United collapse

Oxford lost their second away game in succession at bottom of the table Carlisle, despite the home team having to play the last seventeen minutes with ten men, after Mark Summerbell was sent off for a second yellow card. The only goal of the game was scored by Brendan McGill after 33 minutes, although Dave Savage had earlier hit the post for United and Chris Hackett was denied by a good save from Matt Glennon with just a couple of minutes left.

Ian Atkins made two changes to the side that lost at Macclesfield, with Dave Waterman making his first start since August 27th in midfield in place of the injured David Oldfield, and Gavin Gordon playing up front alongside Jefferson Louis with defender Matt Bound being dropped. Andy Scott started in the wide left position with Savage on the right as United began using 4-4-2. At half-time Steve Basham replaced Gordon, with Hackett coming on for Dave Savage and, when Carlisle were a man short, Paul Powell replaced Jefferson Louis.

The referee was Eddie Evans, who was also in charge of United's game against Torquay in September. As well as dismissing Summerbell he also showed a yellow card to Adi Viveash and Scott McNiven. The attendance was 4,039 and a match report by our old stalwart Jim Henderson can be found by following this link.

This latest defeat drops United back down to 12th in the table, and lifts Carlisle off the bottom of the table. Hartlepool are now four points clear at the top after their goalless draw with York last night. Rushden are up to second after winning 1-0 at rapidly fading Rochdale and Bournemouth go third after beating Bristol Rovers 1-0. Kidderminster's game at Torquay was postponed, so they've dropped to fourth, whilst Cambridge have climed to fifth after beating Swansea 1-0, dropping the Swans back to the bottom. Bury's 2-1 win at Orient has lifted them up to sixth, whilst Torquay occupy the remaining play-off spot. Hull's 2-0 win over Scunthorpe was enough to lift them above Oxford, but not above Scunny, whilst Wrexham's 1-0 win at Southend saw the Dragons move ahead of United. Lincoln are the other team above Oxford, they drew 0-0 at Darlington.

At the bottom Boston dropped back to third from bottom, overtaken by Exeter who beat them 3-0 in Lincolnshire. Shrewsbury lifted themselves clear of the danger area with a 2-1 win at Macclesfield. Former United players on the scoresheet included Matty Elliott, who scored Leicester's second in their 2-0 win at Portsmouth, and Darren Purse who opened the scoring for Birmingham in their 3-1 win over Bolton. Marco Gabbiadini scored Northampton's third in their 3-0 win over Luton, and Howard Forinton got Yeovil's second in their 2-2 draw at Chester. Marc McGregor opened the scoring for Nuneaton in their 2-0 win at Farnborough.