Goals from Josh Coulson and James Jennings saw Cambridge United record their first win of the season against a hard-working Eastbourne side.
After five games without a victory, the pressure was building on Martin Ling's men, but they responded well and could have won by a greater margin.
The home crowd wanted an early goal, and United delivered in the eigth minute. James Jennings inswinging corner from the left was headed in at the far post by the unchallenged Josh Coulson.
Daryl Clare was making his first start of the season, and could have made it two moments later when he sidefooted straight at the keeper after good work from Danny Wright.
Eastbourne threatened sporadically, mainly from the long throws of Ross Treleaven, but the U's defence held firm and Jennings, who only played after the U's filed an appeal over his sending off at Mansfield on Saturday made it two in spectacular style. Wright won a free kick 30 yards from goal, and the young left back curled a beautiful shot past the keeper, beating Rikki Banks at his near post.
Further chances came in the second half, with Banks denying Wright, Clare, and substitute Robbie Willmott, and Andy Atkin seeing a header rebound off the bar for the visitors. But no more goals were forthcoming, and the U's were left to toast a victory which moves them up to 17th in the table.
Man of the Match: Josh Coulson - Rock solid at the back under a barrage of Eastbourne set pieces, and scored the crucial opening goal.
FULL TIME CAMBRIDGE UNITED 2 - 0 EASTBOURNE BOROUGH
16.50: There goes the full time whistle, here come the Coconuts! A well deserved first win of the season for the U's, who had chances to increase their margin of victory, but had to settle for first half strikes from Coulson and Jennings.
16.49: Gray wins a free kick near the right touchline, perhaps time to finish with a flourish. Jennings takes, but that's too deep and out for a goal kick. That will be that one would think.
16.48: United have stood up well to Eastbourne's set piece barrage. This time McAuley heads a left wing corner away to safety. Ling will be very satisfied with this performance.
16.46: Footballers are so stupid. Brown carries the ball behind his own line for a corner. Crabb tries to retrieve it and pushing and shoving ensues, resulting in both being yellow-carded. Corner to Eastbourne which is overhit and cleared. Last change for United, Marriott on for a knackered looking Clare.
16.44: Great break from the U's after an Eastbourne corner, Platt and Clare getting it forward to Willmott, who runs clear on goal from inside his own half. But with all the time in the world to pick his spot, his shot is too close to the keeper, who saves well. Saah can't force in the rebound, not sure what he was doing up there. Five minutes to be added.
16.41: Corner from the Eastbourne left goes over everybody, and that's out on the far side for a goal kick. Three minutes left if they're going to get back into this.
16.40: YELLOW CARD. Willmott will go in the book for that, it's a late tackle on Elphick. 2,465 in attendance today, 85 of whom have come from Eastbourne.
16.37: It's Willmott again in the action, cleaned out by Baker as he looks to skip past the veteran. Free kick in front of the habbin, Willmott and Jennings over it, the latter takes and the keeper clears with an unconvincing punch.
16.36: Willmott twists and turns inside the Sports half and wins a free kick, which he himself will take. Platt gets a flick on that but it's straight through to the keeper.
16.34: United players in the wars today, Rory McAuley goes up for a header and collapses in a heap, this doesn't look great given Rory's recent problems. It's a shame if he does have to go off as he's been quietly effective at right back. He's back on his feet now though, and back on the pitch as Eastbourne restart with a long throw that Brown punches away.
16.33: Free kick to United, Clare manhandled by Elphick. Jennings' delivery finds Saah, who heads it down and Coulson shoots over. Good defending from Langston to put him off.
16.31: Willmott forward after a good interception from Simon Russell stops Eastbourne in their tracks. Robbie's pass is a good one, finding Clare, but Banks makes a good save from his angled shot. Final Eastbourne substitution, it's Taylor for Atkin.
16.28: Another substitution, Strevett off and Matt Smart on for Eastbourne.
16.27: Brown will be ok, players like him don't go off with neck injuries. He shows he's back in action by nodding back to his keeper under pressure from Gray.
16.26: Another U's change, Danny Wright going off and Wayne Gray replacing him. Typical hard-working display from Wright, though he might feel he should have got his name on the scoresheet. Another full blooded challenge from Danny Brown on Platt leaves the Eastbourne man injured, clutching his neck. Play stops again, it's been a bit disjointed over the last few minutes.
16.24: Simon Russell not looking happy now as Coulson makes an excellent clearance from Trelaevan's shot. Miller isn't going to continue, so Robbie Willmott will be on soon. Russell to centre midfield assuming he's alright.
