LAST HOME GAME THRILLER

Seven first half goals, a missed penalty and more chances after the break led to a feast of action at Ashby Avenue for the season's final home game.

Once again, however it was a day of disappointement in terms of result as United lost 5-4 and in truth this game could probably have been any score.

In just 59 seconds Tom Garrick found himself clear and passed the ball into the net to give United the lead.

From early in the game the wing play of Tyrone Kirk and Nathan Watson was causing the Whites some concern. The crowd must have sensed a goal was coming and they were right. Kirk was allowed too much space and his shot was palmed away by Phil McGann only for Bruno Holden to tap home in the 18th minute.

In recent games United's concessions have come in clusters and this day was no exception. By the 24th minute Stamford had added two more and in between George Zuerner got one back for the Whites.

Stamford took the lead with a harshly awarded penalty, given for handball against Stuart Reddington, Holden made no mistake from the spot and after United's equaliser Kirk got his goal cutting in from the right more or less unchallenged and curling an unstoppable shot into the far top corner.

United settled and began to play with more control. In the 35th minute great composure and then a perfect pass from Craig Leverett found Jack McGovern in space and he drilled home.

We might have been forgiven for thinking what a half as half-time approached but there was more to come.

In the 43rd minute Kirk danced free as United backed off and he slid a neat ball to Watson to score from close range on the far post.

The United were awarded a generous penalty but the normally reliable Garrick saw his penalty saved by Ross Whalin.

The breather was brief as United started strongly after the break. Garrick might have had a hat-trick. Firstly a neat through ball from Sam Wilkinson sent him clear and with Whalin stranded he watched as his lob went agonisingly wide.

Minutes later the same move twice produced saves from Whalin.

Stamford never quite reached the heights of the first half after the break but were always a threat with United's back-line at full stretch at times. McGann back in United's goal after injury was forced into three good saves in the second half.

Jack McGovern had become a major threat for United in the second half and was constantly asking questions on United's right flank. However it looked game over when Kirk again danced through to finish in style with just twenty minutes remaining.

United never gave and with Whalin slightly distracted the lively Zuerner drilled home under his body to give United a lifeline.

Try as they may they couldn't quite find a way through.