Hadley Wood and Wingate fell to a 3-0 defeat for the second weekend running at home to Ampthill Town.

The Blues were hopeful of avoiding a repeat of the scoreline they were on the wrong end of when they visited Codicote last Saturday.

But goals from Jamie Cerminara, Leon Sondufu and Nathan Mallett consigned Frankie Webb’s side to their third loss by three or more goals in three weeks.

Wingate now sit six points clear of the relegation zone in 17th, with two games in hand over 16th-placed Bedford.

The Blues almost found themselves behind within 180 seconds but Sondufu contrived to poke Glenn Cooksley’s pass over the bar from practically underneath it.

But the visitors eventually took the lead after 20 minutes when Cerminara tapped James Tiller’s low cross home from a couple of yards out.

Wingate could have replied through William Figueira, but the winger fired over in acres of space when Brandon Dujon’s cross squirmed through to him.

Cerminara saw a header beat Ross Weinrabe but Joseph Toscani bailed out his goalkeeper and cleared the ball as it trickled towards the line.

And at the other end Ampthill’s Sean Green tipped Alex Hadjithemistou’s long range drive over the bar with his fingertips to keep his side in front at the break.

The visitors doubled their lead two minutes after the restart when Sondufu atoned for his earlier mistake, driving at Wingate’s defence before picking out the bottom corner from the edge of the box.

Dujon forced Green into a smart stop at his near post when his cross swerved towards goal, but Mallet eventually sealed the win with a remarkable solo goal.

Ampthill’s number seven nutmegged Ben Reynolds on the left wing, rode a tackle as he drove into the box and finished smartly between Weinrabe’s legs with 20 minutes left.

Wingate’s keeper denied Ampthill twice in the dying stages, coming out on top of a one-on-one with Josh Adilekya and saving Arrun Ramsey’s low drive with his legs, but the game was already well out of sight for the Blues.

However, a potentially confidence-boosting trip to bottom side Arlesley Town Reserves – who boast just eight points and are the only team with a worse goal difference than Wingate in the league – awaits next Wednesday.