Cambridge United recorded their second away win and clean sheet in four days on Tuesday night by coming away from Kettering with a 1-0 win.

Manager Martin Ling spoke to the club website after the full-time whistle and expressed his pleasure at the way his side have reacted to a poor run of form and the loss of six points due to Chester's expulsion from the league.

"There's been a change of fortune or luck I suppose, but also a change of mental attitude. When we knew the Chester points had gone, we knew we were in a relegation fight and asked the players to stand up and be counted.

"Over the last two games people have come to the fore and there are probably a couple who wouldn't have played if we hadn't had injuries in terms of Roberts and Coulson, but they've been as good as anyone on the pitch on the last two games and they've taken their chance with both hands."

Danny Crow's goal settled the fixture at Rockingham Road inside the last fifteen minutes, and Ling reflected on what was a battling defensive performance against a top-five side and some difficult conditions. "The pitch was quite bobbly, it's been difficult to play any football so we've had to dig in and do the dirty side of the game and I think that's been the case both at Barrow and here tonight.

"Chester's expulsion affected us more than anybody else so it was important to get six points back on the board, and we've gone five unbeaten with two away wins when the last one was back in August. We've not let it be negative in the dressing room, we've tried to work it as a positive and the lads have done really well in the last two games."

Speaking about the goal that sealed the points, Ling revealed the confidence he holds in the attacking players he has brought into the side to support leading scorer Crow. "We had the chance just before the goal and then scored from the corner, and Scott Neilson again had a part in the goal. He scored the goal on Saturday and made it tonight. Crowy got on the end of it as he has done all season.

"It's important to get clean sheets behind us and we went in at half time knowing that some chances were going to come along, and the wind was behind us in the second half. We'll always get chances with our front four, I feel, and that's how it turned out to be."

Speaking on specific personnel, Ling spoke of his decision to leave Sam Ives out of the squad for the first time in several months. "It was for no other reason than we're probably stronger now than we have been previously. I just spoke to Sam in the dressing room and said he's had a great, great season and he hasn't finished this season.

"He's got to look back at what he's done. But when you look at our bench tonight, it's a senior bench and it's no detriment to Sam Ives and he's got to look at it that our squad's got stronger and he's not got worse."

Josh Coulson's continued improvement in recent weeks was also recognised by Ling, who noted that the youngster could be in line to keep his place even when David Partridge is fit following a thigh strain. "If Partridge comes back for Saturday I think it would be very unfair to leave Josh out on the back of 1-0 and 1-0; two wins and two clean sheets. That would be unfair on Josh, and Dave will have to wait to get back in and bide his time."

The manager also revealed that Dan Gleeson should be available to return on Saturday after missing the two wins through illness, but Partridge's fitness is not yet clear. If the centre back is only 50/50 then he won't be risked and not even make the bench.

United are next in action on Saturday when closest neighbours Histon visit The Abbey, and Ling concluded by looking ahead to that game. "The last time we played them we were 1-0 up and they scored in the last minute. Obviously there are big changes around there so we're not sure what's happening, but we'll have a game plan to try and beat them on Saturday."

Matt Ramsay