Adelaide United has withstood a late surge from the hapless New Zealand Knights to win 4-2 at Hindmarsh Stadium and claim second spot on the A League ladder.

United strolled to a 3-0 lead by 56th minute but had to endure an anxious finale.

New Zealand netted its first goal in 607 minutes of play through substitute Noah Hickey and then made it 3-2 when United defender Adam van Dommele deflected the ball in for an own goal.

But Socceroo Travis Dodd cemented the Adelaide win with a clinical header in the 84th minute to ease the nerves of coach John Kosmina, watching from the grandstand after starting his four-game sideline suspension.

United started without experienced Chinese striker Shengqin Qu and Angelo Costanzo who succumbed to niggling injuries but were still too speedy and efficient for the dour Knights, who slumped to their seventh straight loss.

Australian under 20 team striker Nathan Burns and veteran striker Carl Veart netted in clinical fashion before halftime to set up United's fifth win in its past seven games and bypass Queensland in second spot behind tearaway league leader Melbourne Victory.

Dutch midfielder Bobby Petta then finished a brilliant left wing cross from winger Jason Spagnuolo in the 56th minute from close range before the Knights made a comeback.

A long throw from defender Darren Bazeley eventually fell to Hickey in the 65th minute and he drove the ball home from 15 metres to score only the Knights' second goal of the season and the first in seven matches.

Adelaide United seemed to get jittery in defence from that point and conceded a second six minutes later as van Dommele's body deflected home a corner from Malik Buari for 3-2.

United keeper Robert Bajic then had to make a flying save from an Adam Casey drive before Bazeley just missed with a low shot from 15 metres.

But Dodd saved any United embarrassment when he connected clinically with a left wing cross from Burns to ensure the win.

The Knights unveiled Brazilian recruit Fernando as a late signing with the same name as United's injured striker Fernando but he failed to add lustre to the Knights' play.

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