Cambridge United shook off a virus scare to move to the top of the table with a third successive win.

Eight of United's players saw a doctor yesterday afternoon after suffering sickness and diarrhoea, but they all reported that they wanted to play today and the team cruised into a 3-0 lead by half-time thanks to goals from Rob Wolleaston and a brace from Leo Fortune-West.

With the effects of the virus perhaps taking their toll, Farsley fought their way back into the game and caused problems after the break and it took a goal from them to lift the U's again, with Fortune-West completing his hat-trick and Mark Albrighton scoring late to make it 5-1 and put the result beyond all doubt.

After the match, assistant manager Alan Lewer paid tribute to the players for their efforts and also thanked the fans for their support.

"Yesterday we didn't think the game would be on, so you have to give a lot of credit to the players who went out there today. At 4.30pm yesterday afternoon eight of them were in the doctor's surgery so if we'd have won 1-0 tonight we'd have been happy. With five goals, I don't think we can be disappointed with that performance."

Farsley came at United after the break and Lewer also paid credit to the hard-working part-timers who never stopped trying to get back into the game.

"They're a decent side, to be honest. We watched them last week at Rushden, and Rushden struggled to break them down, but we've come out of the traps and we had to do that because we knew we would tire towards the end.

"There's been a virus in the place and we have to give the players as much credit as we can. There was no point in crying about it before the game, and now we've got it out of the way and the players deserve all the credit. They went home yesterday, they rested up, they came in a 2 o'clock today and the support has been magnificent too.

"We need that behind us all the time," he stressed. "There are times when you're going to have little lulls in the game but overall this is a positive performance."

Asked about being at the top of the table and the only side in the division with maximum points after three games, Lewer admitted, "It gives you pressure but we go away now to Woking, who have watched us tonight, and these boys will have some more rest in them before Saturday so hopefully we can go there and pick up a point, and if we do we can keep the run going."

The Bank Holiday weekend brings two games in three days but United's no.2 is confident that United's small squad - missing injured pair Dan Chillingworth and Mark Convery - can cope with the demands.

"They're loving it at the moment. Yesterday they all wanted to play and all credit to them - they got themselves right for today and they deserve all the credit. It's all positive at the moment and the crowd behind us is magnificent.

"That gives us a big lift and the more people we can get in here the better it is for us and the better it is for the players. When we went flat just after half-time it was nice for the fans to get back on our side and show that. A lot of them don't know what's gone on this week, but we do and we're just pleased that we've come through the game with the three points."

United's next match is at Woking on Saturday (3pm), followed by a home game against Ebbsfleet United (formerly Gravesend & Northfleet) on Monday at 3pm.

[Match report] [Fixture list] [League table]

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