Striker Shane Tolley kept up his hot summer streak as Lynn inflicted Cambridge's first defeat of pre-season.

Liam Hurst's 30-yard screamer put the Conference Premier side in front before Tolley found the net for the fourth match in a row.

He bagged another after the break, taking his pre-season tally to five, to put Gary Setchell's team ahead.

And Andy Hall put the gloss on a fine display with a driven finish on the stroke of full time to make it five friendly matches without defeat for the Step Three new boys.

The U's arrived in Norfolk with a strong squad and fielded a host of first-team men in the opening 45 minutes, including trialists Myles Hippolyte and Javia Roberts.

They started the slightly better of the two as the Linnets struggled to maintain possession in the very early stages. Adam Cunnington and Andy Pugh looped efforts over the hosts' crossbar.

Town, who play two levels below United, soon felt their way into the fixture with Sam Mulready's cross being met by Dan Jacob at the back post. His left-footed effort was palmed away by Will Norris at his near post.

A moment of brilliance opened the scoring as Hurst wandered into a typically friendly-based open space in the middle of the park and smashed a shot goalwards. Alex Street flung himself to his left but he got nowhere near the sensational effort which flew into the top corner.

A couple of half chances aside at either end, Lynn continued to match United and were gifted a route back into the game when Kevin Roberts barged Tolley in the back while challenging for a header inside the penalty box.

The frontman, nicknamed Custard, saw his spot-kick saved by Norris but didn't waste his second chance as he slotted home the rebound confidently.

Some fine interplay from the goalscorer and George Thomson soon fashioned an opening for the latter – who impressed again in a central role. But his well-struck attempt was straight at Norris, who would have been in trouble had it gone a few yards either side.

The rest of the half fizzled out with some nice moments but little for either side to get excited about.

After the break, United spurned two decent chances with Pugh and McAuley heading wide. And they were made to pay for it when Tolley latched onto a long clearance from Street and dispatched his volley expertly over the top of the U's 'keeper. The goal-machine has started pre-season like he ended Lynn's title-winning campaign; bang in form.

Setchell's men grew and grew as the half wore on playing some sublime passing football which wasn't interrupted by a smattering of substitutions. Once again, trialists Valter Fernandes and Ed Gomes, as well as reserve youngsters Shaun Stocker and Lewis Gibson didn't look out of place.

A fine move, involving Jason Lee and Dan Quigley, presented Mulready with a great chance to make the game safe. But Norris pulled a save out of the top drawer at his near post to keep the score at 2-1.

With five minutes on the clock, the U's Eoin Kerwan shanked his outfit's last chance at getting back into it when he blazed over following Bobby–Joe Taylor's cutback.

So it was left to Hall to round off a decent night's entertainment when he found the bottom corner at the second time of asking after his initial shot had been blocked by Richard Tait.

The final whistle blew and fans applauded another encouraging display from their heroes. However, the biggest cheer of the night was reserved for Lynn's popular captain Richard Bunting as he made his return from injury with about 15 minutes left after missing most of the end of last season with a groin/hernia problem.

Lynn, who have won four and drawn one of their friendlies in July, return to action at fellow Step Three side Lowestoft Town tomorrow.

Lynn: Street, Clarke (Fernandes, 53), Fryatt, Lee, Yong (Butt, 69), Hall, Watson (Bunting, 74), Thomson (Quigley, 53), Jacob (Gomes, 53), Mulready (Gibson, 80), Tolley (Stocker, 69). Goals: Tolley (24, 59), Hall (90). Missed penalty: Tolley (24)

Cambridge: Norris, K. Roberts, Tait, Allen, Coulson, McAuley, Hippolyte (Taylor, 46), Hurst, Cunnington, Pugh, Roberts (Lowe, 46 (Kerwan, 83)). Goal: Hurst (17)

Referee: J. Turner

Attendance: 201