Stevenage Borough 1 - 5 Oxford United: Ryan Taylor scores twice as Oxford crush nine-man Stevenage

Ryan Taylor's double helped Oxford to an action-packed 5-1 victory over nine-man Stevenage at the Lamex Stadium as they climbed to second in Sky Bet League Two.

Jamie McCombe and Michael Tonge saw red either side of half-time for Boro, who had levelled at 1-1 through Chris Whelpdale following Taylor's opener, while Liam Sercombe's penalty, Alex MacDonald and Kemar Roofe ensured a rout.

Taylor scored from close-range after 13 minutes following some great build-up play from Sercombe but a poor 17th-minute clearance from Sam Slocombe allowed Whelpdale to equalise as he chipped the ball home from 30 yards.

Two minutes later, Stevenage goalkeeper Jesse Joronen saved Sercombe's first penalty following Dean Parrett's foul but he could not replicate that for Sercombe's second in the 27th minute as the midfielder converted from 12 yards while McCombe was sent off for hauling down Danny Hylton.

MacDonald then scored with a simple finish in the 66th minute shortly before Tonge was sent off for a two-footed tackle on John Lundstram.

And the floodgates opened as Taylor slotted his second after 72 minutes before the impressive Roofe added the fifth from the edge of the box with 15 minutes left.