Yemi Odubade scored one and assisted two for Stevenage
Stevenage went top of the Blue Square Premier table courtesy of a convincing win over dire, out-of-form Cambridge.
Yemi Odubade put Boro ahead, nodding home Stacy Long's ball from close range but Danny Crow levelled with a deft header from Courtney Pitt's free-kick.
The impressive Odubade then set up goals for Lee Boylan, who finished from 18 yards out, and Chris Beardsley.
Boylan completed the rout by converting Long's pass, before United's Brian Saah was dismissed for two bookings.
The defender's late sending-off ensured that the clubs' last six meetings have each seen at least one red card shown.
Stevenage are one point clear of Odubade's former club Oxford United, who had been top since 18 August and led at one stage by nine points.
But United have three games in hand on Stevenage, after their Boxing Day and New Year's Day clashes with Rushden & Diamonds were postponed.
Stevenage manager Graham Westley told BBC Three Counties Radio:
"The first half we stuttered and stumbled and didn't really get going.
"In the second half we really got a grip on the game and could have won by a great margin.
"The energy was the important thing from my point of view.
"Between minutes 45 and 65 the energy that the lads showed the professionalism of the last week to keep themselves right."
Cambridge boss Martin Ling told BBC Radio Cambridgeshire:
"It looked like men against boys. It looked like they wanted it more than us and that's a hard thing as a manager to say.
"We talked at half-time about showing what we're about, showing that we can be a force in this league - then we really crumbled in the second half.
"We were lucky to only get two put past us in the second half - I don't remember us going in their half much."
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