Two good away performances in the previous week had given Sutton United hope that they would be able to send their home supporters off with some optimism.
But too many of the old failings returned on Saturday as they were well beaten by a Cambridge side who could yet join them in the drop from Blue Square South if their ground grading failure is not over-ruled.
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Throughout, United were too lightweight on a firm and uneven pitch that was always going to lend itself to a more physical encounter.
Apart from a 10-minute spell early in the second half they rarely troubled a solid visiting defence.
Cambridge carried a greater threat and should have had an early lead when Scott Neilson set Charlie Sheringham up with a clear shooting opportunity, but he lifted the ball high over the bar.
When another chance came his way in the 20th minute, though, the son of former England international Teddy Sheringham made no mistake, although he could scarcely miss after Tom Hughes had miskicked what should have been a routine clearance in to his path 10 yards out.
In a game short on goalmouth action, United's only brief moment of hope was a cross shot by Nicky Greene that fizzed just wide.
Seven minutes before half time Michael Gash did well on the right before crossing low, and Sheringham laid the ball in to the path of Neilson, who took his chance neatly with minimal resistance.
An early change in the second half was the prelude to Sutton's best spell, Liam Wright coming on.
He went close soon afterwards when Jerson Dos Santos and Craig Dundas combined on the right, Dundas crossing to the far post where Wright's goalbound header was blocked.
Moments later some quick thinking from Rob Hughes saw him pick out John Scarborough with a quickly taken free kick, but Scarborough's header was clutched by Shane Herbert above his head. Dundas finished another decent move with a snap shot just wide from the edge of the area.
Hopes of a Sutton comeback were ended when Herbert launched a long clearance downfield that Tom Hughes was always struggling to reach even before he lost his footing, leaving Gash to go clear down the left and pull the ball back for Neilson to beat Sheringham to the tap-in.
In keeping with most end of season games there hadn't been much animosity until that point, but Wright and Sheringham then had to be separated after the Cambridge player reacted aggressively to a foul by Wright.
Both players were shown the yellow card and soon joined in the book by Rob Hughes when he stopped Cambridge taking a quick free kick.
Tempers calmed down with no further problems, and Cambridge almost added a fourth goal when some poor defending by Sutton allowed Gash a clear run on goal, but he was denied a 24th goal of the season by Phil Wilson's touch.
United might even have finished with a consolation goal as Dundas, the recipient of the Strikers' Club and Supporters' Club Player of the Year awards before the game, battled through to a long clearance from Wilson but found Herbert alert enough to beat the shot out.
Sutton: P Wilson, T Cuff(sub D Sammut 73), J Whisken, J Scarborough, T Hughes, N Greene(sub L Wwright 54), R Hughes, J Dos Santos, P Honey, C Dundas, W McBean (sub J Goodchild 70). Subs n/u H Ottaway, J McLoughlin. Booked: Wright(76-foul), R Hughes(77-failure to retire 10 yards).
Cambridge: S Herbert, J Bruce, C Radcliffe, L Chaffey, D Theobald, S Smith(sub D Green 70), S Neilson, J Simpson(sub M E'Beyer 52), M Gash, C Sheringham, A Fuller(sub D Roberts 63). Subs n/u N Mountford, B Bowditch. Goals: Sheringham(20), Neilson(38,68) Booked: Sheringham(76-retaliation).
Referee: A Parker(Stanford-le-Hope)
Attendance: 471
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