Cambridge United slumped to a torrid 0-4 defeat at the hands of Stevenage at the Abbey Stadium.
Goals from Elliott List, Jake Cassidy, Charlie Carter and Charlie Lakin inflicted a painful loss on United, whose poor run of form continued in League Two.
United made three changes as Kyle Knoyle returned from injury and was also joined by Dan Jones and George Taft across the U’s back four, who both stepped back into the side. Sam Smith missed the clash with a back problem, whilst Harry Darling was absent due to an illness.
Harvey Knibbs mis-timed a header over the bar three minutes into the match, having been found by the returning Knoyle with a chipped cross to the striker who had peeled off his marker.
Charlie Lakin gave Dimi Mitov his first piece of action on 16 minutes, when the midfielder arrived late to head goalwards but it was caught by the Bulgarian in the centre of his goal.
The U’ couldn’t really get much going though as the first half progressed, and other than a scramble inside the six yard box which Stevenage hacked clear on 34 minutes, they never really tested Paul Farman in the visitors goal.
A disappointing half was compounded eight minutes before the break, when Elliott List caught the U’s defence napping, latched on to a ball over the top and fired it across goal into the opposite bottom corner to give Stevenage the lead.
Jack Roles replaced George Maris when the U’s returned for the second half, as Colin Calderwood looked for a response from his side.
Ben Nugent denied United a quickfire equaliser after the break, when the Stevenage centre back hooked clear a powered header at goal by George Taft from a corner.
Knibbs dragged an effort wide of the mark ten minutes after half time, when space opened up for the striker 18 yards out.
And the U’s task doubled in severity just after the hour mark when Jake Cassidy ghosted into the U’s area having lost Dan Jones and bulleted a header past Mitov from point blank.
Andrew Dallas and Jordan Norville-Williams were introduced to proceedings before the end but neither could add the fresh impetus required for a U’s fightback.
And a miserable afternoon for United was completed when Stevenage substitute Charlie Carter broke up the middle of the field, rounding George Taft before producing a clean finish 12 yards out. And Charlie Lakin added a fourth in stoppage time slamming in a loose ball in the U’s 18 yard box.
Cambridge United: Mitov, Knoyle, Taylor, Taft, Jones, O’Neil, Maris (Roles, 45 mins), Lewis, Dunk (Norville-Williams, 70 mins), Hannant (Dallas, 68 mins), Knibbs
Bookings: Knoyle, O’Neil
Stevenage: Farman, James-Wildin, Stokes, Digby, Parrett (Kennedy, 81 mins), Cassidy, Dabo, Nugent, Lakin, List (Carter, 64 mins), Leesley
Bookings:
Attendance: 4,228 (476)