Oxford kept their first clean sheet since the end of October as they held Bury to a goalless draw at Gigg Lane this afternoon. This also maintained their unbeaten away record since Ramon Diaz took charge, with three draws on the road. Oxford were under the cosh for most of this match, and had no shots on target to show for 90 minutes of endeavour, although Tommy Mooney was clean through before a poor touch took the ball away from him. Chris Tardif was by far the busier keeper, but would have been relieved when Danny Swailes headed over from three yards out with just three minutes to play.

Diaz and Horacio Rodrigues made a few changes from the side which beat Wycombe two days ago, one of them enforced by the suspension of Chris Hackett, with Lee Molyneaux playing wide on the right to compensate. Jon Ashton returned to the defence, with David Woozley giving way, and Steve Basham started up front alongside Mooney to give Craig Davies a well-earned rest. Rob Wolleaston started in central midfield, with Lee Bradbury playing wide left and Jamie Brooks dropping to the bench. United’s first substitution was made at half-time, with diminutive winger Doudou, now signed until the end of the season, coming on for Wolleaston. Brooks replaced Basham 12 minutes into the second half, to allow Doudou to partner Mooney up front, and Paul Wanless came on for Bradbury eleven minutes later.

The referee was G Hegley, last seen round these parts when he took charge of Oxford’s win at Millwall in the League Cup last season. He showed a yellow card to Mooney for dissent after Bury keeper Andy Marriott got away with handling the ball outside his penalty area. The attendance was an abysmal 2,783, which isn’t actually too bad by Bury’s standards. We hope someone will be sending in a match report, otherwise we’re going to have to make it up ourselves.

The point sees Oxford remain 18th, with Bury still just one place above United. Both the bottom two sides lost: Cambridge lost 3-0 at Grimsby, and Kidderminster went down 3-1 at home to Southend, who stay fourth. Third-bottom Rushden lost 2-0 at home to third-top Swansea, while Shrewsbury were in the lead at Yeovil, but the Somerset team eventually won 4-2 to go top of the league. Notts County were held 0-0 by nine-man Rochdale, while Chester remain one place below Oxford after losing to a last minute goal at home to Lincoln, who move up to seventh, seven points above Oxford.

Scunthorpe surrendered top spot after losing 1-0 at Mansfield, for Scunny’s fourth game without a win. Northampton stay fifth despite losing 3-1 at Bristol Rovers, for whom James Hunt and Christian Edwards both scored. United’s next opponents, Darlington, have gone 6th after beating Macclesfield 3-1, to leave the Silkmen 9th. Orient dropped one place to 8th thanks to their 2-2 draw at Boston. Wycombe and Cheltenham drew 1-1.