United secured a dramatic last-minute victory over Leyton Orient at the KasStad this afternoon, thanks to Julian Alsop’s lob over Lee Harrison in the third minute of stoppage time. Orient had taken the lead after 25 minutes when Gary Alexander got a toe on Gabby Zakuani’s header over Andy Woodman, which looked like it had already crossed the line before Alexander’s touch. Zakuani’s trip on Steve Basham, 8 minutes later, earned Oxford a penalty easily converted by Andy Crosby. Orient were reduced to ten men with 15 minutes remaining after Tom Newey’s late tackle on Basham earned him a second yellow card, and this was the spur which set up United’s grandstand barnstorming finish, just as everyone in the crowd had assumed that the points were to be shared.

United kept the same line-up that started at Huddersfield last Saturday, with Paul McCarthy keeping Jon Ashton on the bench. Six minutes before Newey’s dismissal Mark Rawle replaced Scott McNiven, as at Huddersfield but without the same devastating effect, as United went to 4-3-3. In the last minute of normal time Basham was replaced by Lee Steele for his first taste of first team action since March following his cruciate ligament injury.

Referee Trevor Kettle started off well, but as soon as he showed his first yellow card, against Newey, he seemed to lose the plot and started blowing his whistle at virtually every opportunity. Crosby, Paul Wanless, Dean Whitehead and Rawle all received yellow cards, all for seemingly innocuous offences. The attendance of 9,477 was the best in Division Three and was only bettered by Sheffield Wednesday in Division Two, and considering that Orient only brought about 650 this shows how much latent support there is for Oxford. We hope to have a match report from Duncan Young online as soon as possible, probably tomorrow.

United remain in second place as Doncaster beat Scunthorpe 1-0. Mansfield go third after beating Rochdale 1-0, two points behind United, while Hull stay fourth, four points behind the Us, after winning 2-0 at York. Yeovil slipped to fifth after losing 2-1 at home to Kidderminster.

Lincoln have climbed to sixth after winning 1-0 at Boston, while Swansea’s 0-0 draw at Torquay left them in seventh and eighth positions. Carlisle stay bottom despite winning 3-1 at Bury, now nine points behind Darlington who lost 1-0 at home to Huddersfield. United’s next opponents Southend won 1-0 at Cambridge, but remain third from bottom. In the Conference Norman Sylla scored the only goal as Tamworth won 1-0 at Burton Albion.