United’s under 18 side consolidated their position atop the Ryman Youth League West division with a convincing 4-0 victory over bottom side Hampton & Richmond Borough on Monday evening at Beaconsfield Road.

United spent virtually all of the first half camped in the visitors half but it was not until the 17th minute that Hampton keeper Bradley Alkerwivdeer was forced into a save, sticking out a foot to deny Sharrif Wilson who fired at goal from a tight angle.

Four minutes later though Simon East’s side were ahead. Josh Odunwo’s initial shot was well saved by Alkerwivdeer but United’s top scorer was quickly onto the ball to slide it home from a very tight angle for his tenth of the season.

Alkerwivdeer was to be busy around the half hour mark, firstly he did well to push out an Odunwo effort with Ben Hunter clearing off the line as Fawaz Olikotu-Thompson arrived and then seconds later he went full stretch to tip over a Jalon Rowe drive after he had been fed by Ahmed Mohammed.

Mohammed doubled United’s lead just before the break, Odunwo crossed from the left, Wilson neatly stepped over the ball allowing his skipper to fire home from close range at the far post.

A minute before the break saw the visitors first sight of goal, a corner from the left being inadvertently flicked on by a United head to Daniel Makowski, but his header drifted just the wrong side of Tyler Wootton’s goal.

At the other end almost immediately, Alkerwivdeer made yet another fine save when he went full stretch to push over another Odunwo strike and United went in at the break two goals to the good.

United’s third took just four minutes, a near post corner from the left being flicked into his own net by Hampton midfielder Harry Chapman.

Three soon became four as Alkerwivdeer spilled a shot from distance and Wilson was quickest to the loose ball, tapping home unopposed.

With the game seemingly sown up, United relaxed a little and the visitors twice could have grabbed a lifeline in the final 20 minutes. Seth Griffith tried to curl the ball around Wootton only for the United keeper to make a flying catch diving to his left and then with 10 minutes to play Scott James broke onto a throughball, Wootton’s dive forced him wide and he fired the ball across the six yard box but just out of the reach of the incoming Griffith.

Report by Kevin Watts.

United Man of the Match: Fawaz Olikotu-Thompson.