Swansea City manager Brian Flynn's decision to drop top scorer James Thomas paid off as replacement Mark Richards' two second-half goals took the Swans out of the drop zone.
The on-loan striker found the net in the 53rd and 82nd minutes to beat Cambridge Untied 2-0, and send the Swans flying to 19th place.
But it could easily have been more as Cambridge once again tripped up on their travels.
Manager John Taylor had no complaints with the result.
"Although it was only 2-0 we were hammered," he said. "It was our worst away performance this season.
"Swansea have some very good players and Leon Britton and Roberto Martinez ran the midfield today." Britton, on loan from West Ham, was especially influential. His midfield trickery dazzled the U's into submission.
The pint-sized playmaker created the opener when he found space for Michael Howard to put John Williams into a crossing position.
Williams' pinpoint delivery was met by the head of Steve Watkin and after Sean Marshall had initially saved with his feet, Richards was quickest to react.
It was only his second goal since his arrival in November, the last coming in a 2-0 victory over Shrewsbury.
But he did not have to wait long for another. The sublime Martinez unlocked the visiting defence with a delightful throughball which Richards latched on to and he expertly lobbed the encroaching Marshall.
It was all the sweeter for Richards who had been frustrated by Cambridge's offside trap all afternoon.
Richards was denied a hat-trick earlier when the linesman's flag ruled out a 19th minute effort for offside.
Cambridge did not threaten at all with only captain Paul Wanless calling Roger Freestone into action.
And while top scorer Dave Kitson looked dangerous he never really went close in cutting Swansea's advantage.