue much joy, merriment, and hugging of random old Habbin dwellers. The final whistle sounded seconds later, confirming United's place in the Wembley, and prompting a mass pitch invasion as fans rushed to greet their heroes. I don't know whether it was just because the novelty factor had worn off a bit, but I felt like both players and supporters were in slightly more sombre mood this season. It's great to be at Wembley, but nothing has been achieved yet, so lets hope the players can do themselves justice this time around.

Man of the Match: Paul Carden. It was nice that the sponsors gave it to the whole team, as they all played their part, but Carden was almost everywhere cajoling his side to victory.






Non-league losers of the match: The people responsible for that banner saying "Man Utd, Stevenage, Daz and Kev" should take a long hard look at themselves.