IF the fairly flattering victory over Southend whispered "destiny" in Cambridge United's direction, this one as good as shouted: "Your name is on the trophy lads."

Not in their wildest dreams could Roy McFarland and his team have expected a 3 0 victory to take them to the top of the table in the circumstances which prevailed at Exeter's St James Park.

Already missing three first choice players due to suspension, they lost Marc Joseph when he limped off injured just before half time. That left Ben Chenery as the only regular defender in the back four alongside Scott Eustace (making his first start of the season), teenager Martin McNeil (in his first League game for three months) and fill-in midfielder Ian Ashbee.

Ashbee's place alongside Paul Wanless was taken by 35-year-old player/coach David Preece, starting his first League game for six months, while Alex Russell was making his comeback after three weeks on the injured list. If they had been a car in a banger race United would have wobbled along on odd wheels, rusting spare parts held together by masking tape.

The opposition looked much more polished and powerful. Unchanged after victory at Barnet, on a three-match winning run, undefeated at home for three months. And Exeter City showed plenty of their improved form as they carved out three excellent chances in the first 35 minutes. The only snag was that they trailed 2-0 by then, and were on their way to conceding as many goals as in their three other home defeats put together.

United's thirty-something coaches gave them a master class in clinical finishing, Preece getting his patched up team off to a startling start, and John Taylor scoring the crucial goal of the game at a stage when the home side threatened to take over.

Preece shredded Exeter's new found confidence with a 30-yard volley after just two minutes and 13 seconds. Accused by McFarland of rarely being able to hit a barn door in training, he said: "As soon as I hit the ball I knew it was in. It was one of those."

Taylor struck a little more than 20 minutes later, delighting the 250 or so United fans who made the long trek, by heading for the touchline on his celebration run and pointing to a supermarket hoarding which said: "League Champions."

It ought to have been harder for United to clamber over Cardiff City to the top spot, but fortunately for them Exeter's Paul Tosh lived up to his surname in front of goal. Completely clear in the 16th and 38 minutes he blazed wide from 10 yards, then sliced an even more appalling shot past the post from six. And to complete Exeter's first-half misery experienced defender John Gittens followed an earlier booking with a lunging tackle which left an ugly graze down Paul Wanless' shin, the colour of the card he rightfully received.

United ought to have been able to keep enough ball to prevent any real threat from the 10 men after the break, but a disjointed display handed the Devon team chances to hit back.

In the 20 minutes after the interval it was not table-topping skill or style which maintained the lead, but Ashbee's gritty defending and the ability of goalkeeper Arjan Van Heusden. The big Dutchman held a Steve Flack hook shot, then made a brilliant one-handed save to beat away a diving header from the ex-United and City striker.

He was beaten, between those saves, by Lee Baddeley's header in the 61st minute, but Ashbee was where it mattered, to head coolly away off the goal line.

Exeter began to tire physically and mentally, something which apparently never seems to happen to United striker Martin Butler. He kept going on the spongey surface, having a 79th minute shot cleared off the line by Jason Rees before Taylor gave him the chance to run at the keeper a couple of minutes later.

Any Exeter player, particularly Tosh, would have stepped on the ball and fallen at that point, but Butler rounded Ashley Bayes to score his 17th goal of the probable promotion season.

FORGET Fowler and Le Saux, soccer's greatest current shame is an obsession with criticising officials.

The trend, a thinly-disguised tool for glossing over the failings of players or managers, was enthusiastically pioneered by David Mellor. And the chairman of the Government's own Football Task Force continues to do the game he purports to serve an embarrassing disservice.

On Mellor's radio phone-in show on Saturday, the first three callers - possibly more, but by then I had switched off - were invited to rubbish Steve Dunn's handling of Arsenal's FA Cup victory over Derby.

"David, the referee was appalling," they chorused. "Yah, Yah. But was he any more appalling than most Premiership referees this season?" responsed their excited host with typical objectivity.

Exeter City boss Peter Fox saw his immediate play-off ambitions squashed in an astonishing weekend defeat at the hands of visiting Cambridge. But Fox emerged with enormous credit for a refreshingly honest inquest into a 3-0 reverse that shattered the Grecians' stunning recent run.

Fox was probably tempted to castigate under-fire referee Robert Styles for a significant role in his outfit's heaviest St James's Park beating in more than a year. But he shunned the fashion, admitting that City contributed significantly to a result that sent Cambridge into top spot and prevented Exeter underlining their own Division 3 promotion prospects. A handful of missed chances and some unusually benevolent defending helped boost the U's title hopes.

