HARTLEY Wintney travelled to Westwood Road, St.Ives, where Cambridge City currently ground share while waiting for their new stadium is being built.

In the battle between two of the promotion hopefuls it was City who came out on top with an emphatic 4-1 victory over a lacklustre Hartley Wintney side.

The City started the brighter and on five minutes a long run from Salim Relizani finished with his parting shot being saved by Paul Strudley in the Row goal.

Three minutes later, Hartley had a chance when Nic Ciardini flicked on a long throw which saw a Paul Hodges header saved by City goalkeeper Josh Bexon.

Cambridge gained the upper hand and played some decent football on a very challenging pitch.

On 36 minutes a corner from Ryan Towner found the head of Ryan Sharman who saw his effort hit the top of the crossbar.

However, the pressure finally told four minutes later when a Towner’s free-kick was not fully cleared by the Hartley defence and a return cross into the area was headed home by Jordan Williams.

Hartley had some pressure in added time for the first period and a cross from the right by Jake Baxter was headed wide by Liam Eagle.

It took the City just one minute after the break to extend their lead.

Ebby Nelson-Addy and James Hall combined well inside the Row area and the latter fired home with a low shot from 10 yards.

The home side dominated and had four further chances to increase their lead.

Firstly on 51 minutes a corner from Towner found Jordan Gent on the edge of the box and his shot deflected wide.

Then on 59 minutes, Towner set up Relizani who shot and forced Strudley into a smart save.

The third opportunity came a minute later when a Towner corner found the head of Gent whose powerful effort was well parried by Strudley.

Almost immediately a deft pass found Sharman completely unmarked through the middle but he blazed his shot high and wide of the goal.

Against the run of play the Row reduced the arrears on 63 minutes.

Dean Stow worked space on the right and his measured cross was headed home by Jake Baxter. Cambridge responded almost immediately when Ryan Towner made ground from midfield and after playing a one two from a waiting forward fired home the City third from 20 yards.

City remained firmly in control and were unfortunate not to add to their total before the 70th minute.

Then Ebby Nelson-Abby played a ball through the Hartley defence enabling James Hall to run on and shoot low past Strudley.

On 78 minutes Ben Robinson made good progress down the right wing and his cross just eluded the inrushing substitute Lewis Wilson.

Two minutes later Ben Seymore-Shove set up Robinson who saw his shot from a difficult angle saved by Strudley.

Cambridge continued in the ascendancy and on 86 minutes Seymore-Shove and Wilson combined and the latter saw his shot parried by Strudley.

Seymore-Shove collected the rebound and set up Wilson for a second effort which was again saved by Strudley.

In the last minute of normal time a cross from Robinson found Sharman whose header came back off the post.

In added time Nelson-Addy had a fierce shot which was tipped over by Strudley. From the resulting corner by Towner the Row were unable to clear. A return cross was delivered by Seymore-Shove and Wilson headed over.

A difficult day for Hartley Wintney. Perhaps the one small crumb of comfort was the news that several other teams in the play-off places also had poor results.

After the game joint manger Anthony Millerick said: suppose we took all the plaudits with a great show against Rushden and Diamonds. Today we must take the criticism that is due after a very poor performance. This includes managers, coaches and players.

“The way the game panned out we could have lost 8-1. We never got going.

“It is rare that players one to 11 on the field were inferior to their counterparts in the opposite side.

“We have six games left to gather in eight points and we must treat these like cup finals.”

Hartley start this quest on Tuesday, at home to Thame United.