Garry Wilson's men knew they were in for a tough baptism when they first saw the opening month's fixtures and here was the perfect proof.

United looked a class apart, outplaying the hosts in all departments.

Borough kept battling until the bitter end, but rarely did they look like opening up the United defence.

It was a game which saw Cambridge maintain their 100 per cent record and from the start they looked a team oozing with confidence.

Borough had their moments early on with Andy Atkin's fine angled effort from the right whistling past the far post.

But at the other end it required a great challenge by Darren Baker and excellent anticipation from Marc Pullan to keep the home slate clean.

With their ability to counter at lightning speed, Cambridge were always a threat and top scorer Lee McEvilly put them ahead in the 22nd minute when he found the corner of the net following a fine ball from Mark Beesley.

Mo Harkin tested keeper Daniel Potter with a fierce drive destined for the roof of the net and a fine Matt Smart run threatened an equaliser.

But Borough are rapidly learning that any errors will be punished in this league and when Baker was dispossessed in the 39th minute, Cambridge swept forward with a classic move that ended with Ben Farrell's stunning drive from 25 yards to make it 2-0.

Borough threatened briefly after the interval with Ben Austin's low cross from the right needing just a touch.

Jean-Michel Sigere and Matt Crabb replaced Atkin and Pat Harding, but the Cambridge defence remained as solid as ever.

And the hosts suffered a further blow when Neil Jenkins was flattened by McEvilly who seemed fortunate to escape with a yellow card. Jenkins resumed after several minutes of treatment, but could be a doubt for Monday's visit to Grays Athletic.

Borough's best chance came when keeper Potter was penalised for holding onto a back pass, but Harkin's free-kick came to nothing.

The home side kept plugging away but any hope of getting anything out of the game disappeared completely six minutes from time when sub Chris Holroyd raced onto Beesley's through ball to insert the final nail into the Eastbourne coffin.

Eastbourne Borough: Hook, Armstrong, Atkin (Sigere 60), Austin, Baker, Harding (M. Crabb 60), Harkin, Jenkins, Pullan, Smart, Tait (Budd 88).

Cambridge United: Potter, Gleeson, Tonkin, Bolland, Hatswell, Beesley, McEvilly (Holroyd 84), Challinor, Farrell, Willmott (Jones 85), Filino.
Referee: R. Lee: Attendance 2,105.
MoM: Marc Pullan.