Cambridge United extended the unbeaten run to eleven games with this hard-fought 2-0 win at Barrow and kept pace with leaders Burton, who recorded a comfortable 5-0 win at struggling Weymouth.

Chris Holroyd scored both goals to take his tally to three in two games, but fourth-from-bottom Barrow lived up to Gary Brabin's pre-match billing as a team who would be hard to beat.

"We were expecting a really tough game here; they've only lost four times here all season and they've gone from strength to strength in the last eighteen months," he said afterwards.

"They got promotion last year after a great run, they started the season fantastically well and they've had a great FA Cup run, so they're a tough side and everyone has struggled to get points here and only four have won.

"For 90 minutes they rolled their sleeves up and made it hard for us, even when we scored. After the first goal we thought they might fold a bit, but they kept coming at us and I was delighted with our lads because from minute one we were very professional and disciplined and patient. At the times when we could play football I thought we played some good football, but this was never going to be an easy place to come and I'm absolutely delighted with every one of them."

With leaders Burton and third-placed Histon claiming comfortable and expected wins against Weymouth and Grays, United needed to win at Holker Street to keep pace at the top of the table and they rose to the challenge by matching Barrow's doggedness and settling the game with two well-taken goals.

"We knew we had to win," said Brabin. "We didn't expect anyone to slip up today and it's unfortunate what's happening at Weymouth because three or four months ago that was a tough fixture but it's a bit of a banker now, so we weren't expecting an upset there.

"We knew we had to look after ourselves and we probably were the ones that everyone was looking at to slip up today, and I was delighted with every one of the lads because we were very, very professional. We were immense at the back, as we have been all season, and I'm delighted with another clean sheet, especially away from home.

"We were rock solid and when our back four defend like that we're a tough side to beat, and I said at half-time that if we could keep that going I felt Chrissy was going to score because he looked sharp in the first half and I fancied him to score.

"When he got his second goal you always felt he would get his hat-trick and I think he probably missed his easiest chance when he was clean through, and then he had one ruled off for offside. So it was a great performance by Chrissy as well and we're delighted."

With seven games remaining, United are next in action at Woking on Monday 30th March (7.45pm). Although Brabin would like to keep the momentum going, he hopes the break in fixtures will allow some of the squad to recover from various niggling injuries.

"It's been a tough season and we're starting to pick up a few little niggles again, so in terms of recovery it will probably do us a bit of good," he said. "But you always feel when you have this momentum that you don't want the games to stop and you want them to come thick and fast.

"That's not possible because we haven't got a fixture now for almost two weeks so we've just got to recover and sit back and see how the other teams do."

With supporters and media speculating on United's chances of overhauling Burton and winning the title, despite the leaders' five point lead and two games in hand, questions are inevitable and Brabin responded cautiously.

"It's a big ask because Burton have such a massive advantage but we're just concentrating on ourselves. All I've said from day one is that I want to be in and around the top six with a realistic chance of promotion, and we're ahead of schedule and I was absolutely delighted with that performance."

Closing with words of praise for the away supporters who made the 270-mile journey north and whose tickertape debris was being swept from the nearby stand as he spoke, Brabin added, "I feel like I'm saying the same thing all the time about them; they're very consistent!

"They were brilliant again and they've made a right mess here for the stewards to clean up, so I think they've enjoyed themselves. It was a really tough fixture and it's a long way to come, and the travelling fans have shown how fanatical they are to come this far - I think they deserved to make that mess!"

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

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