A fifth minute strike from Town captain Kenny Pogue was all that separated the sides in front of a bumper Bank Holiday crowd at The Oval.
Ever-present Jamie Bunn missed his first competitive fixture of the season, with James Broadbent also absent. Their absence meant starts for the returning duo of Sam Crabb and Adam Sargent while Liam Painter dropped to the bench and was replaced by Dean Stevens.
The defining moment of the fixture came with five minutes played as Adam Davidson’s pass was intercepted by former United wideman Jason Taylor, who proceeded to charge at goal before squaring for Pogue who slotted the ball low past the helpless Sargent at the far post.
United’s best chances in the opening 45 minutes fell to Max Hollobone, who saw a shot from distance angle away from goal while Liam Baitup volleyed straight at Town ‘keeper Greg Nessling.
United manager Tobi Hutchinson was forced into a substitution at half-time as Nik Chamberlain succumbed to an ankle injury sustained during the first half, with Toby Clifford his replacement.
The opening ten minutes of the second half belonged to Town, with the former United duo of Aaron Capon and Wes Tate combining, with the latter firing wildly over Sargent’s crossbar.
Davidson made a superb block to deny Dan Bolwell a chance at goal, while at the over end an enticing through ball from Crabb was just too strong for the run of Peter Cooper.
Sargent had to be alert to smother the ball at the feet of Capon, while Aaron Filsell made an inch perfect last ditch tackle to thwart Taylor.
Town thought they had doubled their lead with just over twenty minutes remaining as Taylor saw an overhead kick hit the inside of the post before Sargent gratefully gathered the ball on the line.
With the game drawing to its conclusion, the Town defence stood firm as United pressed for an equaliser but it proved to be a winless end to 2015