Stevenage Borough 1 Oxford United 1

The impressive and inspiring spectacle we have witnessed displays the vigour and efficiency of the Oxford defence forces. They have grown up in the stress of emergency. They have been shaped and tempered by the fire of the enemy, and we saw them all, in their many grades and classe – the Willmotts, the Fosters and Carruthers, the casualty Batts, the Sandwiths, the Chapmans, the Clists, the Murrays. No one could but feel how great a people, how great a team we have the honour to belong to. How complex, sensitive, and resilient is the club we have evolved over the seasons, and how capable of withstanding the most unexpected strain.

We ask no favours of the referees. We seek from them no compunction. On the contrary, if tonight our people were asked to cast their vote whether a convention should be entered into to stop the dismissals of our defenders, the overwhelming majority would cry, “No, we will mete out to them the measure, and more than the measure, that they have meted out to us.” The people with one voice would say: “You have committed every crime under the sun. Where you have been the least resisted there you have been the most brutal. It was you who began the indiscriminate fouling. We will have no truce or parley with you, or the grisly gang who work your wicked will. You do your worst – and we will do our best.

And so it was that the valiant few resisted the overwhelming forces of the enemy, and overcame all adversity. The dismissal of Batt, the goal of the Bridges was almost too far, but the valiance of Chapman, the calmness of Constable, the resilience of Turley, Foster, Willmott, the craft and class of Murray and Clist. All were to the fore as we resisted and fought and overcame the forces of darkness. We had nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat. They did their worst – and we did our best. This is the lesson: this is the lesson: never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never. Etc.

Winston Churchill, er, Chris Wilder, made just one change to the side that won at Rushden on Tuesday, bringing Lewis Haldane into the starting line-up in place of Yemi Odubade. Following Damien Batt's sending off for DOGSO, the silly so-so, Adam Chapman dropped back from midfield to right back. At half-time Kevin Sandwith replaced Craig Nelthorpe, with Chris Carruthers pushing up. On the hour, Carruthers was replaced by Craig Farrell, who was involved in the move that led to the corner that led to the foul on Chapman for the penalty that led to Oxford's equaliser that led to scenes of mayhem and jubilation in the away end. With five minutes to go Yemi came on for Lewis, who was clearly knackered having shot just wide minutes earlier.

The man everyone hated was James Adcock, in charge of an Oxford game for the first time. He may have got lots of the little decisions wrong, but he got the two big decisions right – Batt's dismissal and the Oxford penalty. He also showed yellow cards to Nelthorpe and Constable. The attendance was 3,700, of whom approximately 2,000 or so were on the side of the Good.

Luckily for Oxford, their play-off hopes were only slightly dented by failing to beat Stevenage, as most of their rivals for the play-offs also drew. United remain seventh, and Stevenage remain sixth, and both remain just behind Kidderminster Harriers. Nothing changed, except that United have one game fewer in which to get into the play-offs.

The only winners in the top ten were first-placed Burton Albion, who beat fifth-bottom Grays Athletic 4-0, and that darned Kettering Town, whose 2-1 win over fourth-bottom Ebbsfleet United leaves them in eighth place, level on points with Oxford but having played three games fewer. And Histon, whose 1-0 win over Wrexham had the twin effect of probably cementing Histon's play-off place while ending Wrexham's challenge. Histon, of course, are Oxford's opponents on Saturday.

Apart from United and Stevenage, those who failed to win included Crawley, whose 2-2 draw at Altrincham leaves them in ninth place, three points behind Oxford, having played two games fewer. Kidderminster missed out on a perfect opportunity to put some daylight between them and the chasing pack by being held to a 0-0 draw at York. Kiddy are two points above United, but have two games in hand. York are now three points above the drop zone. Torquay were also held to a draw, 1-1 at Mansfield, for whom Rob Duffy scored.

Elsewhere, relegated Lewes lost 4-1 at Forest Green Rovers, Northwich Victoria gave their increasingly faint survival chances a boost with a 4-2 win over Rushden & Diamonds, for whom Rob Wolleaston scored for the third consecutive game. The inconsequential game of the day was Salisbury City's 2-0 win over Eastbourne Borough. [@news]2481[/@news] [@opponent]stevenage borough[/@opponent]