U's lose again

United went down again for their seventh defeat in the last eight home league fixtures as Notts County prevented a potential Oxford double, winning 3-2. Paul Powell opened the scoring for United after just seven minutes, but former Oxford striker Alex Dyer, now playing in defence for the Magpies, equalised from a corner seven minutes later. Further goals from Andy Hughes, the second a penalty, made the score 3-1 to County at half time, but Oxford pulled one back with a Paul Powell penalty fifteen minutes from time.
Oxford started with the same line-up as began at Preston, but at half time Nigel Jemson and Christian Edwards were replaced by Ben Abbey and Jamie Cook. Midway through the half Steve Anthrobus came on for Simon Weatherstone, and it was a foul on Anthrobus which won United their penalty. United had Paul Tait booked for dissent and Mark Watson for a tackle from behind. A match report can be found here.
Fortunately for United most of our rivals for the relegation spots also had bad hair days. Bottom of the table Chesterfield lost 3-1 at Bristol Rovers, Cambridge went down 4-3 at home to Wrexham, Scunthorpe lost 3-1 at Gillingham, for whom Andy Thomson scored their second, Reading went down 3-0 at Burnley and Blackpool drew 1-1 at Millwall after being a goal up. Bury, United's next opponents, also lost, 1-0 at Wigan. So Oxford remain fourth from bottom, still with the division's worst goal difference, and having played a game more than most of the teams around us.

Former U's finding the net (apart from Alex Dyer)

Nick Cusack scored Swansea's equaliser in their 1-1 draw at Darlington (whose goal, astonishingly, wasn't scored by Marco Gabbiadini). Otherwise it was a quiet day for United old-boys.