Styles had incurred the wrath of managerial rivals Tommy Taylor and Jeff Wood for his handling of Leyton Orient's 2-1 win at Brighton seven days earlier. "I dare not say what I think about the ref," was Taylor's loaded post-match analysis.

And Styles' controversial decision to dismiss veteran defender Jon Gittens for two bookable first-half offences certainly contributed to the comprehensive halting of Exeter's six-match unbeaten spell. It was a factor, but it was only a factor.

The in-form Grecians dominated territorially, even after Gittens had been red carded following an apparent late challenge on opposition skipper Paul Wanless. But they squandered enough goalscoring opportunities to have won several games. Cambridge's finishing was emphatic.

The guests were without THREE suspended regulars. However, they were ahead inside 150 seconds of the contest. Player-coach David Preece celebrated his first start in six months by crashing a stunning 30-yarder past the helpless Ashley Bayes - only the 11th goal that Bayes had conceded in home league action this term.

Even earlier, Darran Rowbotham had failed to capitalise on Steve Flack's industry when he thumped his shot into the arms of Dutch glovesman Arjan van Heusden. And Paul Tosh should have marked his St James's Park debut with a 15th minute equaliser but lashed over following good work by Jimmy Gardner, Graeme Power and Rowbotham.

Chris Curran then tested van Heusden after Tosh had scurried past makeshift left back Ian Ashbee to cross. But Cambridge veteran John Taylor promptly doubled the deficit with a precise angled effort from 20 yards.

Gittens was originally cautioned for clattering into Martin Butler. And, after Ben Chenery had miraculously deflected Tosh's close-range effort wide, Gittens was instructed to make a premature exit. Exeter also lost skipper Jon Richardson with a back injury soon after the break. But the setbacks simply inspired Fox's shortstaffed side into greater endeavour.

Ashbee's frantic challenge prevented Flack meeting Power's tempting cross, van Heusden clutched Flack's 52nd minute volley and Tosh just failed to reach a Flack flick. Styles ignored vehement penalty appeals when Flack - subject of an unsuccessful £175,000 bid from Oxford - tumbled under van Heusden's 58th minute challenge. And a brilliant Ashbee clearance denied Lee Baddeley.

Van Heusden then reacted smartly to palm Flack's header to safety when the 15- goal striker flung himself to meet a measured cross from substitute Shaun Gale.

Cambridge survived and clinched a second consecutive 3-0 victory when Taylor fed Butler, City appealed fruitlessly for an offside flag and the U's top-scorer netted a simple 17th goal of the season.

Just one week after a lacklustre performance had swept Southend aside, a suspension hit United team once again only needed football from the decidedly average category to leave Exeter in their wake as they stormed to the top of the Division Three table.

This was the 8th away league win of the season, yet Exeter will consider themselves very unlucky not to have taken anything from the encounter. The Devon outfit hardly had a chance to settle into any kind of rhythm before they found themselves behind. The early exchanges had been lively, with Trevor Benjamin taking defenders on down the left flank. It was his knock down in the box which gave Martin Butler the opportunity to lay the ball into the path of David Preece who lashed a 24 yard thunderbolt into the top of the Exeter net with the clock registering 3 minutes. Ashley Bayes was given no chance, and from the moment the ball left his boot the former England 'B' International knew he would shortly be celebrating his first goal for Cambridge United.

Exeter then came back at United, and should have found themselves level shortly after. A slip from Scott Eustace allowed Exeter in behind the United defence, and the ball was put on a plate for the former Foxton Striker Steve Flack, but he gave an indication as to what sort of day he was going to have as he blazed the shot high and wide. United became both disorganised and worryingly mindless at the back, with both Scott Eustace and Marc Joseph looking tentative on and around the ball. Possession was being given away far too often, and it only looked a matter of time before Exeter would haul themselves level.

This is what is so different about Cambridge United this season - just as it looked like we were going to be pegged back, we struck the killer blow. Veteran Striker John Taylor latched on to a Paul Wanless through ball and twisted a few defenders inside out before passing the ball into the bottom left hand corner of the net. 'Say we are top of the league' was the reaction from the few hundred United fans who had made the long trip south, and for the first time this season they would be proved correct. That goal for the United legend moves him just one away from Alan Bailey's record, and one step closer to another reason why he is the 'King of the Abbey'.

The game then lapsed into a static and non-eventful affair. There were few other chances during the first period, but there was more than one talking point. Jon Gittens was booked shortly after the second United goal for a bad tackle on Ian Ashbee, and shortly before the half time whistle committed another over the top challenge on the same player giving referee R Styles no option other than to show the player his second yellow card of the match. Indeed it was the petulance of Andy Duncan which cost us the points at Orient a few weeks ago, and the player's after-match claims that he got the ball will do little to mask the fact he quite possibly cost his team a share of the spoils.

