United see off visitors with Eze

This was the penultimate home outing for Cristian Colas’ men and the team appeared determined to impress.

It was highly competitive throughout the first half, however, as the Lilywhites sought to collect their first points on the road since a 4-2 triumph at Cockfosters and they produced the game’s opening shot as the ball sailed over Robbie Ponting’s crossbar.

United began probing midway through the half and after Kane Farrell fired his free-kick over, Alex Girdlestone came closest to breaking the deadlock when he twisted and shot towards the top right corner only to be denied by Damien Farrow in the Hoddesdon goa.

The hosts would find a way past the Lilywhites’ stopper, though, with Girdlestone turning provided to slip Abraham Eze in beyond and United’s top scorer wrestled clear of the defender before finishing beyond Farrow for his eighteenth of the campaign.

Thirty-nine minutes had elapsed prior to Eze’s opener but the expectant home crowd would have to wait just eight second-half minutes for their lead to be doubled.

James Cooper’s looping cross from the right travelled all the way across to Farrell, who pierced the gap between the right-back and the centre-half before controlling with his left foot and sticking it away with his right.

A powerful header from Kardan Campbell as he met a corner from the left could have swiftly halved the deficit were it not for the intervention of a composed Ponting, who captured the effort.

The clinching goal would arrive 20 minutes from time and it was Eze who added to his earlier strike by latching onto Gerard Martinez’s clipped ball, nodding it into his stride and finishing with aplomb.

United are back on the road this Saturday as they travel to Oxhey Jets.