Death Pool

Hartlepool effectively killed United's unbeaten seven game league record with a performance that will have, hopefully, taught Oxford that defence is not always the best means of attack. The league leaders took the lead in the 24th minute when the unmarked Ritchie Humphreys shot home from the edge of the area. United contrived a bizarre equaliser when Michael Barron somehow put a Jefferson Louis cross into his own net in the 36th minute, although none of the away supporters knew that the ball had crossed the line until the linesman flagged for a goal. The other lino then played a major role in Pool's second goal, failing to raise his flag for offside when Marcus Richardson was put clean through just two minutes before half-time. In the second half United had one or two periods of sustained, but ultimately toothless, pressure and it was during one of these that Hartlepool broke free for Richardson to slot the ball under Andy Woodman in the last minute to seal the defeat.

Scott McNiven returned to the side after his one match suspension, with Roy Hunter resuming his spot in the midfield. Christian Edwards made his debut as a straight replacement for the suspended Dave Waterman, whilst Dean Whitehead was the one who made way in midfield. United's first substitution was ten minutes into the second half when Louis gave way for David Oldfield. After 67 minutes Andy Scott came on for Edwards as the Us switched to a more attacking 4-4-2, to no avail. With 15 minutes remaining Whitehead came on for Hunter, but the club were still unable to fashion any real goalscoring opportunities.

Referee A Bates took charge of an Oxford game for the first time this season, and he showed the U's one yellow card, to Louis for a foul. The attendance was 5,049, and a match report by Paul Beevers can be found here.

Luckily for Oxford other results tended to go their way and the team remains sixth in the table, 16 points behind Hartlepool. Second placed Rushden beat Cambridge 4-1, with Paul Wanless scoring the consolation goal, to remain just two points behind the leaders. Bury remain in third place despite being held at home to a 0-0 draw by lowly Boston. They are now five points ahead of Oxford. Torquay stay fourth despite going down 2-1 at Wrexham, and fifth placed Scunthorpe also lost 2-1, at Bristol Rovers.

Bournemouth's 2-2 draw at home to Macclesfield saw them move up to seventh, level on points with United, as are eighth placed York, who beat bottom club Swansea 3-1. This leaves the Swans five points adrift of second bottom Carlisle, who lost 1-0 at Exeter. Hull City remain three points behind United, in eleventh place, following their 2-0 defeat at Leyton Orient, with Lincoln just behind them on goal difference after the Imps drew 1-1 with Shrewsbury. Elsewhere Darlington beat Kidderminster 2-1 whilst United's next opponents, Southend, beat Rochdale 1-0 at Roots Hall.