True, United were 2-0 up when he was sent from the field of play, but they had just been forced to disrupt their unbalanced defensive unit even further as Marc Joseph picked up an injury and was replaced by 18 year old Martin McNeil. The fact Exeter were not just better, but a mile better than United in the second half highlighted the importance of the incident moments before the half time whistle. Steve Flack could have grabbed a second half hat-trick, as Exeter played with the vision and determination which is likely to push them into the play-off positions if they can match it for the remainder of the season.

What they lacked was the precision finishing United displayed in the first half and to some extent the run of the green. Steve Flack had two strong penalty appeals turned down during the second period, the first just five minutes after restart as Ajran Van Huesden dived at his feet sending the giant striker tumbling to the floor, and the ball out of play for a corner. The second came nearer the end, as he got the better of Scott Eustace before tumbling just inside the area only to see the referee wave play on.

Ian Ashbee was quite simply in inspirational form during the second half, as he single-handedly kept United in the game. After a defensive mix up had allowed Flack in on goal after 55 minutes he got back and dispatched a fine tackle to rob him of the ball. Tosh and Flack were causing the United defenders many problems, but Ashbee seemed to be in the right place at the right time during the entire 45 minutes. He mesmerised the United fans behind the goal on 67 minutes as he somehow managed to head a thunderous drive off the goal line.

Trevor Benjamin had faded during the second half and was replaced by Richard Walker 10 minutes from the end. United then had a goal disallowed shortly after his introduction. Martin Butler terrorised the City defence before lobbing Bayes from 15 yards. He managed to get fingertips to the ball but a combination of Walker and Butler again got the ball into the back of the net, only to see the offside flag rule out the attempt. The leading goalscorer would not have to wait very long to get his name on the score-sheet however, as he and John Taylor combined exquisitely to seal the points. A well worked one-two on 85 minutes put Butler clear through on goal. A swagger of the hips and two seconds later the ball was in the back of the net and Butler went to celebrate his 17th goal of the season.

The ineffective Alex Russell made way for Sam McMahon shortly before the final whistle, and the former Leicester midfielder showed some neat skills and eye for a pass with the few touches he had. The final whistle was greeted with joy by the travelling fans, as for the first time this season they knew their side were on top of the league.

I personally find it quite ironic that we have gone top after two uninspiring performances have managed to produce two victories. It perhaps shows exactly how far Cambridge United have progressed this season. Exeter have one of the best home records in the division, and until now had the second best defensive in the league. On top of that they had a striker who had scored in every one of their last five home matches, and who notes scoring against Cambridge United as one of his favourite hobbies. If United can dispatch a team like this with 'average' and 'mediocre' football then I truly pity the rest of the Third Division when the real Cambridge United decide to return to action.

Man of the match: Ian Ashbee did not just fill, but overflowed the gap in the team left by Jamie Campbell. One goal-line clearance was exquisite and his awareness and ability to play the simple ball was the only thing holding together a defence that had never played together before.

NO BETTER WAY TO BEGIN
With three players out suspended this looked to be a very tough game for Utd so they could not have got off to a better start when Benjamin received the ball inside the Exeter area, laid the ball back to Preece who fired a superb shot from just outside the box. The Utd players were understandably sent into wild celebrations and the next 20 minutes illustrated how important this early lead was.

UNDER SIEGE
Exeter were clearly stung by the goal and began attacking Utd on Utd's right flank or pumping long high balls through the middle. Clearly they felt that the makeshift defence in front of them wouldn't be able to handle this sort of bombardment and so it proved. A number of long balls were cleared by Joseph but Eustace didn't seem to be able to cope with them at all. Chenery was also struggling on his side and was often beaten. It only seemed a matter of time before Exeter equalised.

PROFLIGACY OR BAD LUCK?
In this period, Exeter had a number of good chances, notably when the ball fell to Flack who was unmarked 15 yards out but he blazed his shot over. Ice also made a tremendous save with his legs to deny an equaliser and a number of other half chances were wasted. Utd certainly rode their luck during this period but the Grecians did themselves no favours with some very poor finishing.

THE KILLER BLOW
During this period of constant pressure, Utd only occasionally broke out of defence. Nothing really came of this brief sorties until a superb pass found Benjamin and Taylor get away from their markers. Taylor got to the ball first and scuffed a poor shot towards goal but the keeper had misjudged the strike and the ball rolled gently in to make the score 2-0. It was quite staggering that Utd could have such a comfortable lead when they had barely been in the game.

