'It's brains you need' proclaimed the strip of signs at the back of the large Ninnian Park main stand, little did they know how accurate and relevant they would be to the day's events.

Cambridge United showed all the brains and awareness in a contest which saw them record their sixth away win of the season against one of the most fancied teams in the division. Not overwhelmed by the tremendous and sometimes volatile atmosphere created by Cardiff's largest crowd of the season, United stormed to within two points of the summit as they performed the smash and grab raid so many times they find themselves the victim of.

Shaun Marshall started in goal, and was without doubt the best player on the pitch. He made two sensational first half saves, one low to his bottom right hand post, and one acrobatic dive to deny a 15 yard piledriver that would have surely been destined to hit the back of the net against any other division three keeper.

In front of him were the powerful figures of Joseph and Duncan who combined once again to produce another shut out against quality opposition.

Cardiff showed signs in both the first and second halves as why they are one of the hot tips to win promotion as their neat and penetrative style of play tested the United defence to the limit. Probably the biggest scare in the first half was when Ben Chenery jumped to head the ball in the box, and an outstretched hand appeared to make contact. Referee Mr Knight ignored the shouts of over 6'800 Welshmen and waved play on.

After soaking up the early pressure United then had a 10 minute spell at the end of the half when they could have scored a hatful. Intricate play inside the Cardiff area resulted in two blocked shots from Mustoe and Butler and frantic defending before the ball was cleared. Two minutes later John Taylor brushed off a defender from a long Joseph throw in blazed over from four yards.

On the stroke of half time Alex Russell cracked in a shot from the edge of the area and saw keeper Hallworth tip in onto the top of the cross bar and over. From the resulting corner John Taylor fired a shot against the underside of the crossbar and the ball bounced back to Martin Butler just two yards from goal. His shot was blocked on the goal line and Cardiff somehow managed to clear the ball to safety and survive this late United onslaught.

Shaun Marshall was brilliant, a different class. When he came out for the second half we shouted 'Cambridge, Number 1' at him and he had the biggest smile on his face I have ever seen, that was brilliant to see he really did himself proud and I am happy to eat humble pie about my fears of his goalkeeping ability until I pop!

The second half was non-stop action, with the referee taking a pivotal role. He was in my opinion one of the best referees we have had this season, he always seem to allow the play to flow and did not stop the game for silly fouls at every opportunity. He also did not allow himself to be influenced by the home crowd's attempts to get things their own way, and on 65 minutes made a decision on which the destination of the points hinged.

John Taylor ran on to a pass from Butler and neatly turned a defender to leave him one on one with the Cardiff goalkeeper. This led to a penalty and the dismissal of Ford much to the disgust of the Cardiff fans who had to be retained by the stewards.

Martin Butler strode through a barrage of bottles and coins, which must have put him off, and fired a weak shot which was pushed out for a corner. We still had over 25 minutes of playing with an extra man, yet there was a feeling this might give the ten men the inspiration to push forward. These fears were compounded as they soaked up the United pressure and hit us with very quick counter attacking moves which despite looking dangerous, often petered out in the final third as they failed to seriously test the impressive Marshall.

Marshall's performance was undoubtedly the most satisfying aspect of the match. He has proven to the fans, and probably himself, that he can make the grade at league football.

It appeared that Cardiff were settling for a point, as were most of the long distance United fans who made the long trip west. Indeed a point against the team third in the table at their home ground would have been a good result, but Taylor had other things on his mind.

15 seconds before the referee blew his final whistle he ran from just inside the Cardiff half and shook off two defenders before slotting the ball home low to the bottom left hand corner of the net to score his third goal in two matches. Indeed his teammates may have scalded their fingers when they went to celebrate with him, as the man is too hot to handle at the moment.

Neil Mustoe and Alex Russell were again a busy and dominant workforce creating and carving out opportunities for the United front men in the form of Butler, Taylor and Youngs. Butler had another patchy performance, with Tom Youngs taking a bad knock in the first half which appeared to influence his running and was replaced with David Preece midway through the second half.

So many times United are the victims of last minute smash and grab raids robbing them of precious promotion points. This time however it was United who stole all the points in the final minute - 'stole' meant in the loosest possible way.

