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That sums up the first half. Dean Parrett has a free-kick central of goal from 30 yards out, but his effort is high wide and not very handsome. The fourth official then indicates NINE minutes of first-half added time following the collision of Bira Dembele and Michael Timlin.

Dembele, remember, is still on the pitch.

Adam Barrett, who earlier headed well over, comes much closer to opening the score this time. The central defender in his 300th appearance for Southend heads David Worrall's free-kick just over the bar. We're getting closer!

A second Southend player in the book as Cian Bolger goes in late on Chris Beardsley.

From the resulting free-kick Dean Wells fires wide with a left-foot shot.

Another player needing the physio now. Southend forward Barry Corr knocks the ball down for Stephen McLaughlin, but the winger just can't reach it. Instead, he collides with the head of goalkeeper Chris Day.

Dave Beasant is looking on here... Could we see him on the pitch?

Wow. Despite appearing to be in serious trouble on the ground for a long time, Stevenage captain Bira Dembele is carrying on regardless. How long will he last? Will he even want to go up for a header again today?

It's fair to say we can expect a sizeable chunk of stoppage time at the end of the first half. But it's great to see Bira Dembele rise to his feet, and is duly applauded by the crowd.

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Michael Timlin will play no further part in the game, and is replaced by Gary Deegan, dropped from the team that lost to Morecambe last week.

Tom Garry
BBC Sport at Lamex Stadium

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"That looked like it really, really hurt. There was a gasp all around the ground. The players' reactions alone tell you it was a bad collision, all signalling straight for the physios."

Michael Timlin now has a Terry Butcher-style headband on, while the stretcher is on for Bira Dembele, who is now sitting up, with Graham Westley by his side.

Oh my. That is horrible.

After Roarie Deacon misses a decent chance for Stevenage, Southend's Michael Timlin and Bira Dembele absolutely clatter into each other challenging for a long aerial ball and are both sent flying.

They each had eyes on the ball, but there is a fair amount of blood gushing from the heads of both, causing Shrimpers manager Phil Brown to check come onto the pitch on the state of his player.

Paul Stone: I want Beasant to come on in the last minute. Regardless of the result!

Just after I say that Barry Corr is in the book after pulling Bira Dembele to the ground by his ankles after losing the ball in the air. He has to be very careful now.

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Interesting. Very interesting.

Barry Corr ignores the ball in an aerial duel with Dean Wells and instead appears to headbutt the back of the Stevenage defender's head. It could get a little feisty between those two.

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That would be quite some story wouldn't it? Goalkeeper Dave Beasant would become the oldest ever professional in English football at 56 if he was to come off the Stevenage bench tonight - in a play-off semi-final.

It's the third time he's been on their bench this season but the pressure is on Boro keeper Chris Day not to get an injury, or even a red card!

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Stevenage almost got lucky there. Dean Parrett curled in an overhit cross, and it had Daniel Bentley scrambling across his goal to keep it out. Corner to Boro which comes to nothing.

Southend are doing all of the pressing here, with Will Atkinson causing all sorts of problems down the right wing. His ball into the middle is dealt with well by Stevenage, but Bira Dembele is up against it tonight.

Tom Garry
BBC Sport at Lamex Stadium

"Before the free-kick that led to Adam Barrett's chance, Dave Worrall asked the referee not to book Bira Dembele, which was excellent sportsmanship because it was a professional foul.

"Southend look lively going forward. Could their pace up top be the difference here?"

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Another couple of chances come for Southend in quick succession when first Adam Barrett, a textbook brute of a lower-league defender, heads the ball well over the bar from a right-wing free-kick before David Worrall's cross-cum-shot goes wide.

Phil Brown will be happy with his side's start.

That was a big chance for Southend's Michael Timlin.

Shrimpers top scorer Barry Corr does brilliantly to hold off a Stevenage defender and lays it back to the onrushing midfielder, but he can only sidefoot the ball harmlessly wide. Bad miss and he knows it.

After that worrying moment, a slight bit of comedy when Southend defender Cian Bolger slips as he shepherds the ball out of play and falls into a camerawoman.

Both are fine and she even raises a smile.