Cambridge United fought back to take the points in this entertaining encounter at the Abbey Stadium.
Falling behind to an early rocket from Matt Tubbs, the U's were 2-1 up by half time courtesy of first goals for the club from Josh Coulson and Antonio Murray. They went on to dominate the second period, and wrapped up the match when Scott Neilson blasted in from just inside the area.
Such a comfortable victory had appeared unlikely after Salisbury dominated the opening 15 minutes. United struggled to maintain control of the ball as Tubbs and Aaron Martin caused problems for the back four, with make-shift left back Dave Partridge struggling to adjust to an unfamiliar role.
A superb piece of skill from Tubbs gave the visitors the lead in the sixth minute. Spotting Simon Brown meandering around near the penalty spot, he turned quickly and delivered a delicious lob over the keeper from fully 40 yards.
Eventually United stirred into life, and Coulson levelled the scores in the 23rd minute, knocking in the rebound after keeper James Bittner had parried Partridge's header.
And with the confidence garnered on a six-game unbeaten run flowing through the side, Murray struck in spectacular fashion to give his team the lead. Willock and Crow helped the ball across the box, and as it dropped to the ex-Histon man he guided a left-foot volley over Bittner and into the net from just outside the area.
United took charge in the second period, and Neilson rattled the underside of the crossbar with a powerful shot after being put in the clear by Danny Crow. Salisbury went straight up the other end and nearly mustered an equaliser, with Chris Flood seeing his effort canon back off the woodwork.
An audacious attempt from Crow was gathered by Bittner, before Neilson rounded off the scoring, rampaging into the box to latch onto a knock-down from sub Lee Phillips and crashing the ball into the net.
Salisbury rallied late on, and it took last ditch blocks from Brown, Coulson, and Saah to foil Anderson, Gray, and Adelsbury. But the visitors were unable to find a way back into the match, and despite an at times patchy performance, the U's ran out comfortable winners.
Man of the Match: Scott Neilson - Continued an eye-catching start to his United career with an all action performance. A constant thorn in Salisbury's side.
Cambridge United: Simon Brown, Dan Gleeson, Dave Partridge, Josh Coulson, Brian Saah, Antonio Murray, Paul Carden, Rory McAuley, Scott Neilson, Danny Crow, Callum Willock (Phillips 67). Subs: Jai Reason, Lee Phillips, Sam Ives, Adam Marriott, Kevin Roberts.
Booked: Partridge 17
Salisbury City: James Bittner, Sean Clohessy, Luke Ruddick, Chris Giles, Chris Bush, Ben Adelsbury, Stuart Anderson, Jake Reid, Aaron Martin, Matt Tubbs, Chris Flood. Subs: Danny Webb, Bradley Gray, Reece Connolly, Toby Osman, Ryan Pryce.
Booked: Ruddick 37
Referee: Mr A.R. Hendley
Attendance: 2028 (Away 25)
Matthew Gooding
FULL TIME: CAMBRIDGE UNITED 3 - 1 SALISBURY CITY
21.39: Marriott chases a lost cause and nearly profits from some hesitant defending. Salisbury counter, and Brown comes to meet an Anderson cross but can't get a good punch on the ball. Luckily Martin can't force in the rebound, and moments later comes the full time whistle. After making a poor start United dominated possession for most of the match, and in the end were worthy winners. A fourth successive victory moves Martin Ling's side further away from the relegation zone
21.38: Ball skims off the head of Jai Reason and Salisbury have a corner which they waste. After dominating the first 20 minutes it's all gone a bit wrong for the Whites.
21.36: There have been a lot of offsides on this game, which is either indicative of two well-drilled defences or two flag happy linesmen. I think it's the latter in this case. And that should have been 3-2. Gray finds space at the far post to meet the long free kick, but shoots across goal and wide of the target from the corner of the six yard box.
