Robert Duffy’s goal on the hour gave Oxford United a deserved, but hard-fought, 1-0 win at Stafford Rangers yesterday. In front of a large and vociferous away following, United failed to get into gear and, in the first half, they resorted to copying Rangers’ tactics of the long ball, bypassing the midfield. Stafford had a good chance to take an early lead, but striker Guy Madjo shot straight at Billy Turley when clean through. Rangers keeper Daniel Alcock was rarely troubled in the first 45 minutes. In the second half United’s superiority began to show, and five minutes after the break Chris Willmott spurned a golden opportunity to give the Us the lead when he somehow shot over from three yards out, after Craig McAughtrie had cleared a Steve Basham header off the line. Five minutes later and United were in front after Duffy took a short pass from Rufus Brevett and curled the ball around Alcock and into the top corner from 20 yards. After this goal Stafford never got a look in, and although United weren’t able to make the game safe with a second, they looked comfortable at 1-0.

Jim Smith was forced to make two changes from the side that won 1-0 at Crawley on Monday. Marvin Robinson’s injury is worse than was feared at first, and could keep the striker out for up to ten weeks. Luckily, Duffy was fit again after missing three games through injury and he came in as a straight replacement. More significantly, Andy Burgess had to miss the game after suffering from flu, and so United were to be tested for the first time without their most creative player. John Dempster came into the starting eleven as a numerical replacement, although Carl Pettefer took over Burges’ passing duties. At half time Smith took off Dempster and brought on Yemi Odubade as he tried to give the ponderous Stafford central defenders a different test. With quarter of an hour remaining, Duffy made way for Eddie Hutchinson, to allow the Yellows to defend their lead.

The referee yesterday was Oliver Langford, another lucky chap taking charge of his first Oxford game. Unfortunately, he made a poor start when he missed a blatant elbow by Ged Murphy on Basham, but that aside he didn’t have too bad a game. He did give Willmott a deserved booking after United’s stand-in captain stupidly kicked the ball away after conceding a free kick. The attendance of 1,795 was swelled by 876 United supporters (approx 48.85 per cent of the total attendance), and was Stafford’s best attendance of the season. A match report may appear here soon (especially if one other of those 876 Unietd fans wishes to submit one). Don’t forget to vote for your Man of the Match in the Rage Online Voting Booth.

Oxford’s win maintained their six-point lead at the top of the Conference, although some of the chasing pack are beginning to fall away. Stafford are now 14th. Dagenham & Redbridge remain second after their impressive 4-1 win over Weymouth, who have slipped to 6th. York City, who visit Oxford this Saturday, are up to third, eight points behind Oxford, after they were held to a 2-2 draw by Southport, who are fifth from bottom. Grays Athletic are 4th after they won 1-0 at bottom club Crawley, while Aldershot are down to fifth after they lost 2-0 at third-bottom Cambridge United on Friday night.

Forest Green Rovers are second from bottom, despite earning a point in a 2-2 draw at Halifax, after being two goals down. Stevenage Borough occupy the final relegation place after they drew 1-1 at 10th-placed Exeter City. Gravesend are 7th after a last-minute goal gave them a 3-2 win at St Albans, while Woking have moved up to 8th after they thrashed Rushden & Diamonds 3-0.