Hatfield United started the new year with a bang and a well-deserved victory against Aldenham - making it four games unbeaten in the last five.

The 2-1 win at a rain-soaked Birchwood leaves them 10th in the table and is just further proof of what might have been had it not been for a poor start to the campaign.

Saturday's success saw them put pressure on their loftier opponents from the first minute with Matt Noot and Curtis Warner both denied by the Aldenham keeper, who also tipped a Dale Stewart free-kick over the top.

The keeper also denied Darren O'Brien from a set-piece and with Warner and Sylvester Makubuya but the longer the half went on without a goal, the more United began to get frustrated.

It could have been worse too as Dan Blacktopp needed to make a superb point-blank save to get them to the break at 0-0.

Aldenham began to get back into the game in the second half and Blacktopp was again called on to prevent them taking the lead.

Eventually though Hatfield did get the breakthrough as Noot burst through the Aldenham defence before rifling his shot low past the keeper.

That was on 55 minutes and eight minutes later they had a second, Solomon Dowadu's first attempt from a Rod Agyeman-Duhar cross was saved but the keeper couldn't stop the forward from getting to the rebound and slamming it high into the net.

There were chances to make it three, Agyeman-Duhar and Charlie Woodward both going close, but United took their foot off the gas and as Aldenham pushed forward, they found a way back into the contest from a corner.

And with darkness falling the home side were indebted to Blacktopp for pulling off another outstanding save to prevent Aldenham gaining a rather undeserved equaliser.