21.35: United have lost their impetus since the substitutions, and Salisbury are pressing as we enter the final minute. Clohessy cuts inside and tries a shot but can only trickle an effort into the waiting hands of Brown.
21.33: Sloppy from Gleeson, who conceeds possession with a poor clearance then fouls Gray near the touchline. Free kick that's better than a corner from the Salisbury left. The muscular Reid again climbs to meet the cross but the ball squews off his head and wide. Coulson stays down again but is eventually on his feet without the need for treatment.
21.30: McAuley fouls Reid, free kick to Salisbury in a good cross position. Clohessy's delivery is again decent, and Reid climbs to meet it but directs his header wide.
21.29: The ball somehow stays out of the United net, with first Anderson, then Gray, then Adelsbury having shots blocked by Brown, Coulson, and Saah. The ball seemed to spin loose in the area about five times there. That could have set up an interesting last seven minutes.
21.28: A final change for the U's with Jai Reason replacing Murray.
21.27: Foul by Gleeson on Martin gives Salisbury a free kick 40 yards out. Coulson meets Clohessy's set piece, but can only whack the ball straight up in the air, and it's eventually headed out for a throw.
21.25: Neilson tracks back well to muscle the much larger Martin off the ball and draw a foul. He's a real asset to the team is Neilson, hopefully Ling will be able to extend his stay at the Abbey for the rest of the season.
21.24: Crow going off now after a typically hard working, though fruitless, performance. Young Adam Marriott is his replacement.
21.23: Neilson again involved, dancing his way along the touchline away from a defender, but his cross is cleared.
21.20: GOAL CAMBRIDGE UNITED 3 - 1 SALISBURY CITY. Get in, Scott Neilson nets his third goal for the club, and the team's third on the night. Phillips gets a flick onto McAuley's throw, the ball bounces off a defender's hand, and falls to the on loan winger , who blasts it into the net from the left corner of the box. No chance Bittner, that should be game over.
21.18: Tubbs tries an ambitious overhead kick but only finds the hands of Brown. The fourth official causes mirth by announcing that number 15 will be replacing number 15. Eventually he changes his mind, and it turns out Connolly will be replacing Tubbs. Strange decision that. Chris Flood also departs, with Bradley Gray taking his place.
21.16: Coulson in the wars now, down with a head injury. He's back on his feet after a couple of minutes, and is led gingerly to the side of the pitch.
21.14: First change for United, with Phillips replacing Willock, who has put in another good stint up front for United, but been less effective since the break.
21.13: The game is opening up now, and Reid wriggles through and blasts the ball across the six yard touch, where a fortunate touch off Coulson takes it away from Tubbs. At the other end Murray tries to get Crow in but he can't get his shot away.
21.11: Lobs all over the place tonight. Crow races onto a long ball from Partridge and tries a first time effort with the outside of his boot which Bittner has leap and clasp from under his crossbar.
21.09: Nearly an equaliser out of the blue for Salisbury there. Flood tries his luck from distance and sees the ball smack against the bar. Adelsbury can only guide the rebound into Brown's hands. United are far from safe in this one, Salisbury growing in confidence again.
21.08: Both players are fit to continue, and Gleeson is straight back into the action, latching onto a Neilson pass and playing the ball into Crow. He tries to help it back to Neilson, who tangles with a defender near the byline and conceeds a free kick.
21.05: Adelsbury goes down in the box hoping for a spot kick, hope being the operative partof the word. Nothing doing says the ref, and in the aftermath both Gleeson and Saah go down injured, meaning both physios rush on to see to the U's pair.
21.03: Scrappy this half so far, but that's a great pass from Crow, which puts Neilson in the clear. The winger beats the keeper but sees his shot canon off the underside of the bar and away to safety. Crow can't turn in the rebound, that could have been 3-1.
21.01: Route one from the U's as Willock charges through onto a long Brown clearance, but he can't quite reach the ball and Bittner manages to grab it off the striker's toes.
