The Grecians made three changes to the side that started the 1-1 draw with Newport County last weekend as Craig Woodman, Nicky Law and Lee Martin all came into the side looking to continue the Grecians’ unbeaten start to the season.

And it was the perfect start for City when Forte found the net just six minutes into the match. After a dangerous ball forward from Pierce Sweeney, the Cambridge central defenders were unable to clear convincingly as the City forward crept in behind to volley the ball home.

And just a few minutes later City doubled their lead when some good play down the left-hand side eventually saw Woodman find a bit of space before he whipped in an excellent cross and Stockley headed on target with the ball creeping through the legs of goalkeeper Dimitar Mitov.

Joe Dunne’s side were keen to find their way back into the match, but were often reduced to shooting from distance, with Jake Taylor making two blocks from a couple of stinging Jake Carroll shots.

As the half wore on, United striker Ade Azeez began to see much more of the ball and tested Christy Pym when he got in some space on the right-hand side, but the City shot stopper was equal to it as Matt Taylor’s side took a 2-0 lead into the break.

And the Grecians almost found another goal when the second half was just five minutes old when a teasing Hiram Boateng corner found the head of Stockley, who crashed an effort against the crossbar.

But it was the Cambridge side who would have heads in hands just a couple of moments later when they spurned a golden opportunity to get back into the match.

After darting down the left in a counter-attack, the ball was pulled back to Liam O’Neil, and with only Pym to beat, he drove his effort into the side netting.

City then had to ride out a dangerous 10-minute spell as United pushed to get back into the game but Dean Moxey, who filled in in central defence for the injured Troy Brown, and Aaron Martin defended bravely to maintain the Grecians’ two-goal advantage.

With City continuing to keep United at arm’s length they had another good chance to notch a third when substitute Lee Holmes tricked his way into the box, but for a wicked deflection onto the United post.

And after grinding out six added minutes, the Grecians sealed the win and returned to Devon with maximum points.

Cambridge United: Mitov, Halliday, Carroll, Taft, Deegan, O’Neil (Amoo, 60), Azeez (Corr, 60), Ibehre, Maris, Brown (Dunk, 69), John

Subs not used: Pilkington, Osadebe, Darling, Lambe

Booked: Deegan

Exeter City: Pym, Sweeney, Woodman, A. Martin, L. Martin, Law (Holmes, 83), Stockley, Forte (Tillson, 76), Moxey, Taylor, Boateng

Subs not used: Hamon, O’Shea, Jay, Abrahams, Croll

Booked: Law, Holmes

Attendance: 3,662 (Inc, 241, away)