A goal from Scott McGleish after 38 minutes was enough to knock United out of the FA Cup for another season and allow the Us to concentrate on the league, which is nice. McGleish was on hand to score after a Craig Fagan shot came back off the post. Colchester mounted the early pressure, but United had the best chance after just three minutes when a Julian Alsop header came back off the underside of the bar. In the second half Oxford turned things around without seriously threatening the Colchester goal.

Steve Basham was declared fit to play and so the only change from Saturday’s starting line-up saw Jon Ashton move over to cover for the suspended Matt Robinson and Dave Waterman came in to the back three. Sixteen minutes after half-time Mark Rawle replaced Paul Wanless, and with a quarter of an hour remaining ROS Chris Hackett came on for James Hunt. With four minutes to go Basham came off to be replaced by Jefferson Louis.

Referee Trevor Parkes had a quietish game, but still managed to show yellow cards to Andy Crosby and Hunt. The attendance was 3,672 and if someone is kind enough to send us a match report we’ll put it online tomorrow.

United aren’t the only Third Division club looking to concentrate on the league, as both the teams above them also went out. Hull lost 3-1 at Cheltenham, while Doncaster surprisingly went out 1-0 at Scarborough. Other teams from the Third that will be using December 6th as a rest day include Bristol Rovers, 1-0 losers at Bournemouth, Bury, who lost 2-1 at home to Rochdale, Boston, who went down 3-0 at Macclesfield. Bottom club Carlisle lost 3-0 at Oldham and Torquay went down 2-1 at home to Burton Albion.

Those who lived to fight another day include Orient, who won 2-1 at Grantham, Kidderminster, who beat Northwich Victoria 2-1, Lincoln, 3-1 winners over Brighton, and Cambridge, who won 2-1 at Lancaster. Mansfield beat Bishops Stortford 6-0, and Northampton saw off Plymouth 3-2. Scunthorpe knocked out Shrewsbury 2-1 and Swansea beat Rushden 3-0.

Marco Gabbiadini scored twice as Hartlepool beat Whitby Town 4-0, and Sam Ricketts was on target for Telford in their 3-2 win over Crawley. In the Scottish Premier a penalty from Derek Lilley helped Livingston to a 2-0 win over Partick Thistle.