Wrexham 0 Oxford United 1

Oxford United came through another tough test this afternoon as they laid to rest one of their more enduring bugbears by winning at the Racecourse Ground for the first time. A simple header by leading scorer James Constable on the half-hour following a Jamie Cook corner was enough to secure the points, but in itself doesn't tell the whole story of this difficult game.

Wrexham started on the front foot and for the first ten minutes put Oxford under heavy pressure. Wrexham should have taken the lead in the fourth minute when Curtis Obeng had a glorious chance to score but shot wide to the disbelief of most in the ground. United then came back into the game and took the lead after Cook's free-kick was deflected wide. From Cook's corner Constable was left unmarked three yards in front of goal and had a relatively simple task to give United the lead. Although Wrexham continued to have much of the possession, it was Oxford that created the better chances, with Dannie Bulman having a shot well saved by Chris Maxwell and Cook heading wide when he should have hit the target. Simon Clist did clear one goalbound effort from the line.

Oxford came under a bit of a bombardment at the start of the second half, but Luke Foster and Mark Creighton were towering at the back in their determination to retain the Us' magnificent defensive record. An Adam Murray went close for United, and then Maxwell had to be alert to save well from Constable after he had been put through by Adam Chapman. In stoppage time Cook could have put the result beyond doubt after being set free by Jack Midson, but Maxwell again came to Wrexham's rescue. United hung on for the historic victory, and for all the home side's huffing and puffing the Oxford defence denied them any clear chances to score. The New Oxford look like a side that can put to rest all the hoodoos of the past – not even history can beat them.

For the third game running Chris Wilder kept the same starting line-up as he looks to build a settled side, although Cook and Matt Green played deeper than they had against Luton Town on Tuesday. The first substitution arrived in the 68th minute when Chapman came on for Green. Quarter of an hour later Midson replaced Murray, and four minutes from time Constable went off for Kevin Sandwith following Steven Kinniburgh's dismissal for a second yellow card.

Today's referee was Richard West, who was in charge of Oxford's goalless draw at York City last April. He was a bit card happy in a contest that probably justified a certain amount of heavy handedness. For Oxford, Damien Batt, Murray, Cook, and Kinniburgh (twice) were booked, while Wrexham had six bookings, including two for Frank Sinclair, who was dismissed six minutes before Kinniburgh. In addition, Dean Saunders was also sent to the stand from the bench for his protestations to Sinclair's dismissal. The attendance was 3,620, of whom 475 were following the league leaders.

The win sees Oxford go seven points clear at the top from Luton, who are now second after beating Barrow 1-0 at Kenilworth Road. Wrexham are 16th. Stevenage Borough have gone third on goal difference after they won 3-2 to end Mansfield Town's 15-home-game unbeaten run, with Yemi Odubade scoring Borough's second goal to equalise after Mansfield were 2-0 up and leave the Stags in sixth place. Fourth-placed York beat fifth-placed Kettering Town 2-0, while seventh-placed Tamworth were held to a 2-2 draw at Hayes & Yeading, in 19th place, with Michael Blackwood scoring Tamworth's second.

Chester City remain bottom on -19 points after they drew 1-1 at United's next opponents, Eastbourne Borough, who are 15th. Second-bottom Forest Green Rovers, under new manager David Hockaday for the first time, drew 0-0 with fourth-bottom Ebbsfleet United, while Grays Athletic are third from bottom after their bizarre 5-4 defeat at eighth-placed Rushden & Diamonds, during which Grays were ahead on three separate occasions. Fifth-bottom Gateshead beat Salisbury City 2-1, while AFC Wimbledon drew 0-0 with Cambridge United, Altrincham and Crawley Town drew 0-0, and Histon drew 1-1 with Kidderminster Harriers. [@news]2558[/@news][@opponent]wrexham[/@opponent]