Jamie Brooks showed that he is almost ready for a first-team place with two excellent goals at Northampton in this afternoon’s reserve match at Sixfields. Northampton took the lead through Martin Reeves midway through the first half, and it was the Cobblers who mounted most of the pressure, although United also had chances.

Brooks equalised 18 minutes from time when he latched onto a pass from Mark Rawle and shot home. He then scored the winner with five minutes remaining with a right foot shot. The win was somewhat against the run of play, but nonetheless welcome for all that, and showed that not everything to do with Oxford is doom and gloom at the moment.

Both sides were full of experience, with former United striker Julian Alsop playing for Northampton, and Oxford featuring Paul Wanless and Dave Woozley, in addition to Brooks and Rawle. Other players with first-team experience in the United ranks were Terry Parker, Lee Molyneaux, Paul Burton, Danny Morgan, and substitute Craig Davies.