The bottom-of-the-table hosts ended their 20-game wait for a win thanks to first goals in Harrogate colours for Bryn Morris and on-loan QPR winger Emmerson Sutton.

Their efforts meant Liam Bennett’s reply proved only a consolation for Cambridge, who had been targeting a seventh straight league win.

Harrogate stunned the visitors with a start that saw them race into a 2-0 lead.

Morris opened the scoring in the eighth minute when the ball dropped to him following Emile Acquah’s blocked shot and he rifled a first-time effort into Jake Eastwood’s bottom-right corner from 20 yards.

That advantage was deservedly doubled in the 25th minute when Sutton collected Ellis Taylor’s crossfield pass in the left channel and curled inside Eastwood’s far post from 10 yards.

Cambridge eventually settled and, after Mamadou Jobe’s header thudded against the bar, Bennett was more clinical when his initial shot was blocked by Liam Gibson and then he followed up to drill a second attempt into Henry Gray’s bottom-right corner in the 29th minute.

After the break, Acquah headed over a glorious chance to add a third and away sub Shayne Lavery went close with the last kick of the match as Harrogate held on to the relief of the Wetherby Road faithful.