Liam Sercombe’s early goal was to enough to sink Cambridge 1-0 and earn Cheltenham their first win of the season.
The midfielder beat goalkeeper Jack Stevens with a deft chip from 20 yards in the fifth minute.
It was only the bottom-placed Robins’ second league goal of the season, but they are already showing signs of improvement under new boss Darrell Clarke.
They had picked up a creditable 1-1 draw with Derby County in their last league outing.
Cheltenham started well against a Cambridge side who were winless in six.
Liam Smith forced a save from Stevens a minute before Sercombe’s goal and Tom Bradbury was also close in the 11th minute.
Rob Street’s header from Sean Long’s crossed drifted just past the far post before half-time.
James Olayinka tested Stevens early in the second half, but Cambridge were close a leveller when Michael Morrison’s close-range header cleared the bar in the 70th minute.
Street saw another headed effort turned over by a flying Stevens three minutes later and Smith was denied by Morrison’s block late on, but Cheltenham had done enough to end their 175-day wait for a win.
