Cheltenham Town won their third consecutive home game in Sky Bet League Two with an important 2-0 victory over Cambridge United at the Jonny Rocks Stadium.
A first half own goal that initially appeared to go in off Will Boyle and a second half penalty from Conor Thomas secured all three points for Michael Duff’s side.
Cambridge were reduced to 10-men when Jake Carroll handled the ball on the line as Rakish Bingham tried to scramble it in for Cheltenham, Thomas scored the resulting penalty.
The win moves Cheltenham two points ahead of Cambridge and into 18th ahead of another crucial home game against Port Vale on Saturday.
Cambridge started the brighter of the two sides, Jake Doyle-Hayes found himself on the end of a cross, his shot was well blocked by Will Boyle, who returns to the side after injury.
Conor Thomas had Cheltenham’s first shot on target in the 18th minute, the ball was laid back to him 25 yards out, the midfielder took one touch and went for goal, but his effort was easily saved by Mitov in the Cambridge net.
Cheltenham’s next clear chance was their first goal, Hussey whipped in a free kick, which Tozer volleyed back across goal, and it was headed into the net by a Cambridge defender.
Coulson came closest for Cambridge with the last action of the first-half, his cushioned effort on the volley hit the crossbar.
Cambridge’s first chance of the second half came from a free kick, the ball was played in by Jevani Brown, it was met by Ibehre, but his header went well over the bar.
The visitors then went down to 10 men, Billy Waters crossed in for Bingham to tap home, and the ball was handled on the line by Jake Carroll. He received a straight red card for his actions.
The Robins punished Cambridge from the resulting penalty, Conor Thomas slotting home to the goalkeepers right to make it 2-0 to Cheltenham.
Ryan Broom was next to test Mitov in the Cambridge net, Dawson found Billy Waters on the wing, he got past his man and crossed the ball and eventually it fell out to Broom. He struck well but it was well saved by the Cambridge keeper.
Hepburn-Murphy then thought he had the ball in the net when his shot from 4 yards came towards Flinders, but a good reaction save from Cheltenham’s number one kept his clean sheet alive.
Billy Waters was then brought down in the box unfairly by Doyle-Hayes. He stepped up to take the resulting penalty, but he missed the target.
ROBINS (352): Flinders; Hussey, Tozer, Boyle, Raglan, Broom; Thomas, Dawson, Maddox; Bingham (Duku 84), Waters (Lloyd 90). Subs Not Used: Lovett, Long, Forster, Clements, Pring.
CAMBRIDGE (442): Mitov; Carroll, Taft, Taylor, John; Deegan (Amoo 65), Doyle-Hayes, Coulson (Hepburn-Murphy 65), Brown, Lewis; Ibehre (Jones 77). Subs Not Used: Pilkington, Dunk, Darling, Lambe.
ATTENDANCE: 2,339 (203 from Cambridge)
REFEREE: Paul Marsden