Cambridge United manager Neil Harris praised his players for their resilience following the 1-0 win at foot-of-the-table Shrewsbury.
The U’s sat just one place and three points ahead of their hosts before the game, but came away with the victory after Dom Ballard’s second-half strike.
Both teams struggled to create chances throughout the encounter, but Southampton loanee Ballard netted the winner late on after a mistake from Shrewsbury goalkeeper Jamal Blackman.
Cambridge boss Harris believes his side should have won the game more comfortably, but was delighted with their reaction after going seven games without a win.
He said: “It was comfortable, wasn’t it? The scoreline says it was close but we should have been more clinical in the first half.
“We got into so many good areas. I don’t think I’ve seen one of my teams have so many touches in the penalty area without scoring.
“I asked the boys for character. I was very clear post-match on Tuesday night how important this game was for me and the team.
“The boys will tell you that I maybe didn’t let up at all during the week. I’m just really, really pleased.
“We’ve fallen short a couple of times when we should have won games so I think it is well deserved.
“I want to see a lot more of that in the coming weeks, months, years.”
Shrewsbury look to be consigned to relegation from League One this season, with time running out to pick up points to survive.
Town boss Michael Appleton focused on the positives of their loss, with a view to what he expects from his side in the future.
He said: “I take full responsibility for the goal we conceded.
“If we’re going to get better as a football club and grow and develop players, make money on players, and play football that people are actually going to want to pay good money to come and watch, we have to take those risks with the ball.
“A lot of the time it was good. A lot of the time it paid off, certainly in our defence, to the creative part of the pitch.
“We struggled a little bit in that creative last third and a few crosses were over-hit or under-hit, people taking an extra touch of the ball.
“I’ve just said to the players in there you need to keep being brave. If you keep being brave, you will get your rewards. Things will get worse before they get better.
“The reaction to going a goal behind was really good.”