THE KILLER BLOW (2)
The remainder of the half continued in the same vein but Exeter's chances effectively ended when a crude challenge from Jon Gittens and his insistence on arguing with the referee about the free kick resulted in a red card. Gittens had earlier been booked for an equally poor challenge on Martin Butler and should have had no complaints. As we know, losing your best and most experienced defender before half time is a blow that is difficult to come back from.

THE SIEGE CONTINUES
The second half began in much the same vein as the first had been played. Exeter continuously attacked but most of their final balls were either taken by Ice or just failed to reach their targets. Ice did have to make a couple of saves but none were particularly difficult and Utd never really looked in danger. This was despite losing Marc Joseph and having an even more makeshift defence for the second half.

THE FINAL FLOURISH
10 man Exeter were bound to tire towards the end and sure enough, this happened. Utd actually had the ball in the net twice but the first was disallowed for offside. The second saw Butler attempt to go round the keeper on numerous occasions before finally sliding the ball in.

THE MEN IN BLACK
I would agree with the Exeter support that the officials were poor but would disagree that they cost them any chance of the match. Quite simply, this game was won by the team who could finish their chances. I can't remember Utd creating anything else other than the three goals whereas Exeter must have been close to creating double figures. Therefore they can only have themselves to blame. The referee had no other option with Gittens and although he gave some strange free kicks to Utd, none actually produced anything. Exeter's two second half penalty shouts were ridiculous and were rightly ignored.

ARJAN VAN HEUSDEN
A good goalkeeping performance where he produced saves when required. Distribution was better than in the previous two matches and he caught everything that was thrown at him.

BEN CHENERY
Another bad day for Ben as the Exeter players had obviously targeted him as the weak link. Most of their attacking came down his flank in the first half and he seemed unable to cope with a lot of it. Our moves out of defence also regularly broke down once he had the ball.

IAN ASHBEE
Proved a more than adequate replacement for Campbell at left back and might even have a shout at keeping Campbell out of the team. His defending was excellent and he regularly cleared danger sensibly.

MARC JOSEPH
Looked our best defender before his injury and needed to be with Eustace next to him. He keot his calm with the high ball bombardment and played the ball out in a controlled manner. One of our most improved players of recent weeks. SCOTT EUSTACE
His first half performance was a nightmare as he regularly let the ball bounce and failed to clear properly on numerous occasions. For a man of his experience at this level, he should not have been so obviously nervous and we have to hope that we don't lose Duncan for any extended period. His second half performance was better but it could hardly have been worse.

PAUL WANLESS
Getting back to his best again as he dominated the midfield aerial challenges. Still needs to get into more goalscoring positions for me but it was good to see him approaching the form that we know he can produce.

ALEX RUSSELL
Not one of his better days but still produced the killer ball when given the opportunity. As it turned out, we didn't need him to be at his best but he will need to show his class in some of the upcoming games.

DAVID PREECE
Great goal and not a lot else. In the second half, it was difficult to tell whether he was on the pitch or not as his contribution was so negligible.

MARTIN BUTLER
Another excellent performance in attack which saw him deservedly score for the second week running. His runs are absolutely key to Utd's success and only very classy defenders such as Scunthorpe's Witter seem able to deal with him.

JOHN TAYLOR
Another player who ran his heart out and took the one opportunity offered to him. Not as good as the previous week but was regularly found helping out in other areas of the team which was crucial in a match like this.

TREVOR BENJAMIN
Much much better than of late but still faded out of the game. His first half performance is what we should be seeing every week as he was involved in both goals and caused the Exeter right back all sorts of problems. Hopefully he has turned a corner because we will need him in the run in.

Subs:

MARTIN MCNEIL
Another impressive performance from McNeil when he came on for Joseph. The situation was difficult for him but Eustace seemed to be a better player alongside him so his presence was clearly welcomed. Utd actually seemed more solid at the back in the second half and didn't give Exeter the clearcut chances that they had in the first. SOme of the credit for this has to be given to the youngster.

SAM McMAHON and RICHARD WALKER
Not on the pitch for long enough to be assessed.

Man of the Match:
A generally inferior performance where noone really stood out leads me to give the man of the math award to IAN ASHBEE who, despite playing in an unfamiliar position, produced a tigerish performance winning some very important tackles and being the most alert to the danger posed by Exeter.

A first-ever goal for Cambridge United, an 89th and a 30th were enough to take a depleted and slightly subdued U's side top of Division Three this afternoon. Thirty-something player-coaches David Preece and John Taylor put United ahead by half-time, and a late goal from Martin Butler continued the hard-working striker's return to top form.