A day when United showed that despite having a small squad, each member of that squad is capable of putting in performances to match any other player in the division. A good result to add to United's season's away victory catalogue, which if we continue at this rate will need a second edition before the season has finished.

If this exciting game began with the introduction of two youth team graduates who highlighted that United's squad was down to the bare bones, it was decided at the death by the two veterans of the squad.

As anticipated, 20-year-old Shaun Marshall replaced the injured Arjan Van Heusden in goal and 19-year-old Tom Youngs replaced the suspended Trevor Benjamin in attack. Surprisingly Ian Ashbee, who only returned to training this week after a six week layoff, was named on the bench instead of on-loan striker Wayne Andrews. Second year trainee Martin McNeil, who is highly-regarded at the Club, was named in the fourteen for the first time.

The first half was a cracking end-to-end display as both sides served up football worthy of a higher level. On a dry but freezing cold afternoon there were chances at either end and Marshall turned in a solid and reassuring display. In the seventh minute Chenery played a weak backpass but the young 'keeper was quickly out to block, and he saved Thomas' weak shot just afterwards.

Thomas was lively for Cardiff and in the 13th minute O'Sullivan found him in space but his shot went wide. Five minutes later Fowler found Thomas who took a shot on the turn, but the ball was pushed away for the corner by Marshall. On 29 minutes there were vehement appeals for a penalty by Cardiff after Chenery and Brazier went up together and Chenery's hand appeared to be up, but the referee waved away the appeals.

Both sides had chances to snatch the lead in the dying minutes of the half. First, in the 42nd minute, an Alex Russell snap-shot was tipped over for a corner. The midfielder's corner was headed well wide by Martin Butler but Russell did very well to keep the ball in and he crossed back into the box. John Taylor rose to flick the ball on to Paul Wanless, whose shot thundered against the underside of the bar and away.

Then in the 45th minute Fowler went on a mazy run and ended with a rocket shot at goal, and Marshall made a brilliant save at full-stretch to deny him. (Half-time 0-0)

There was an edge to the game after the break as both sides pressed for the win and United had the better of the chances early on. In the 56th minute Russell curled a free kick just wide, and two minutes later his spectacular overhead kick was tipped over the bar. The referee Mr Knight felt the full fury of the home crowd in the 59th minute when he dismissed Mike Ford.

The Cardiff skipper tackled John Taylor from behind in the area but then compounded his crime by protesting loud and long to the referee, and he was dismissed for 'foul and abusive language'. Martin Butler stepped up to take the penalty as missiles rained down on the area, but disappointingly rolled his kick straight at goalkeeper Hallworth.

United shrugged off the disappointment and continued to press against ten man Cardiff, and in the 66th minute Russell sent over another corner kick which Jamie Campbell met with a bullet header which was bundled behind for another corner. In the 78th minute a header by Tom Youngs was blocked and rebounded to Wanless, but United's captain slipped and spooned the ball over the bar.

Three minutes later Youngs, who took a kick on the knee in the first half, was replaced by player-coach David Preece and the 35-year-old was to make his mark on the game in the dying seconds. But before then, and as the game looked likely to end in a draw, Cardiff's Carpenter tried a speculative 88th minute shot that dipped over the bar as Marshall back-pedalled.

It was in injury time that Preece slipped the ball through to John Taylor who side-stepped a tackle, sprinted into the area and from 15 yards out curled the ball around the advancing 'keeper and just inside the post. It was a classic goal reminiscent of the 'Shaggy' of old, his 64th League goal for the Club, and sent the freezing travelling U's into ecstacy. There was just time for the game to kick-off again before the final whistle, whereupon a Cardiff fan ran onto the pitch for a 'chat' with the referee.

Reporter Mark Johnson praised goalkeeper Shaun Marshall, who kept his first clean sheet and recorded his first win today, and pointed out the coincidence that the young keeper made his first team debut in October 1996 and played his two further games in October last season. Andy Duncan and Neil Mustoe also shone in a match between two good footballing sides, but the day belonged to United hero and fans' favourite Taylor.

United's fifth away win of the season ended Cardiff's seven match unbeaten run and saw the U's rise to sixth in the table, just one point and one position behind Cardiff. Only two points cover the top seven teams.