Matt Smart accused referee David Coote of being “weak”after Eastbourne Borough let the chance to claim another famous scalp slip away.

Borough had ambitions of adding Cambridge United to the likes of Torquay, Wrexham and York when Paul Armstrong gave them an unlikely lead from the spot.

Coote failed to give Wayne Hatswell a second yellow card for his clumsy challenge on Allan Tait in the area and then rubbed salt in the wounds by giving the hosts a penalty of their own after Lee Phillips had equalised.

Smart was adjudged to have pushed Chris Holroyd in the box and the substitute picked himself up to score what turned out to be the winner.

Smart said: “I knew I wasn’t going to get the ball so I was trying to slow myself down but I got a little nudge in my back and couldn't stop.

“The referee was giving them all the 50/50 decisions through the game so I wasn’t surprised he gave it.

“I think he surprised himself by giving us a penalty and after that he tried to level things up.

“He was weak and was being influenced by the crowd. If we had had a stronger referee it might have been different.

“He should have sent their player (Hatswell) off but he bottled it. It was at least a yellow card and it would have been hard for them to come back if they were down to ten men.

“Fortunately for us we are safe so it hasn’t cost us anything really but it is still frustrating not to come away with at least a point.”

Hatswell was lucky to escape a booking early in the first half when he cynically brought down Nathan Crabb as he threatened to break away.

Coote did take action after the Cambridge defender clattered Tait but was lenient again when Hatswell gifted Borough the lead in the 58th minute.

There seemed little danger when Neil Jenkins hoisted a hopeful ball forward but Tait got the wrong side of Hatswell who sent him tumbling.

Armstrong’s spot-kick only just squeezed under the body of Danny Potter and all of a sudden Borough were leading a game they had no right to.

The home side had laid siege to the Borough goal in the first half without being able to make their dominance pay but falling behind gave them a new sense of urgency.

Boss Gary Brabin brought on Courtney Pitt following a nasty injury to Danny Crow and the winger immediately changed the course of the game.

Jenkins gave away a soft corner and it proved costly as Lee Phillips got away from Danny Brown to head home Pitt’s cross in the 65th minute.

Five minutes later United were in front after a catalogue of errors at the back from Borough. Hook could only palm Pitt’s cross high into the air, Jenkins headed the ball back into trouble and Smart bundled Holroyd to the ground.

Only after Holroyd had blasted home from 12 yards did Borough start playing and they carved out three chances to grab a point in the final seven minutes.

Neither Nathan Crabb or Tait could get a touch to substitute Jay Lovett’s cross while Crabb took too long to pull the trigger after being picked out by another Lovett delivery.

Ben Austin also headed straight at Potter from a corner as Cambridge held on to go second in the table.

Smart added: “They ran us ragged in the first half but we managed to cling on and then regrouped at half-time.

“We came out and grabbed a goal in the second half but then relaxed at a crucial time and they took their chances.

“We had a mad five minutes and gave away two goals which were completely preventable but if you make mistakes in this league you get punished.”

Borough will be hoping to bounce back today when they welcome Grays Athletic to Priory Lane. Goalkeeper Michael Jordan may be given another chance to impress but Andy Atkin is still sidelined with injury.

Cambridge: Potter, Gleeson, Tonkin, McMahon, Hatswell, Parkinson, Challinor (Pitt, 63), Coulson, Carden, Phillips (Rendell, 90), Crow (Holroyd, 63). Subs not used: Ainge, Reason.

Booked:Hatswell, Crow.

Eastbourne: Hook, Austin, Baker, Pullan, Jenkins, Armstrong, Smart (Lovett, 75), Brown, M Crabb, Tait, N Crabb (Jeffery, 86). Subs not used: Harding, Mingle, Wormull.

Booked: None.