16.21: Ouch, that was a meaty collision between Danny Brown and Miller. It sounded like the ball burst as it was spun up off their legs. Miller is down holding his shin, Brown has jogged off unscathed. Looks like Adam will be ok to continue, the shin pad seems to have done it's job. The ball is alright too by the way.
16.19: Nice pass from Platt, right to left freeing Jennings. He moves the ball on to Russell, who is crowded out and it's behind for a goal kick.
16.16: Clare has been quiet this half, perhaps time for a change from a U's perspective. He's on the ball now but his pass is overhit and Miller can't profit.
16.15: Nathan Crabb coming on for Eastbourne in place of Kane Wills. Crabb is usually a winger but appears to be going up top alongside Atkin.
16.14: United with a free kick now, foul on Wright. Miller tries to tease it in to the back post but it lacks power and Banks picks it up.
16.12: Unbelievable stuff, United undone by a cross from the right, Atkin climbs unmarked but sees his header rebound off the bar. Treleavan is onto the follow up, but with the whole goal to aim at his header is blocked on the line by a combination of Brown and two defenders. United somehow survive.
16.11: There's the link again between Platt and Wright, but Elphick gets back at the striker and takes the sting out of his shot. Perhaps an earlier pass would have been better.
16.10: Spirited run from McAuley there, out of defence and trying to find Russell, but he can't keep the ball in and it's clear. United straight back on the offensive though, Platt to Wright, whose shot is better than his last attempt but is still saved fairly comfortably by Banks.
16.09: Platt holds the ball up and finds Wright, who drifts past a challenge but shoots straight at Banks. That was a clear sight of goal for the striker.
16.07: Another long throw causes mild panic, but results in Brinkhurst sending a shot all along the ground into Brown's clutches.
16.05: In it comes but a great header from Adam Miller clears the danger. He's been busy this afternoon has the midfielder.
16.04: Good tackle from Rory McAuley stops an Eastbourne break, they had a man over, but have to settle for a Trevalean throw. United don't deal with it particularly well, and this time the visitors have a corner on their left.
16.03: Miller stays onside and gets clear on the right. His cross finds Platt, who picks out Carden, but his volley flies over the bar. Bit early in the season for a goal from the skipper.
16.02: Eastbourne could do with an early goal here if they're going to get back into this, and Weatherstone almost provides it with a shot that creeps past the post. Brown had that under control I think.
16.00: United kick off, and immediately go long looking for Wright, but it's cleared.
15.59: The team's are out, no changes as far as I can tell. U's attacking the Newmarket Road End in the second half, as per usual.
HALF TIME CAMBRIDGE UNITED 2 - 0 EASTBOURNE BOROUGH
15.44: There goes the half time whistle. Goals at the start and the end of the half mean the home dressing room will be a happy place to be at the break. It hasn't all been plain sailing, but United are half-way to that elusive victory.
15.43: Another U's free kick now, right on the left touchline. This time Jennings' delivery isn't up to scratch, and Banks grabs it easily.
15.42: Apparently JJ is only playing today because we've appealed his sending off at Mansfield. Even if the appeal fails Martin Ling will surely now consider it worthwhile.
15.40: GOAL CAMBRIDGE UNITED 2 - 0 EASTBOURNE BOROUGH. Great play from Danny Wright, who goes past two defenders, the second of whom tugs him back. That was Strevett, and he's in the book. U's free kick 25 yards out. Jennings to take, and that's a peach, beating Banks at his near post. 2-0 United, lovely stuff.
15.37: Jennings with the corner, it's bouncing around in the box, and that's off the line! Platt with the dinked shot which beats the keeper but is sliced clear by Elphick. Good clearance from the Sports skipper.
15.36: Treleavan cranks up the throw, and Jennings again heads away at the expense of a corner. United are on the attack quick as a flash, clearing the ball and breaking down the right with Russell and Platt, who win a corner for the U's. Good stuff.
15.35: Another Eastbourner corner won by Treleavan, and it zips into the six yard box, where Elphick gets a touch, but not a telling one, and Brown collects.
15.31: Wright onto Clare's round-the-corner pass, but he's crowded out before he can get a shot off. That's better from United.
15.28: This is Eastbourne's best spell, and they have another corner after a spell of penalty box pinball, McAuley hurriedly clearing behind. Corner is too deep, but Weatherstone picks up the loose ball and flashes a shot wide. Brown had it covered, but the U's need to up their game here.