21.00: Close call on the far side, three Salisbury players race through the United defence and the offside flag goes up very late against Clohessy.
20.56: Crow with a free kick just outside the area after hand ball. However his low shot is deflected, and eventually cleared. Not the best free kick I've ever seen.
20.53: Gleeson dicing with death near his own corner flag, but does well to play the ball off Bush and away for a goal kick.
20.52: We're off again, although the tannoy man has forgotten to turn the music off. Will.I.Am has a feeling this is gonna be a good good night, for whom remains to be seen.
20.44: No half time entertainment involving giant testicles this week, which is a crying shame if you ask me. Histon 1-0 down at Stevenage. Difficult to say who I'd prefer to win that one.
HALF TIME: CAMBRIDGE UNITED 2 - 1 SALISBURY CITY
20.34: Willock chases onto a long ball from Carden, having his shirt yanked by Bush as he goes. The U's striker retaliates with a bit of tugging of his own, and of course the free kick goes to Salisbury. And seconds later it's half time. United started slowly but are in command of this match now. Tubbs is a threat on the break for the visitors, but they'll need to get more players up in support of him if they are to get back into this match.
20.31: Three minutes to be added, not really sure where that's from, perhaps the ref is hoping to see another quality goal before the break.
20.28: Foul by Saah on Tubbs gives the visitors a free kick to the right of the area, but Clohessy's cross is poor and Carden whips it away.
20.27: The visitors seem to have declared open season on Callum Willock's ankles. The United target man is chopped down 35 yards out for a free kick, which is released to Gleeson on the right. His cross to the far side finds Crow, who tries an acrobatic volley but can only loop the ball into the hands of Bittner.
20.25: Salisbury clear the free kick, but they can't clear their lines properly, and United have a throw 30 yards out. Neilson tackled and Salisbury break, but a striker has wandered offside.
20.23: YELLOW CARD. Ruddick goes in the book for stopping Gleeson taking a quick throw. Giles should join him moments later after conceeding a free kick then booting the ball away. Lenient from the ref, who just gives him a talking to.
20.21: Confidence coursing through the veins of the United players now, and an extravagant flick from Crow releases Murray then Neilson, but the winger can't get his cross in. We've seen two quality goals tonight, quite out of keeping with a match between two mediocre Conference outfits.
20.18: GOAL CAMBRIDGE UNITED 2 - 1 SALISBURY. Stunner from Antonio Murray to put United ahead. The ball is helped across from the right by the head of Willock, and from just outside the area the winger loops a left footed volley over Bittner and into the net. Superb strike.
20.17: Neilson's initial free kick is headed away. Murray returns it with interest but Willock is retreating from an offside position and Salisbury have a free kick.
20.15: The goal of knocked the stuffing out of Salisbury, but the pace of Tubbs is still a constant thorn in big Brian Saah's side. Great strength from Willock wins a free kick from Adelsbury, 35 yards or so from goal in the centre of the pitch.
20.13: Carden's through ball has to be thumped into touch by Adelsbury. United work the ball across the pitch from the throw, by Crow can't react to Willock's chest down.
20.11: Good strength from Murray, who almost manufactures a chance for himself by charging a clearance from Giles down. However the ball ricochets off the winger and over the bar.
20.10: Amazing what a goal can do, United are back in possession, and break down the right with Neilson and McAuley, but they can't quite find Willock. Really pleased for Coulson, who seems to have hit every inch of woodwork in his efforts to score his first goal for the club in recent weeks.
20.09: GOAL CAMBRIDGE UNITED 1 - 1 SALISBURY. They barely deserve it, but United are level. Carden's initial free kick from 40 yards is headed away, but U's skipper picks the ball up again and delivers to the far post. Dave Partridge climbs and heads it across goal, and although Bittner manages to get a hand to it, Josh Coulson is on hand to ram in the rebound.
