Oxford United and Burton Albion[@opponent]Burton Albion[/@opponent] played out a dull goalless draw in a wind-ravaged game this afternoon. Both sides were very poor, although the quality of the visitors' set pieces had to be seen to be believed (and not in a good way). On the evidence of this encounter, it is difficult to see how either side has managed to become play-off contenders, although the windy conditions certainly didn't add to the entertainment value. Arguably, the most exciting point of the afternoon was when one of the corner flags blew off its pole and tried to escape across the pitch. However, a steward was able to restrain it, and tied the poor piece of cloth back onto its stick. There were a couple of football-related incidents: Albion's John Brayford hit the bar with a header from Burton's one decent corner, and Billy Turley had to save from Jon Shaw in the second half, while at the other end, er, nothing happened.[@news]2098[/@news]

Jim Smith made four changes from the side that drew 2-2 with Dagenham on Monday. Michael Corcoran came in for skipper Phil Gilchrist; Martin Foster returned from suspension at the expense of Carl Pettefer; Rob Duffy started up front in a 3-4-3 formation, with Gavin Johnson on the bench; and Chris Hargreaves started the game, Danny Rose making way. United suffered with injuries during the game, with Andy Burgess the first victim, replaced seven minutes before half time by Johnson. At half-time Rose came on for Barry Quinn, with Hargreaves taking over the captain's armband; and on the hour Johnson himself limped off, Matt Day becoming the third left-sided defender of the game for Oxford.

Today's arbiter of the rules was Gary Lewis, whom Oxford have had the misfortune to have encountered twice before this season, in the goalless draw at Kidderminster, and the 2-1 defeat at Exeter. He was his usual execrable self, applying the few rules he appeared to know inconsistently and to no one's advantage. He certainly didn't help the tempo of the game, with his continual whistle blowing for petty offences, and frequently no discernible fouls at all. He showed Chris Zebroski a yellow card for persistent foul play, his tenth booking of the season and so presumably a two-game ban in the offing, while Duffy was also carded for a late tackle. Today's attendance was 6,187, of whom 397 were from the wrong side of Birmingham. A match report may, or may not, follow later. Or not.

The point keeps United in second place, four points clear of third-placed Morecambe, while Burton drop to fifth, one point above Exeter City. Top team Dagenham & Redbridge took another step towards the Football League with a 2-0 win at Tamworth, a result that sees the Lambs drop to fourth bottom. Morecambe climbed up to third courtesy of a 2-0 win over Woking, while York City dropped to fourth after losing 2-0 at home to Gravesend & Northfleet, who are now seventh, four points adrift of sixth-placed Exeter, who won 2-1 at Altrincham.

At the other end, Southport climbed off the bottom with an impressive 5-1 win over Stafford Rangers, their place at the foot of the table being taken by St Albans, who lost 2-0 at Aldershot, who are 10th, 11 points adrift of the play-off zone. Halifax have dropped to third bottom after they were beaten 1-0 at relegation rivals Grays Athletic, who have climbed out of the bottom four. Northwich Victoria, who are United's next opponents, are sixth from bottom after winning 1-0 at Kidderminster Harriers. Cambridge United moved closer to safety with a somewhat impressive 7-0 win over Weymouth, who visit Oxford on Easter Monday. Dan Chillingworth scored a hat trick for the other Us, who are now 18th, while the Terras are ninth, with an appalling goal difference. Stevenage Borough's play-off ambitions took a swipe today, with a 3-0 defeat by Crawley Town. This leaves Borough eighth, six points adrift of Burton, but with two games in hand. The mid-table nothing game saw Rushden & Diamonds win 2-0 at Forest Green Rovers, with Jon Ashton[@player]Ashton, Jon[/@player] scoring Rushden's second goal.