Aldershot took over the leadership of the Conference today, courtesy of a 4-3 win over 19th-placed Farsley Celtic. The Shots took a 2-0 lead and, like they did at Oxford, let it slip. However, they took the lead again, and again, to go one point clear of second-placed Torquay United, who won 5-2 at Kidderminster Harriers. Tim Sills scored Torquay's second, while Chris Zebroski notched their next two. This result means that Oxford go above Kiddy on goal difference. Former leaders Stevenage Borough are a point further behind after they lost 2-1 at home to Cambridge United, who drew level with Borough on points. This match saw the day's biggest attendance in the Conference, of 4,533.

Burton Albion remain fifth after they beat Woking 2-0, while United's next opponents, Salisbury City, beat bottom club Northwich Victoria 2-0. Seventh-placed Exeter City could only draw 1-1 at home to Ebbsfleet United, and Halifax have risen to ninth (Histon are eighth) after they drew 1-1 at home to Rushden & Diamonds.

Altrincham achieved their first home points of the season by beating second-bottom Droylsden 3-2 in the Manchester derby. Alty remain fourth from bottom. Stafford Rangers climbed one place to third-bottom following their impressive 3-1 win at Weymouth. York City stay fifth from bottom despite securing their second win of the season, beating Grays Athletic 2-0 in Essex. Crawley Town, who would be seventh but for their six-points deduction, beat Forest Green Rovers 3-0, with Jamie Cook scoring the third, his first for the club.

So, now everyone's played eleven games, Oxford are tenth in the table, 11 points adrift of leaders Aldershot, and six points behind fifth-placed Burton. United's next two games are at home, before visiting struggling Droylsden, and they really must take all nine points that are available. That won't be easy, as Salisbury have started their first Conference season at a canter, while York will be looking to improve on their poor start to the season. It's still early days, and the panic coming from some quarters is both unseemly and premature, but if things don't start to improve immediately, the pressure mounting on the management might become unbearable.