United visited Nailsworth last night, and beat Forest Green Rovers 5-1 to extend their unbeaten run to 14 games and maintain their six-point lead at the top of the Conference. Star of the show was leading scorer Rob Duffy, who hit a sublime hat-trick to take his tally to eleven goals from ten games. Which isn’t bad. However, despite the convincing scoreline, this wasn’t the cruise that the result might suggest. With the game still goalless, Allan Russell intercepted a weak Barry Quinn backpass, rounded Billy Turley (and was fouled by the keeper, so if he had gone down he would have been awarded a penalty and Turley would probably have been dismissed) and, with the goal at his mercy, hit his shot against the post. United immediately went up the other end, where Duffy collected Turley’s clearance, pushed the ball wide of a defender, and curled a right-footed shot past Steve Williams to give United the lead with just over a quarter of the game played. Six minutes before half time Russell made amends for his earlier miss, when he slotted the ball home from a Forest Green free kick that Turley palmed away, but only into the path of a Rovers player who put the ball in the mixer. Five minutes later, United’s lead was restored. Andy Burgess delivered a corner which Duffy did excellently to dive full length to head home.

In the second half United switched to 4-4-2, and this gave them the option to close down the Rovers midfield and create space on the wings. The Us created several chances to extend their lead, but it was FGR who came closest to scoring the next goal. Russell was again the player involved, as his somewhat weak shot was missed by Turley, hit the inside of the far post, rolled along the line, hit the other post, before being scrambled to safety. An excellent ball from Burgess set Yemi Odubade free seven minutes from time, and the pacey striker beat his defender and shot past Williams to seal the points for the Yellows. United weren’t satisfied just yet, though, and Duffy completed his hat-trick in the last minute of normal time. Yemi was keeping the ball by the corner flag, when Eddie Anaclet took over, sped into the area, and slipped the ball to Duffy, who controlled it and flicked the ball past Williams. Then, in the fourth minute of stoppage time, Chris Hargreaves completed the scoring when he thumped home a loose ball.

Jim Smith made two changes to the side that had been held at home by third-bottom Southport. Matt Day replaced Rufus Brevett at left wingback, while Hargreaves was preferred to Eddie Hutchinson in the centre of midfield. Yemi came on for Steve Basham at the midway point of the second half, while in the last minute of normal time John Dempster replaced Duffy, who came off to a standing ovation.

Last night’s referee was Steve Tomlinson, another making his Oxford United officiating debut. He didn’t seem to have too bad a game, relatively speaking, although he did show yellow cards to three Oxford players: Phil Gilchrist, Chris Willmott, and Duffy, all for fouls. He also booked ex-U Matt Robinson, for scything Carl Pettefer in half. The attendance at the New Lawn was 3,021, easily a record for a competitive fixture for FGR. Over half of that number, 1,640, were supporting the side that has set a Conference record for an unbeaten start to a season. We hope to provide a match report tomorrow.

United’s lead at the top of the Conference remains six points, following Dagenham & Redbridge’s 5-0 win over Northwich Victoria this afternoon. Forest Green have slipped back to the bottom of the league after Crawley beat Morecambe 4-0 today. Weymouth are still third, nine points behind the Us, after being held to a 0-0 draw at Altrincham, while York are fourth after beating Aldershot, now 8th, 1-0. Burton’s 0-0 draw at ninth-placed Woking sees them in fifth place, while Exeter are now sixth after they beat Halifax 4-1.

Southend remain third from bottom after they drew 1-1 with St Albans, who are one place above them. Tamworth, in 20th place, drew 0-0 with Stafford Rangers. United’s opponents on Tuesday, Kidderminster Harriers, beat Grays 2-1 to leave themselves 15th in the table. Wayne Hatswell found himself among the goals on Friday night as his own goal gave Stevenage the lead. He also scored Rushden’s equaliser, as the game went on to finish 2-2. The other Conference game saw Gravesend end Cambridge’s recent good run, beating Jimmy Quinn’s side 2-0.