TRAVELLING Swindon Town supporters may have watched Saturday’s game feeling the chill, but they left the Abbey Stadium having warmly greeted new boss Phil Brown after he navigated his men to a comfortable win against Cambridge.

On the back of a crushing three-goal loss to Cheltenham Town at home just a week earlier, Town entered their latest fixture positioned outside the play-off frame.

And while they returned from Cambridgeshire still short of a top seven spot - on goal difference - the faithful had every reason to feel optimistic after witnessing a workmanlike and clinical performance on the road.

The win marked a successful start for Brown in his new role at the County Ground after he was revealed as the new manager on Monday night.

Only a slight defensive wobble midway through the second half would have been likely to give him cause for concern, as United’s troublesome right winger David Amoo pegged Town on the back foot after they had enjoyed a successful opening 60 minutes, during which they established a two-goal lead.

Luke Norris headed Town into the lead on 16 minutes following a superb run down the left wing by the returning Chris Hussey, who played for 77 minutes on his return to the first team.

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Luke Norris (above) heads home Town’s first goal in the opening 45 minutes at the Abbey Stadium

A smart header by Marc Richards from Matt Taylor’s dangerous free kick doubled Town’s lead before Uche Ikpeazu struck from close range to halve United’s deficit.

But after Kaiyne Woolery was fouled inside the penalty area with less than 10 minutes to play and Richards re-established Town’s two-goal lead to see his side collect a timely three points.

It was an accomplished performance from Brown’s men, who appeared a different team compared to last week’s loss, and was timely given play-off rivals Coventry City and Lincoln Town also recorded wins while Exeter slipped to a 2-1 loss at Morecambe.

Brown made two changes to the side that featured in that defeat as Paul Mullin and Hussey replaced Kyle Knoyle and Keshi Anderson.

The changes meant Town lined up in a 4-4-2 formation, different to the 3-5-2 structure that Town fans have become used to.

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Hussey, who has been sidelined for most of the season with a groin injury, was making his first appearance since September.

Though Brown joined with only 10 league games remaining in early spring, the weather during his first game in charge resembled mid-December as persistent snow fell on a bitterly cold March afternoon.

Cambridge were presented with an early opportunity when George Taft’s header from a corner found Liam O’Neil in front of goal. O’Neil failed to make the most of a good opportunity though, failing to get a shot away.

Jevani Brown was next to threaten Town’s goal when dragging his right-footed effort wide of Stuart Moore’s left post.

Yet left-back Hussey didn’t take long to guide Town into an early lead.

After finding space on the left wing, he delivered an accurate cross which found the head of forward Norris – who headed beyond United’s keeper David Forde’s reach.

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Marc Richards (above) celebrates his first and Town’s second goal

Norris had a chance to double his tally six minutes later in similar circumstances to his earlier goal, but this time his effort was guided straight into the arms of Forde.

Forde was focus of attention on 27 minutes when Taylor’s free kick from 30 yards out drew the United keeper from his goal line.

A series of headers allowed Richards a chance on goal, but Forde scrambled back to his line – making a comfortable save.

United were next to threaten after build-up play on the left led to skipper Gary Deegan shooting from range, Moore making a comfortable save.

They came closest though with minutes left in the opening half when Billy Waters’ bicycling kick was cleared off the line by the head of James Dunne, keeping Town’s one-goal lead intact for half time.

Town started the first half with intent when Taylor’s inswinging corner – assisted by the wind – almost finding its way beyond Forde’s goal line.

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Town celebrate after scoring their third of the afternoon

But Cambridge should have levelled the game when David Amoo’s cross met Ikpeazu in the box. Despite creating time and space for the header, Ikpeazu’s effort was weak and went wide.

And the home side were made to pay seconds later when Taylor’s ball from a free kick was headed home by in-form Richards, doubling Town’s lead with half an hour remaining.

While Cambridge’s mountain to climb had doubled in size, they remained a threat up front.

Moore was forced into making a low save to his left following Billy Waters’ powerful strike, while a free kick from near the corner flag had to be punched clear as Town weathered the home side’s newly discovered pressure.

Ikpeazu would be the man to register for United when taking advantage of a sloppy defensive error from Ben Purkiss.

Substitute Amoo delivered a dangerous ball which Purkiss failed to deal with, allowing Ikpeazu to smash home United’s first goal of the afternoon and halve their deficit.

While Amoo continued to cause Town problems down the right, the home side let it slip when Halliday fouled Woolery inside the penalty area.

Richards made no mistake from the spot to regain Town’s two-goal lead and put the result beyond United’s reach with less than 10 minutes to play.