A first half header from Lloyd Jones ended Cambridge's poor run but extended Oxford's to just one win in seven this afternoon.
The home side, having won just once in 14 matches, were left relieved as Jones's eighth-minute goal earned them a 1-0 win, but United's search for that elusive win continues.
The visitors couldn’t have wished for a worse start, falling behind to the first effort on target when Jones got up highest to guide a simple header past Eastwood from a Conor McGrandles corner with the game's decisive moment.
United had been proactive and switched to a three-man back line and two strikers up front but struggled to get any momentum going. They were relieved to see home captain Paul Digby scuff wide and Eastwood clutch a Sam Smith effort to his chest as they conceded too many chances before the break, with a late McGrandles drive drifting just wide to further underline that fact.
The U's needed more threat after the break and got it in the shape of Marcus Browne, playing as a 10 behind the returning Sam Baldock and Kyle Joseph. It almost paid off within ten seconds, only for Baldock to tamely pass into the waiting gloves of Dimitar Mitov when he was through on goal. But there was now more intensity and the game began to flow towards the Oxford fans behind Mitov's goal.
Yanic Wildshut replaced the hard-working Kyle Joseph to join the attack, meaning that for the final half hour the excellent Lewis Bate and Cameron Brannagan were effectively feeding a front line of Murphy, Baldock, Wildschut, and Browne.
Cambridge dropped deeper and deeper to limit the space in behind, Ateef Konate and James Henry invited to try and find a way through them in the final 15 minutes, but it took a magnificent recovery tackle at the other end from Sam Long to keep it at 1-0 as Sam Smith led a breakaway.
Browne powered a late effort wide, Wildschut was inches away with a late strike and United had tried every possible combination to try and find a goal.
Right now though, absolutely nothing is going their way. Time to change that at home to Bristol Rovers next Saturday.
Att: 6,613
Away: 785
Report by Chris Williams, pictures Steve Daniels, Steve Edmunds and Darrell Fisher