Nasty looking collision of heads between Roarie Deacon and David Worrall, leaving the Stevenage man needing treatment from the physio.

I think he'll be OK.

Image source, PA

The first chance of the match comes for Stevenage after Roarie Deacon wins a corner down the left. Dean Wells' header causes chaos but Southend scramble it away for another corner, from which Charlie Lee sees a shot saved by Daniel Bentley.

Stevenage get us under way. The final Football League play-off semi-final first leg has begun.

Image source, Tom Garry/BBC

The teams are out in a bubbling Lamex Stadium. I wonder what's going through the players' minds right now. Nerves? Excitement? Or is it just another game for them?

We're almost ready for kick-off!

Image source, PA

While Stevenage will be pleased to make it this far, Southend were on the cusp of avoiding the play-offs, but a last-day defeat at Morecambe allowed Bury to sneak in and take the final automatic play-off berth.

That ended a remarkable seven-match winning run for the Shrimpers, and Phil Brown is urging his side not to still be licking their wounds at the Lamex tonight.

"It was easy to pick people up after last weekend's defeat by Morecambe. It was a sickener but we were our own worst enemies. But we've moved on very quickly to focus on what we hope is now a three-game season," Brown told BBC Essex.

"We've got to go to Stevenage and get a foothold in the tie. We'll be tested, there's no doubt about it.

"I think Graham is a very clever man. He paints a picture of a strong, ugly, physical team. But I think deep down they play some good stuff."

Tom Garry
BBC Sport at Lamex Stadium

"A warm summer evening and the terraces are packed. There's a real anticipation in the air. Everything about the atmosphere here says play-offs!

"The Southend faithful behind the goal are in fine voice, as are several clusters of the home fans. This should be tasty!"

Image source, Getty Images

Stevenage are looking for an immediate return to the third tier and finished sixth in League Two after suffering just two defeats since 7 February.

And boss Graham Westley knows how tense the proverbial play-off "lottery" can be.

"You have 180 minutes to earn a result in the play-off semi-finals, and they're not for the faint-hearted - it's about making sure you go into the second leg in the best shape possible," he told BBC Three Counties Radio.

"Southend are a very, very good side, their recent form shows what they're capable of, they have a very experienced manager at the helm, and I'm sure they'll react to what happened to them last weekend in the best possible way.

"Both sides have earned the right to be there and will be using everything in their power to get through to Wembley."

BBC Sport

Image source, Getty Images

Follow every kick of every Football League play-off match this season with BBC Sport - we have a live text commentary of all 15 matches, including the three finals at Wembley on 23-25 May.

Image source, Getty Images

Southend really don't want to be in the play-offs. They could have gone up automatically on the final day after a stunning run of seven wins, but a 3-1 defeat at Morecambe, coupled with Bury's win at Tranmere, saw the Shakers take third spot.

The Shrimpers' season started without much hoo-ha, winning only twice in six matches, but Southend grew into one of the fourth tier's most feared teams, especially at their Roots Hall home.

Between 15 November and 14 February, when they lost 2-1 to Accrington, the Shrimpers did not concede a single goal at home.

Goalkeeper Daniel Bentley missed the Stanley match, but came back to break a club record of home clean sheets - 12 in total - a run which could be extended by Thursday's second leg.

At the other end, Barry Corr has been the man finding the goals - his 14 is eight more than any other Southend player.

Image source, Getty Images

A sixth-placed finish is fine work for a season which began so badly for Stevenage.

After losing at home to Luton on 4 October, Boro found themselves languishing in 19th place and staring directly in the face of a dreaded double relegation.

But a run of six games unbeaten around Christmas, triggered by a 1-0 win over Exeter, ignited their season and they have only lost twice since a narrow defeat by Mansfield on 7 February.

Charlie Lee has been their main man in terms of goals with nine, but the exciting young talents of Ben Kennedy and Tom Pett have very much impressed the Lamex faithful.

So what do you think then? Will Phil Brown have the chance to recreate some of those Wembley memories with Southend, or will the wily Westley get the better of him?

You can have your say using #bbcfootball on Twitter.

Stevenage rested many of their regulars for last week's loss at Luton, so it's no surprise they make sweeping changes, including the return of Chris Whelpdale up front.

Also, note that back-up goalkeeper for Boro. Former Wimbledon goalkeeper Dave Beasant would become the oldest Football League player ever if he was to come off the bench, at the tender age of 56. I wasn't even born when he made his Football League debut in 1980.

Meanwhile, Southend make two changes from last week's defeat at Morecambe, bringing back captain John White and Stephen McLaughlin for Gary Deegan and Jack Payne.

Stevenage: Day, Whelpdale, Wells, Dembele (c), Okimo, Pett, Bond, Parrett, Deacon, Lee, Beardsley.

Substitutes: Beasant, Ashton, Walton, Zola, Conlon, Kennedy, Martin.

Southend: Bentley, White (c), Coker, Worrall, Timlin, Corr, Atkinson, Bolger, Leonard, McLaughlin, Barrett.

Substitutes: Prosser, Weston, Smith, Payne, Deegan, Cassidy, Pigott.

.... And for his opposite number Phil Brown, the play-offs bring back memories of THAT Dean Windass goal for Hull against Bristol City in 2008, securing the Tigers a place in the Premier League for the first time in their history.

Image source, Empics

It's safe to say that neither of these managers had the greatest of times at Deepdale, but both have been prudent enough to guide their current sides to the League Two play-offs.

For Boro boss Graham Westley this is a well-trodden path, having guided Stevenage to victory in the 2011 final against Torquay at Old Trafford...

Image source, Empics

Image source, Getty Images

So we have our first side through to a Football League play-off final this season - Preston - after they beat Chesterfield 3-0 earlier to earn a 4-0 aggregate victory and secure their place at League One's Wembley date on 24 May.

Tonight two managers very familiar with Deepdale will be hoping to move a step closer to the League Two showpiece.

Phil Brown, North End boss in 2011, takes his Southend side to Stevenage where he comes up against the man who replaced him at the Lancashire club, Graham Westley.

Welcome to our live text of the first leg of Stevenage and Southend's League Two play-off semi-final.