15.26: YELLOW CARD Treleavan with another throw into the six yard box, and that's nodded over his own bar by Jennings for a corner. Half away by Wright and Miller, but Eastbourne come again with Brinkhurst, who goes down in the box and gets... a yellow card for diving.
15.25: Can't get over how bad that free kick was. Anyway, Platt on the run once more, but he's crowded out and Brian Saah has to come across and halt a Sports attack.
15.22: Carden intercepts an Eastbourne clearance and is bundled over 30 yards out. A free kick to United, perhaps slightly fortuitous, but a good position to either shoot or hang a cross up to the far post. Four players plotting, this is likely to be intricate, and of course it turns out to be a complete dogs dinner, awful stuff. McAuley doesn't seem to be on the same wavelength as his team mates, and stumbles over the ball allowing Eastbourne to clear.
15.19: Another United corner won by Wright, who sprints onto Clare's pass but sees his attempted cross blocked behind. Jennings again presiding over this, after the ref has had a word with Saah and a defender for some kind of off-ball indescretion. Cross is aimed at Coulson once more but Banks claims.
15.16: Conal Platt with some space to run into for the first time here, and he finds Jennings on the overlap. His cross is to the far post and nodded behind for another corner. Jennings to take again, but Eastbourne deal with this one better than last time and clear their lines.
15.14: Another Treleavan exocet arcs into the area from beside United's left corner flag. Aitken meets it, but heads wide under pressure from a defender.
15.13: Josh Coulson down after a blow to the head caused by a tussle with Aitken. But after some treatment he's fit to continue.
15.11: Almost 2-0 there, Wright running the left channel well, and sliding in a low cross which Clare side-foots, on target, but too close to Banks, who saves, then deals with the resulting corner. A sharper Clare would surely have put that away.
15.10: Eastbourne's Ross Treleavan has an amazingly long throw. It's Rory Delap-esque, but United have already dealt with a couple of them well.
15.09: United knocking the ball about in the last few minutes without getting very far, not that it matters too much when you're 1-0 up. The Clare - Wright partnership is already showing signs of promise, with the latter just failing to reach a flick from the former.
15.06: That goal might relieve a bit of pressure, and Russell seeks out Clare with a ball over the top which the striker can't quite reach before it sneaks out for a goal kick.
15.04: GOAL CAMBRIDGE UNITED 1 - 0 EASTBOURNE BOROUGH Corner to the U's as a long throw from Rory McAuley flicks off a defender and behind, despite the efforts of Banks. Jennings takes and Josh Coulson, unmarked, heads in at the far post. Great delivery, simple header, bosh.
15.02: Nice passing down the Eastbourne left, and United don't deal with it well, Jennings spooning his clearance out for a throw, which is cleared away to Clare, who links nicely with Russell on the counter attack. But the right-winger is crowded out and Sports clear.
15.00: The Eastbourne fans, mainly grouped in a small huddle in the Habbin, are in good voice as their side attack for the first time. But Baker's pass is overhit and runs through to Brown.
14.59: Clare almost reaches a long ball from the back, but is blocked off and it runs through to Banks.
14.58: And it's go go go.
14.57: The teams are out, we're nearly ready for kick off. Eastbourne have made loads of changes from their last game, no place for dangerous strikers Pacquette and Taylor. Hopefully United can take advantage.
Cambridge United: Simon Brown, Rory McAuley, James Jennings, Brian Saah, Josh Coulson, Simon Russell, Paul Carden, Adam Miller, Conal Platt, Daryl Clare, Danny Wright. Subs: Danny Naisbitt, Robbie Willmott, Daryl Coakley, Adam Marriott.
Eastbourne Borough: Rikki Banks, Steve Brinkhurst, Danny Brown, Gary Elphick, Matt Langston, Darren Baker, Ethan Strevett, Simon Weatherstone, Ross Treleavan, Kane Wills, Andy Aitkin. Subs: Jamie Taylor, Neil Jenkins, Ben Austin, Matt Smart, Nathan Crabb.
14.49: TEAM NEWS: United make two changes, with Rory McAuley and Daryl Clare coming in for their first starts of the season, replacing Kevin Roberts and Robbie Willmott, the latter of whom is on the bench. Eastbourne have a couple of familiar faces in the team in the form of ex-U's skipper Danny Brown, and former Histon centre back Matt Langston.
14.45: Hello folks and welcome to the Abbey Stadium for this afternoon's Blue Square Bet Premier match between Cambridge United and Eastbourne Borough. The sun is out in Cambridge, and the U's will be hoping to claim their first win of the season against the Sports
