For the second time this season United beat the fourth division leaders 2-1 at the Kas. In January it was Yeovil, this time round it was Southend, and both times the victory was fully deserved. Oxford were a bit slow out of the blocks, but after 20 minutes Tommy Mooney released Chris Hackett on the right, and his low cross was stabbed home by Craig Davies at the far post to give United the lead. Six minutes before half-time Oxford doubled their score when Lee Bradbury flicked on a Lucas Cominelli corner for Mooney to head home from the goalline against his former club, although there was a hit of an own goal by Duncan Jupp. United eased off during the second half, and this allowed Southend back into the game, although they hardly looked like scoring until United’s traditional defensive balls-up. Chris Tardif and Jon Ashton left a harmless-looking through-ball to each other, and Fredy Eastwood took the opportunity to nip in and tap home the easiest of open goals. Tardif made up for his error with some decent saves, and United went on to claim the points.

Although Horacio Rodriguez had announced his team two days in advance, the side that took to the pitch wasn’t the expected one, with Davies replacing Steve Basham, who had injured his stomach in training on Friday. Similarly, Amine Karam was missing from the bench through illness. Apart from this the only two changes from the side that lost at Swansea were the return of Mooney for Emiliano Diaz, and the return of Ashton for the suspended Mateo Corbo. Twenty minutes into the second half Juan Pablo Raponi came on for Davies to partner Mooney up front, and five minutes from time Hackett was replaced by Lee Molyneaux. By now United had lost most of their shape, and matters weren’t helped when, with just a couple of minutes of normal time remaining, E Diaz was brought on for Mooney, to leave the Us with no recognised strikers on the pitch. Ridiculously, some fools thought it sensible to boo Emiliano as he came on.

The referee was Lee Mason, who had a poor game, often awarding throw-ins and corners the wrong way, and bottling some difficult decisions, although he was equally poor for both teams. This was Mason’s first time in charge of an Oxford game, and he celebrated by booking Ashton for a dangerous lunge. The attendance was 5,916, boosted by over 1,800 Shrimps. A match report could appear later. Perhaps.

The win lifted United back into the top half of the fourth division, into 12th place, while Southend dropped to second, behind Yeovil on goal difference, the Glovers drawing 1-1 at Wycombe. Scunthorpe are third after drawing 0-0 at local rivals Grimsby, while Swansea’s 2-0 defeat at Bristol Rovers, for whom Richard Walker scored the first, drops them back to fourth. Macclesfield are fifth after beating Mansfield 3-1, while Lincoln are 6th after losing 1-0 at Northampton, who remain 8th. Darlington scored two penalties to beat Rushden 2-0 and remain in 7th place, nine points ahead of Oxford, and so finally, mathematically, and completely ensuring that United can’t make the play-offs.

At the bottom of the table Cambridge’s relegation to the Conference was confirmed after they could only draw 0-0 with United’s next opponents, Rochdale, while Kidderminster have virtually joined them after losing 3-0 at Boston, to leave them six points below Rushden with two games to go, and a vastly inferior goal difference. Shrewsbury, fourth from bottom, drew 1-1 with Notts County while United’s opponents on the season’s final day, Chester, lost 2-0 at Orient. Bury beat Cheltenham 3-1.

On the Conference’s final day the final two play-off places were confirmed, with Aldershot, who beat Scarborough 2-0, and Stevenage, 2-0 winners over Leigh RMI, joining Carlisle and Hereford. Exeter, who won 2-0 at Carlisle, and Morecambe, who were held 0-0 at Tamworth, both missed out by just one point.

In division three, Peterborough’s relegation was confirmed despite their 1-0 win at Bournemouth, this was because of Torquay’s 2-1 win at Oldham. Wrexham are almost down too, following their 2-1 home defeat by champions Luton. This leaves the Red Dragons (or whatever their nickname is) eleven points from safety with four games left. Franchise lost 2-1 at home to Bristol City to leave them three points behind Torquay, who are now fifth from bottom. Oldham aren’t safe yet, being four points above the drop zone.

In division two, Sunderland beat Leicester 2-1 to confirm their promotion back to the top flight. As a result, United are ?100,000 richer, thanks to a clause in the deal that took Dean Whitehead to the north-east.