It was another bad day at the office for relegation threatened United as mid-table Biggleswade Town hit Paul and Ritchie’s side for six at Langford Road on Saturday.

After soaking up some early pressure from the home side without incident, United went close to opening the scoring in the fourteenth minute when a long Callum Adebiyi throw-in was headed up in the air by former Arsenal defender Gavin Hoyte, the ball dropping to Ramone Rose who saw his volley go just wide of the target.

Minutes later United were controversially behind as Robbie Parker broke into the United box, Darren Locke slid across to tackle and appeared to get the ball only for referee Simpson to point to the spot. Rhys Hoenes coolly sending Danny Boness the wrong way from 12 yards.

Boness then held on to a header from the same player as he was given too much space at the far post and within minutes a smart turn past Karl Stevenson saw Michael Richens free on the left inside the United box, his shot from an acute angle going into the side netting and that was really it for a very poor first half of football that saw United lose Rose to injury midway through.

United came out well in the second half looking to pull things level. A neat step over by David Hutton saw the ball reach Dylan Kearney, his instant lay off found Graeme Montgomery but his shot was held by home ‘keeper Ian Brown.

On the hour Montgomery should maybe have done better when he met an Adebiyi centre, his stooping header going wide of the post.

After this 15 minute spell, the home side basically took over the game. Richens went close again from distance before Waders substitute Tony Burnett collected the ball on the edge of the United box, Tom Broadbent slipped which gave the striker time and space to fire across Boness into the far corner to double the home side’s lead.

Minutes later it was three. Richens rode three tackles before being felled in the box by Sambou with the referee again pointing to the spot. This time Boness guessed correctly and was only fingertips away from keeping out the second Hoenes penalty but to no avail.

It was just two minutes before the ball was on the spot for the third time, Hoenes racing clear only to be brought down by Boness as the winger beat the United ‘keeper to the ball. Hoenes duly completed his hat-trick of penalties with a cheeky chip up the middle.

With 15 minutes still to go and United looking in total disarray, a poor pass in our own half was intercepted by Craig Daniel who let fly from 25 yards and with the aid of a deflection saw the ball fly into the top corner of the United net.

A rare sortie forwards saw Kearney get his head to an Adebiyi cross only to head wide before the Waders hit number 6. Richens was twice denied by excellent Boness blocks only for the ball to drop to Burnett a few yards out and he back-heeled the ball past the defenders on the line to end a thoroughly miserable day for United who must re-group before Friday’s crucial home encounter with St Neots Town.

Report by Kevin Watts.