20.07: Crow and Willock link, but the latter can't get his shot away. Salisbury have retreated into full on 4-5-1 now, with only Tubbs bothering the U's back line. In fairness at the moment that's all the visitors need, he's all over the place.
20.04: United break with Willock, holding the ball up well and releasing Murray, whose cross is shanked behind for a goal kick. Poor. The general malaise afflicting United's play has spread to the usually unflappable Saah, whose attempted pass to Gleeson flies straight into the Habbin.
20.03: YELLOW CARD: It's fair to say that Partridge doesn't look entirely comfortable at left back. An aggrecultural lunge on Reid earns him a deserved booking and Salisbury have a free kick, which is headed away.
20.01: U's free kick after Crow is flattened. It's to no avail though, as Carden's ball into the box is headed clear.
19.59: Chase for Neilson, who races forward onto a McAuley pass and forces the defender to conceed a throw. From the restart the same player tries to link with Wllock, but the ball is soon back with Salisbury.
19.57: First corner deflected behind, and the second is claimed by Brown. But the keepers clearance gifts possession back to Salisbury, United haven't got a grip on this game yet, and the visitors look primed to take advantage.
19.56: Sloppy from Carden, who is dispossessed by Flood on half way. The Salisbury man springs the livewire Tubbs away down the Salisbury right, and his cross just evades the waiting striker. Salisbury come again and Brian Saah stoops to head behind for a corner.
19.55: The ball into the box isn't a bad one, but flies just over everyone and out for a U's throw on the Habbin side of the pitch.
19.54: United at sixes and sevens here, and a break down in communication between Gleeson and Crow allows Salisbury to break, and Tubbs is foiled by a last ditch lunge from Partridge. However, the danger isn't cleared and the same player conceeds a free kick for leaning on Clohessy.
19.52: GOAL CAMBRIDGE UNITED 0 - 1 SALISBURY. Salisbury in front and that's an amazing strike from Matt Tubbs. Picking the ball up 40 yards from goal he spots Brown off his line and lobs it over the stranded keeper and into the net. Great goal, though you'd question the United keeper's positioning there.
19.51: Nice move from United. Neilson crosses, Willock nods the ball on and Crow releases Murray with a lovely flick round the corner. However the former Histon man tries a first time shot from just inside the box and drags it wide.
19.49: Willock nudged in the back near the half way line, and that's another free kick. Partridge's delivery is a poor one, and Salisbury volley clear.
19.48: Free kick to United on half way now, which Carden will take. He lofts it high into the box but that's an easy take for the shaven-headed James Bittner. He tries to launch a quick counter-attack but kicks straight through to Simon Brown.
19.47: Early free kick into the United box from half way repelled by Coulson and Carden at the expense of a throw in the corner. Gleeson clears his lines from Ruddick's looping throw and Salisbury try and follow up but only succeed in putting the ball behind for a goal kick.
19.46: Here we go, United attacking the virtually empty South stand.
19.44: The teams are out, United in their traditional Amber and Black, Salisbury in striking traffic-cone orange. Nice.
19.41: Of course, the only song we're really interested in hearing tonight is Coconuts...
19.39: One welcome change at the Abbey tonight is that we have a different pre-match soundtrack. Just been grooving to a bit of La Roux, and now we're rocking to, er, We Will Rock You.
19.25: TEAM NEWS: Three team changes for the U's - Aiden Palmer and Simon Russell drop out because of injury, so David Partridge and Antonio Murray come into the starting line up. Don't really see Partridge as a rampaging full back myself, but we'll see how he does in an unfamiliar role. The other alteration sees Dan Gleeson return at the expense of Kevin Roberts.
No place in the Salisbury starting line up for Danny Webb, former United striker turned centre back. Midfield lynchpins Daryl Clarke and Rob Sinclair are also missing, but top scorer Matt Tubbs will pose a threat up front.
19.20: Hello folks, and welcome to a sparsely populated Abbey Stadium for tonight's game with Salisbury City.
