A tough game saw United, wearing their all-black away kit, battle hard at Chester and come away with three deserved points. Oxford took an early lead with Mark E’Beyer, playing on the right wing, scoring his first goal for the club just 16 minutes into the game. Unfortunately it all looked like it was going to go pear-shaped again when a mistake from Leo Roget let in Kevin Ellison to equalise ten minutes before half-time. Until that point the Us had dominated possession, but hadn’t made their chances count, and the second half started with Oxford on the back foot. However, United gradually clawed their way back into the game and midway through the second half Matt Robinson’s shot restored their lead. With six minutes remaining Steve Basham powered home the winning goal to give Oxford the win that was worthy of their play.

With Sam Togwell having returned to Crystal Palace, Darren Patterson recalled Dave Mackay to right back. E’Beyer switched back to the right wing, and Basham started on the left. Tommy Mooney returned to the side and partnered Lee Bradbury up front. Paul Wanless retained the captain’s armband. With quarter of an hour remaining Craig Davies replaced Mooney, who was tiring, and the youngster set up Basham for United’s third goal.

Today’s game was refereed by Nigel Miller, whose last United game was the 3-0 win over Northampton at the start of last season. In a difficult game Miller made 11 bookings, five of them Oxford players. E’Beyer was somewhat harshly yellow-carded on the half-hour, and Wanless followed just before half-time. As the game got scrappier in the last 20 minutes a rash of bookings saw Barry Quinn and Roget cautioned for fouls, before finally Basham was booked for over-celebrating his goal. Phil Bolland was one of Chester’s naughty boys. The attendance was just 2,791. We should be provided with a match report to bore you with tomorrow.

The win sees United climb one place in the table, going above Rushden, who lost 2-0 at home to Macclesfield. Oxford are now just one point and one place below Chester. Kidderminster remain bottom after losing 2-0 at home to Northampton, for whom Julian Alsop scored the second. Cambridge are second from bottom after going down 2-1 at Notts County, who are one place above Chester. Third-bottom Shrewsbury also lost, 3-1 at league leaders Scunthorpe, now five points clear.

Oxford’s next opponents, Swansea, remain second, despite losing 3-1 at home to 7th-placed Bury. Yeovil, in third, also lost 3-1, at fifth-placed Lincoln City, while Andy Scott’s goal was enough to give Orient a 1-0 win at Mansfield and take the Os up to fourth. Southend remain just outside the play-offs after last night’s 1-1 draw with Grimsby, who are three places above Oxford, while Darlington are ninth after their 2-0 win at Chester, also last night. In today’s other games Rochdale beat Boston 2-0, and Bristol Rovers lost again, 1-0 at home to Wycombe, who are set to announce their new manager on Monday.

In the third division Dean Windass scored Bradford’s equaliser at home to Oldham, but the Lancashire side went on to win 3-1. In the Conference Simon King was Barnet’s hero, scoring the winner in their 3-2 win at Aldershot, and Lee Nogan opened the scoring for York in their 2-1 win over Carlisle. In the SPL Richie Foran scored the winner for Motherwell as they beat Dunfermline 2-1. In the GLS Football Hellenic League Cup, Ben Border was on target for Carterton Town in their 2-0 win over Fairford.