Cambridge boss Neil Harris was delighted his frontline answered his call for more goals after a 4-0 win at basement boys Carlisle.

The U’s secured their biggest league win of the season as Sullay Kaikai, Sam Levelle’s own goal, Elias Kachunga’s header and Ryan Bennett’s late fourth did the damage at Brunton Park.

Victory saw Harris’ side go eight points clear of the drop zone and cut their goal difference down to minus eight.

“A clean sheet is vitally important and we’re pleased with the four goals,” reflected Harris.

“If we’re honest it could have been six or seven. The boys are disappointed they’ve not scored more goals.

“When I talk about defending as a team and attacking as a team, it’s important for the defenders to score goals as well.

“Stats are important, goals are important with goal difference and things like that.

“After the back of a week of two disappointing results, we’re really pleased. You end up chasing a little bit and look towards the fixtures coming up.

“It’s a strong performance that gives us a lot of belief and confidence.

“I thought Carlisle had to win the game to have any hope about trying to catch us or anybody else.

“The first seven minutes we were a very poor version of ourselves. We settled and the goal helps.”

For relegation-threatened Carlisle it was a sorry seventh straight loss as hopes of survival continued to slip away.

Deflated Paul Simpson said: “It’s probably as disappointed as I have been all season if I’m honest.

“I just felt it was a bit of a capitulation from us after the second goal.

“I thought we started the first half bright. We got in the final third and I sound like a broken record but when we get in the final third it fizzled out.

“We didn’t get tight enough for the first goal. I’ve spoken all season about sending wide players down the line and going into a race with them. We let the wide player do whatever he wants. You have to defend that better.

“The second goal is a horrible one to give away. It’s a mistake and we have to accept that. It’s slippy conditions and the ball slips through the keeper’s hands.

“The third, the recovery runs aren’t quick enough when we give the ball away up the pitch. We aren’t sprinting to get back.

“The fourth is a centre-back having more desire to get on a cross coming in. There’s a million and one things we could talk about.”

Cambridge inflicted further woe on basement side Carlisle with a fine 4-0 away win at Brunton Park.

Sierra Leone midfielder Sullay Kaikai, who had not scored in his five previous games, fired the visitors into a welcome 14th-minute lead with a sweet right-foot strike into the bottom right corner.

An unfortunate second-half own goal from Sam Lavelle, an Elias Kachunga header three minutes later and Liam Bennett’s late goal made sure Carlisle have now lost their last seven games on the spin.

Striker Lyle Taylor had come close to doubling the lead after Kaikai’s early opener, but his effort was parried by keeper Harry Lewis and deflected wide.

Kaikai and defender James Gibbons both had shots blocked as the U’s forced the pace, before Danny Andrew came within a whisker of scoring with a fierce free-kick which flew just wide.

Josh Vela saw his close-range header well saved by shot-stopper Jack Stevens, while Harrison Neal had a shot charged down for the Blues.

Goalscorer Kaikai had an effort charged down before Lewis saved Jordan Gibson’s header on the stroke of half-time and Jack Diamond rifled wide for the visitors close to the hour mark.

Taylor headed wide before Lavelle deflected Kaikai’s cross into his own net and Kachunga bagged his fourth league goal of the season.

Substitute Bennett pounced with seven minutes left as the U’s bounced back from successive defeats.

Cambridge’s game with Bolton was abandoned after only nine minutes of play due to a waterlogged pitch.

Play was stopped while still 0-0, with referee David Rock taking the players off the pitch after consulting both head coaches.

After a delay of 16 minutes it was announced at 8.10pm that the decision had been taken for the game to be called off.

The only opening in the nine minutes that were played came for Cambridge, but Sullay Kaikai failed to connect with a volley when the ball fell to him centrally.

The U’s will hope conditions at the Abbey Stadium improve in time for them to host Cheltenham on Saturday.

Neil Harris described Lyle Taylor’s first Cambridge appearance as good a debut as he had seen after his side’s 2-1 win against Fleetwood.

Taylor enjoyed a memorable first outing after coming off the bench against Fleetwood, opening the scoring and then assisting Sullay Kaikai’s added-time winner.

The win lifts Harris’ side to seven points above the League One relegation zone, while Fleetwood remain bottom and eight points from safety.

“If you look at debuts, that was as good a debut as I’ve seen,” Harris said.

“Ultimately the game changed when Lyle came on, but then when Brandon Njoku came on as well it changed the impetus of the game.

“That’s the importance of the transfer window. Getting Lyle done before training and midday yesterday was a challenge.

“The temptation to start him was there, naturally. It had been an up and down week for him, he hadn’t had a lot of time on the grass.

“He knows playing for me he’ll get chances to score. He’s been desperate to come, I’ve been desperate to get him in. I’m delighted to have him because his qualities suit the way I want to play.

“What was lacked in the first half at times was that composure, and moment of quality as well.

“Sometimes, especially at this stage in the season, it’s just about three points. I just praise the players’ character and resilience.

“When we conceded and it went back to 1-1 there was no feeling sorry for yourself. The crowd didn’t melt, we didn’t melt as a group. We were on the front foot and probably should have scored one or two before we did.”

Charlie Adam knows his Fleetwood side must start winning games if they are to stand any chance of avoiding the drop to League Two.

“In large spells we did well for an away performance,” Adam said.

“Again, big moments change games. In the 92nd minute we lose a goal and its disappointment, but again there are good signs at times of what we’ve been working on all week.

“We bounced back from that goal that we conceded but again late goals we’ve conceded have cost us this year and we’ll need to address that in the week.

“You’re hoping that your team can go on and try and win the game. If not we want to draw the game, take a point and we go to next week. We’re disappointed to lose the game and we’ll focus on what we can do better as a group, we’ll readdress it and go against Portsmouth next week.

“I think the confidence is in the team, there’s a good spirit in there. I’ve had two away games, when the lads travelled they’re connected, they’re together. That’s important and that’s what will get us results.”

Substitutes Fejiri Okenabirhie and Sullay Kaikai scored late to give Cambridge their third win in four League One games by beating Bristol Rovers 2-0 at the Abbey Stadium.

Okenabirhie’s curling finish in the 78th minute opened the scoring before Kaikai wrapped up the points in stoppage time to consign Rovers to a first defeat of the season.

The visitors had the best chance of the first half when a poor back header from Liam Bennett in the 22nd minute was intercepted by John Marquis, who rounded Jack Stevens but clipped the ball across the goal where it was cleared to safety.

Rovers then wasted a golden chance after the break when Aaron Collins raced clear in the 68th minute but could only fire straight at Stevens.

Joey Barton’s side were punished late on when Kaikai worked the ball to Okenabirhie, who curled a shot from the left side of the box into the far corner.

As Rovers pushed for an equaliser in injury time, a Cambridge break in the 96th minute, led by Okenabirhie and George Thomas, left Kaikai with a simple finish.