Cambridge United maintained the only unbeaten record in the Blue Square Premier with this fourth home win of the season, hitting back with a four minute double salvo after half-time to win a bruising encounter and rise to fourth place in the table.

Leo Fortune-West and Rob Wolleaston netted their sixth and second goals of the season respectively in the 48th and 52nd minutes to cancel out Guy Madjo's controversial early penalty for the visitors, and Danny Potter made a couple of important saves late in the game to ensure that United retained the points to rise to fourth in the table.

"I wasn't close enough to see the penalty incident to say whether it was or not," admitted Jimmy Quinn, "but the players said there was no contact.

"We had a couple of incidents in the first half where we might have had a penalty and I've seen them given before, but at half-time I told the lads 'we're on top of the game and it's just a matter of pulling into the right areas early enough when the ball is coming into the box'. I thought we were in the middle of the box too often and we needed to work to get outside the post to come onto it, which we did for the first goal.

"I told them if we scored we would win and that's what we did. It's another very hot day and it epitomises our performance today when you see Robbie Wolleaston running 60 yards across the park to make a tackle like that; that shows the spirit and the never-say-die attitude we've got. Crawley went to Aldershot a couple of weeks ago and beat Aldershot, so that was a tremendous result today and it keeps the run going.

"I told the players before the game that I didn't want them thinking about the run coming to an end and wondering when we were going to lose. I said 'let's keep taking it forward and believing we're going to win every game we play', and I thought we played some terrific football with some good balls into the box today.

"I would like to see us have a few more shots from outside the box," he added. "I think we get in areas where we're happy to pass it wide at times, and it's all about how many shots and how many crosses you can get in. I thought we deserved to win the game without a shadow of a doubt.

"I know the officials had a tough day today and to be honest it wasn't one of the best displays I've seen from officials, but you're going to get that at this level. We've had many of those and I told the lads at half-time that they were focusing more on not getting free kicks and refereeing decisions than focusing on playing and beating Crawley.

"I told them if they were going to get involved with the referee they might as well go and put a blue shirt on because it's unprofessional. So we tidied that up and I thought every one of them to a man did their job and we deserved to win it."

Quinn made two changes to the team that drew at Exeter last weekend, calling up Mark Peters in place of the injured Gavin Hoyte but also leaving out Courtney Pitt for the first time this season and recalling Mark Convery for his first start since the opening day at York, when he injured his hamstring.

"I'm in the fortunate position that everybody's on side and together, and I can give people a rest from time to time," explained the manager, who was appointed Cambridge United manager a year ago today.

"Leaving out Courtney was two-fold really; because I haven't been able to bring in another striker in yet I thought that Courtney could go on up there with a bit of pace and he did that for 15 minutes, and then we reverted him back to his left-hand side because I've got a lad (Robbie Willmott) coming in from the youth team who's got a lot of pace as well.

"I thought we tired a little bit in the midfield - that was Mark's first start since York and Darren Quinton ran his heart out today - and I thought we needed fresh legs in the middle of the park, so I put Stephen Reed in there and I thought Robbie Wolleaston (above) had a tremendous game - not in setting up chances or anything, but pure workrate and appetite to do well for the team.

"If we keep doing the 'dirty' side of the game - the closing down and running off the ball and making it hard for the opposition to play - we're more than a match for anybody at this level."

Of debutant Robbie Willmott, the 17-year-old youth team forward, Quinn enthused, "If you score goals at any level, and you've got that pace; the one thing you can't defend against in football at any level is pace and he's got that in abundance.

"I always say 'it's not how old they are, it's how good they are' and the lad's a good player. I want to make sure he keeps his feet on the ground, but certainly what an option he is - particularly away from home with some big pitches in our league - and I wouldn't hesitate in throwing the kid on.

"He's got an appetite for the game, he likes to run at people, and he had one great run there but just lacked the finishing touch.

"It's great for the fans and it's great for me to see these young players coming through; that's all credit to Jez - he's doing a great job. That's the benefit of playing in a really tough league in the Ridgeons where they play against men every week."

Quinn ended by praising the home fans for their continued support and the atmosphere they create at the Abbey Stadium.

"It was fantastic - I keep saying the fans are so important to us. There will be games where we go behind but they realise and they can see that the team are trying to do their best and trying to work as hard as they can.

"At times last year we didn't have that. And it wasn't for the want of trying last year, it was just a personnel thing and the confidence was very low, but we've started off great this season and I've got nothing but praise for our fans and certainly praise for the squad."

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

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