Cambridge United’s positive run against Sky Bet League Two’s top seven came to end with a 1-3 defeat to Swindon Town at the Abbey Stadium.

A first half header from Luke Norris and a brace by Marc Richards put the contest beyond United, who mounted a brief fightback when Uche Ikpeazu scored his 14^th of the season midway through the second half.

Joe Dunne made one change to the side that drew with Wycombe Wanderers a week earlier, as Jevani Brown stepped back into the starting eleven in place of Jabo Ibehre.

Despite an early save from Stuart Moore forced by Brad Halliday at the near post, the U’s fell behind after 15 minutes when Luke Norris headed Brown’s side into a one goal advantage, from Chris Hussey’s cross.

United took a little while to grow into the game but continued to push forward with more regularity as the half progressed. Their best opportunity to level though came minutes before the break, Billy Waters acrobatically directing an overhead kick over Swindon keeper Moore, only for former U’s midfielder James Dunne to deny United an equaliser with a header off the line.

David Amoo was introduced on the hour mark and made an immediate impact when the winger darted down the right and delivered an exceptional cross for Ikpeazu to attack, but the striker mistimed his header which feel comfortably for Moore.

Phil Brown’s men punished the missed opportunity moments later, Matty Taylor whipping a fine free kick into the path of Marc Richards who nodded in a second goal on 63 minutes.

Amoo continued to play a key role for the U’s and when he beat Chris Hussey on 73 minutes to produce another excellent cross, which this Ikpeazu bundled over to pull a goal back for United.

However, any hope of a United fightback was ended with five minutes to play when Brad Halliday was adjudged to have fouled Swindon sub Kayne Woolery in the 18 yard box, and Richards registered his second from the spot to put the game to bed.

Cambridge United: Forde, Halliday, Taft, Taylor, Dunk, Maris (Amoo, 58 mins), Deegan, Brown, O’Neil (Ibehre, 73 mins), Waters, Ikpeazu

Swindon Town: Moore, Purkiss, Hussey (McGivern, 78 mins), Robertson, Mullin (Gordon, 87 mins), Dunne, Norris (Woolery, 59 mins), Richards, Elsnik, Taylor, Meyayese

Attendance: 5,123 (506)

Vindis Man of the Match: David Amoo