On our first visit to Eastbourne, an efficient performance and three classy goals ensured United's fourth straight win.

Gary Brabin made the one anticipated change to the line-up, bringing in midfielder Ben Farrell for the injured Paul Carden. Danny Potter took over the captain's armband and new loan signing goalkeeper Steven Drench took a place on the bench.

Eastbourne manager Garry Wilson named the same side that lost 6-3 at Oxford last weekend, and the game kicked off in a lively atmosphere with good support from both sets of fans.

White-clad United had chosen to kick off with the wind at their backs and chased and harried the home side from the off. After less than two minutes Felino Jardim worked the ball to Mark Beesley who set up Anthony Tonkin for a snap shot over the stand, and soon afterwards Beesley showed quick feet to slide the ball to Willmott and the teenager clipped it back into centre where McEvilly lost his marker but was unable to find the target.

It was all one-way traffic at this stage and Beesley got behind the defence in the fourth minute, leaving the goalkeeper in two minds, but a defender got back to clear as Beesley attempted to chip the ball over him. Then moments later Jardim crossed for Beesley but Jenkins made a brave challenge to clear the ball behind and won a free kick as Beesley caught him with his boot.

McEvilly was caught out twice in quick succession by the offside flag, and as United's passing moves began to break down in midfield and Felino Jardim was marked more closely the home side started to get into the game. Eastbourne striker Andy Atkin and Dan Gleeson were warned for a bad-tempered clash on 15 and three minutes later Eastbourne counterattacked as the lineman's flag stayed down but the ball flew wide.

The U's resisted the pressure though and on 21 a breakaway move from the edge of the United area saw Challinor and Jardim link to slide a low ball to Lee McEvilly on the edge of the area, and he calmly drew the keeper then finished clinically into the bottom corner for his fourth goal of the season.

Striker Mark Beesley was still seeking his first league goal of the season after a productive pre-season, and when Potter made a save and launched a counterattack the ball was worked quickly through Willmott and Gleeson to Beesley but his shot was blocked as a defender closed him down.

There was a scare at the other end on the half hour as Hatswell beat Tait to ball and nodded it over Potter and behind as he belatedly came for the ball, but the U's keeper got a punch to the resulting corner.

Beesley was denied again on 34 when he made a strong forward run into space but his shot hit a defender and fell kindly for keeper, and a minute later McEvilly's through ball picked out Willmott but his shot came off another defender and again fell nicely for Hook to claim.

But five minutes before half-time United made the pressure pay and extended their lead in a well-worked move. McEvilly won possession on halfway and found Jardim, and with McEvilly and Beesley running into the area and drawing the defenders, Jardim cleverly teed the ball up perfectly to Ben Farrell as he burst into the area and the young midfielder celebrated his first start of the season with a well-taken goal low into the right-hand corner.

The teams traded free kicks as the half drew to a close and the final chance came with a good ball from the on-fire McEvilly set up Jon Challinor, but his first-time shot rebounded off the goalkeeper's legs and fell for Willmott who couldn't direct it the right side of the post.

Half-time summary from match commentator Mark Johnson:
"With the wind at their backs United have scored two goals, which is the minimum they deserve from a good first half performance. It might be a different story playing into the breeze after the break but so far, so good."

Second half:
Both sides emerged unchanged for the second half and three minutes in there was a half-chance for Beesley, but as he closed down the goalkeeper the ball was smuggled clear by a number of covering Eastbourne players.

With the wind at their backs Eastbourne almost profited on 51 when a corner was half-cleared to Smart but the striker volleyed over the bar, and United's back four, with Hatswell and Bolland an increasingly secure and influential central partnership, stood firm and were rarely troubled.

Jardim was sent flying by Austin on the hour but Tonkin's free kick came to nought, and a minute later Eastbourne made a double change to bring on former Rushden striker Jean-Michel Sigere for the disappointed Atkin and winger Matt Crabb for Harding.

In the 67th minute Marc Pullan made a superb diving header to put the ball over his own bar then berated his goalkeeper for not claiming the ball, but Jardim's corner was cleared and a minute later Beesley had another shot saved from inside the area.

McEvilly went to the ground inside the area on 72 but there was no question of a penalty appeal, and the big striker let his frustration spill over a minute later when he collected the first booking of the game for a petulant shove into the back of Baker that sent him crashing into his own goalkeeper. Baker stayed down for treatment for a couple of minutes, while McEvilly came in for some verbal attention from the home fans.

Moments after play restarted Potter picked up a backpass as he was chased down by an Eastbourne player, at the cost of an indirect free kick inside the area, but space was restricted Harkin's free kick was deflected and blocked by the wall before being hacked away.

Gary Brabin decided to withdraw McEvilly in the 79th minute and sent on former Chester striker Chris Holroyd for his debut, and the youngster made an immediate impact with United's third classy goal of the afternoon.

Less than five minutes after Holroyd came on, Felino Jardim won the ball and fed it to Mark Beesley, and he played a through ball for Chris Holroyd who made an angled run into the area, waited for Hook to come off his line, then coolly chipped the ball over him to open his United account.

As the celebrations died down, Swansea loanee Chris Jones came on to replace the hard-working Robbie Willmott, who left the pitch to deserved applause from the travelling fans.

Eastbourne's part-timers kept pressing and won a corner with three minutes left but Harkin lifted a shot well over, and at the other end on 89 Holroyd teed the ball up for Beesley but it rolled under his foot on what was clearly not going to be his day.

There were a couple more half-chances as the clock ran down, as Challinor lifted a shot high and wide and Beesley had a shot blocked. But with the U's attacking almost at will against the shattered part-timers there was only time to bring on Darren Budd for Tait in the 93rd minute and for Pullan to clear a Jardim corner before the final whistle marked United's fourth consecutive win.

Eastbourne Borough:
Lee Hook, Ben Austin, Darren Baker, Marc Pullan, Neil Jenkins; Maurice Harkin, Paul Armstrong (c), Matt Smart, Pat Harding (Matt Crabb 61'); Andy Atkin (Jean-Michel Sigere 61'), Allan Tait (Darren Budd 93').
Subs not used: Jay Lovett, Chris Winterton.

Cambridge United:
Danny Potter (c), Dan Gleeson, Phil Bolland, Wayne Hatswell, Anthony Tonkin; Robbie Willmott (Chris Jones 86'), Ben Farrell, Jon Challinor, Felino Jardim; Lee McEvilly (Chris Holroyd 80'), Mark Beesley.
Subs not used: Steven Drench, Josh Coulson, Gavin Hoyte.

Booked: McEvilly foul 73'

Referee: Mr. R. Lee

Att: 2,105 (estimated 500, unsegregated)

Match Summary by match commentator Mark Johnson:
"The U's continued their 100% start to the season with a win every bit as convincing as the scoreline suggests. They made light of a long injury list with a thoroughly professional performance and the result looked in no doubt even before Lee McEvilly put United ahead midway through the first half. Ben Farrell added a second before the break before Chris Holroyd climbed off the bench to mark his debut with a well-taken third late on. Three more deserved points then, but you can't help feeling that United still have a little more up their sleeve."

Mark's Man of the Match:
"Phil Bolland - solid at the hard of the United centre-back pairing that provided the platform for the win. It's difficult to pick people out for honourable mentions in what was a good team effort."

Ref: Mr Lee - unobtrusive, accurate and efficient. 9/10."

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