Carlisle United dropped into the relegation zone after a 1-0 defeat at Cambridge.
To make matters worse they finished the game with nine men after red cards for Jack Armer and Alfie McCalmont.
For Cambridge, though, there was huge relief in ending an eight-match winless run.
The first-half had been largely forgettable although there was an early chance for Carlisle to take the lead.
On two minutes Armer pulled the ball back for Danny Butterworth but he drilled his shot wide of the target.
The second-half, though, saw Cambridge dominate and their lengthy spells of pressure paid off in the 73rd minute when substitute George Thomas got on the end of a Liam Bennett cross to head home.
Just before that opener Carlisle keeper Tomas Holy did really well to get down and push James Brophy’s shot away.
A miserable afternoon for Paul Simpson and his men was concluded by two dismissals.
Seven minutes from the end Armer was sent off after collecting his second yellow card, and McCalmont also saw red in added time for a dangerous high tackle on Paul Digby.
