Plymouth’s four-game winning run in Sky Bet League One ended with a 2-0 defeat at Cambridge.

The hosts went ahead in only the seventh minute as Sam Smith struck for the third consecutive game. Full back Liam Bennett, making his EFL debut, picked him out with a pass out of defence and Smith ran through to lob Michael Cooper.

Jack Lankester saw his effort from the edge of the box well saved by Cooper seconds later and on 28 minutes Smith was again played in but could only poke straight at the goalkeeper.

Two minutes before half time Cambridge did extend their lead when Lankester pressured Conor Grant into a mistake and pounced to fire in his first U’s goal.

Smith saw another strike disallowed for offside and then had a low shot tipped wide immediately after the break, before on 53 minutes Sam Sherring’s effort was nodded behind by Macauley Gillesphey.

Free-scoring Plymouth struggled to create chances, with Niall Ennis’ acrobatic effort deflected off target the closest they came to reducing the deficit.