The three enforced changes to today's side saw Scott Eustace come in for Andy Duncan, Alex Russell making a welcome return at number eleven in place of Ian Ashbee - who moved into defence to replace Jamie Campbell - and a rare midfield start for David Preece in place of Neil Mustoe. New signing Sam McMahon was confined to the bench alongside on-loan Richard Walker and 18-year-old defender Martin McNeil. Exeter included Cambridge-born striker Steve Flack and former U's skipper Jason Rees.

United kicked off towards the travelling fans in tricky conditions as a cold wind swirled around the pitch, but apart from a Rowbotham shot straight at Van Heusden after 40 seconds, it was all United in the opening stages and the Us took early advantage of their pressure through an unlikely source. David Preece volleyed home his first ever goal for United from fully 30 yards, after a Marc Joseph long throw was only partially cleared under pressure from Trevor Benjamin.

The next goalmouth action came in the 16th minute when Power charged down a clearance, the ball fell to Rowbotham who was held up by Ashbee, but he found on-loan Paul Tosh who blazed a shot over. Three minutes later Richardson found Tosh who beat Ashbee before cutting the ball back to Curran, and Arjan Van Heusden did well to get himself behind a thunderous shot.

But United withstood the pressure and extended the lead through the other veteran in the side. John Taylor moved to within a goal of Alan Biley's league record when he struck in the 24th minute, thanks to some good work from Paul Wanless. The skipper won a typically brave header in midfield to direct the ball to Taylor, Benjamin made an intelligent run to split the defence and allowed Taylor to take the ball round one defender and roll the ball into the net from about 20 yards.

Benjamin had caused some trouble in the Exeter defence with his strength but also had a good chance to score when he burst into the area in the 26th minute, but despite lifting the ball over the keeper his shot was just wide. Jon Gittens was booked for a foul in the 27th minute, a caution that was to prove costly later. After 37 minutes Power crossed to Tosh six yards out, but his shot was blocked and deflected by Ben Chenery.

United made an enforced change in the 42nd minute when Marc Joseph limped off to be replaced by teenager Martin McNeil, but not until Roy McFarland had heatedly pointed out that his goalkeeper had put the ball out to allow the change, but Exeter had taken the throw before the substitution could be made.

Then the game swung even more in United's favour a minute into stoppage time. Jon Gittens levered Wanless off the ball and after a bit of a kerfuffle a freekick was awarded to United. Gittens disagreed and made his feelings known to Mr Styles and the referee, who has issued nearly 40 more yellow cards than any other referee in the Nationwide League, showed another yellow and then a red to Gittens. (Half-time 0-2)

Exeter came out understandably charged up after the break and an early change saw Shaun Gale on for Richardson. The home side enjoyed three chances to score in five minutes when in the 50th minute Power took advantage of a misunderstanding between Eustace and Chenery, but Ian Ashbee beat Flack to the ball to clear. Moments later Gale crossed for Flack who shot on the turn, but the ball was clutched by Van Heusden, and then Curran's long throw was flicked on by Flack towards Tosh, but he couldn't quite reach the ball with an outstretched foot.

United's next good chance came on the hour when Preece put a freekick onto Taylor's head but he headed over the bar, and just seconds later Curran directed a long throw to Baddeley but his goal-bound volley was brilliantly headed off the line by Ashbee. In the 67th minute Gale's cross was met by Flack and his header was tipped over by Van Heusden. United had the ball in the net in the 73rd minute, but it was well offside.

Richard Walker replaced Benjamin in the 77th minute, leaving just Sam McMahon on the bench and no doubt itching to make his debut. Two minutes later Butler went on a jinking run before lobbing Bayes, but the 'keeper got a finger to the ball and it was kicked off the line by Rees. However Butler was not be denied and the Mighty U's put the game further beyond reach in the 84th minute. A quick break saw Walker, Taylor and Butler converging on a stretched Exeter defence, and Taylor put the ball on a plate for Martin Butler to round Bayes and slide home. McMahon eventually made his debut with two minutes left, replacing the tired Alex Russell and showing one or two neat touches before the end.

United defended well despite the enforced changes, soaking up the pressure and attempting to catch Exeter on the break, and this win extended the winning sequence at St James Park to five, all without conceding a goal.

Reporter Mark Johnson had no hesitation about naming his Man of the Match: "Ian Ashbee. Although Arjan Van Heusden made three good saves, Ashbee was inspirational at left-back and made one brilliant header off the line where he had to get behind the ball and placed it exactly where he wanted."

Cardiff's draw with Chester last night meant that today's three points took Cambridge United to the top of the table for the first time all season, and ensured a happy return journey from Devon for the travelling fans.