Neil Perrett reports from the Abbey Stadium on a win for the Cherries and a hisotric match for Jermain Defoe...

WONDERKID Jermain Defoe rewrote the Football League record books when he scored for the 10th league game in succession as Cherries maintained their impressive away form at the Abbey Stadium last night.

The 18-year-old striker, on loan from West Ham, made history when he opened the scoring midway through the second-half with another stunning goal.

Defoe latched on to a through ball by Carl Fletcher, rounded Cambridge keeper Shaun Marshall and stroked the ball into an empty net.

The teenager slumped to his knees and held his head in his hands before his jubilant team-mates joined in the celebrations and mobbed him as he knelt on the ground in front of an empty stand.

Cherries victory was cemented when substitute James Hayter headed home Richard Hughes' 84th-minute corner to make it four away wins in their last five games.

All eyes were on Defoe and after just 32 seconds the youngster had his first goal-scoring chance but struck his shot straight at United defender Andy Duncan.

But after eight minutes Defoe should have opened the scoring when he seized on a terrible back pass by Tom Cowan and, with just Marshall to beat, Defoe struck his shot straight at the goalkeeper from 10 yards.

In a scrappy opening half United were restricted to half chances and their first fell to leading scorer Tom Youngs whose fierce drive was blocked by Jason Tindall. There was controversy after 19 minutes when U's keeper Marshall handled the ball outside of his area and for some reason escaped punishment even though referee Mick Fletcher awarded a free-kick.

And when Claus Jorgensen whipped the ball in again a wall of Cambridge defenders kept his effort out.

Cherries had the ball in the net after 22 minutes when Eddie Howe headed home Hughes' free-kick but the effort was ruled out for off-side.

Midway through the half Cherries were reduced to 10 men when Wade Elliott was sent off for appearing to elbow United defender John Dreyer.

Although the dismissal looked harsh, referee Fletcher wasted no time in brandishing the red card at the former Bashley man.

Cherries were forced into a reshuffle when Karl Broadhurst limped off with an injury after 38 minutes and was replaced by Danny Smith.

And the change in personnel coupled with a numerical disadvantage handed the initiative to the home side in the closing stages.

Firstly, Hughes was forced to hack the ball to safety after John Taylor had flicked on a cross by Oakes before Taylor, the United player-coach, forced Gareth Stewart into making his first save of the game five minutes before half-time. In first-half injury time, another probing cross from Oakes was met by a downward header from Paul Wanless which drifted just past the post.

Cambridge piled forward at the start of the second half and Paul Connor and Ian Ashby both went close to opening the scoring.

Cherries hit back when Marshall saved with his legs after Steve Fletcher broke clear before Stewart acrobatically tipped a dangerous Taylor header over the bar.

Defoe reached his milestone in the 64th minute and almost added a second minutes later when he poked a shot wide.

Hayter's second goal was sandwiched between miraculous goal-line clearances by Tindall and Hughes but the night belonged to Defoe.