Elliot strikes twice in United's five star second half showing

Two goals by Nick Elliot and an own goal by visiting defender Brad Robinson gave Cristian Colas’ team a 3-1 triumph at Second Meadow, moving them up to ninth in the SSML Premier Division table.

In truth, the scoreline could have been far more resounding such was United’s superiority, particularly in the second half, with Colas describing Saturday’s showing as one of his side’s best peformances of the season.

Despite the home team’s eventual dominance, it was the visitors from Hertfordshire who began the more threatening. Forward Adam Lawton could only blaze wide after being played in over the top, while Liam Griffin’s effort cannoned off the post following a corner.

United gradually came into the contest and began to fashion chances of their own. Charisma Agyemang let fly from the edge of the area to sting the palms of away goalkeeper Charlie May, before defender Jordan Wright fired over from point blank range while up for a set piece.

The men in red were dominating possession but despite forcing a succession of corners before the half time interval, they were unable to seriously test Wright.

Just before the break, United appealed for a penalty when captain Lee Bilcock almost had his shirt ripped in two by his marker, but the referee was unsighted.

Shortly after the restart, however, Biggleswade were awarded a spot-kick when Elliot was nudged in the back as he tried to get on the end of James Cooper’s excellent cross from the byline. The midfielder picked himself up to drill the ball home to the keeper’s right hand side.

From that moment on it was all one way traffic as United added penetration to their possession. Elliot fired over following some excellent interplay before Kevin Owusu drilled wide from Jayden Irish’s cutback.

United were particularly dangerous down their right hand side, with the impressive Agyemang again reaching the byline to pull the ball back for Owusu, but the striker could only scuff straight at Wright.

Agyemang then shot just over following more excellent work before United’s second goal arrived in bizarre circumstances. Elliot’s cross from the right was fairly innocuous, but Colney Heath full- back Robinson’s attempt to cushion a header back to his goalkeeper went disastrously wrong, flying beyond Wright’s despairing dive into the corner of the net.

The home team’s domination continued but out of the blue, the visitors gave themselves a lifeline just over five minutes from time. Luke Dollan powered a header past home keeper Tom Wyant from a corner, and suddenly it looked like United were set for a nervy end to proceedings.​

Colas’ players, however, regained their composure and killed the contest with a much-deserved third goal. More fluid build up play ended with Owusu picking out Elliot, who made no mistake by drilling home.

There was still time for substitute Alix Girdlestone to go close to adding a fourth for his side, with the final whistle sounding soon afterwards on a very satisfying afternoon for United.

They host Crawley Green on Saturday and St Margarets