United’s unbeaten home record finally collapsed, two games short of the club’s record, thanks to a goal after 41 minutes from Huddersfield captain, and Oxford fans’ boo-boy, Efe Sodje. The cheating Sodje headed home a routine corner after some hesitant United defending with Huddersfield’s only real chance in the first half. Prior to that Oxford were denied what looked like a cast-iron penalty claim after Mark Rawle had been pushed in the back, but there wasn’t that much for Terriers’ ‘keeper Paul Rachubka to do.

Ian Atkins made only one change to the side that started against York on Wednesday, bringing back Rawle in place of Lee Steele. As on Wednesday ROS Chris Hackett came on for Scott McNiven, this time 12 minutes into the second half. Steele then came on for the tiring Rawle ten minutes later, and with nine minutes remaining Jefferson Louis came on for loanee Barry Quinn. No-one replaced Louis.

Today’s referee was P Armstrong from Berkshire, and he was obviously a Reading supporter. He was very picky, and inconsistent, and failed to give any difficult decisions. He also booked Paul McCarthy and Julian Alsop, but that’s by the by. The attendance was 7,278, the largest in the Division today. We hope to produce a match report tomorrow.

United stay third, but Huddersfield are now level on points and have a game in hand over the Us. Division Three Leaders Doncaster Rovers extended their lead to six points, thanks to their 1-1 draw at Swansea last night, and Hull’s 1-0 defeat at Mansfield. This leaves the Swans in tenth place, seven points below the play-offs, and the Stags in sixth spot. Torquay moved up to sixth following their 4-1 thrashing of bottom club Carlisle who are, worryingly, United’s next opponents.

Of the other main contenders for play-off places, Yeovil went down 3-0 at Scunthorpe, 8th placed Lincoln lost 3-2 at Cheltenham, thanks to conceding two goals in the last three minutes, while Northampton scored a last minute winner at Cambridge. This leaves Lincoln two points behind Yeovil, having played one game fewer, and Northampton a further three points behind, but with a far inferior goal difference.

At the bottom, Macclesfield were beaten 1-0 at home by Darlington, to leave the Macc lads eight points clear of Carlisle, but three points behind Rochdale, who lost 2-0 at Boston. This leaves Cambridge and Darlo six points above the relegation zone, with Boston a further point ahead and Bristol Rovers and Southend, who drew 1-1 today, just eight points above the drop zone.

In the Conference on-loan United striker Manny Omoyinmi scored Gravesend’s second goal as they drew 2-2 at Aldershot and Scott Guyett hit Chester’s third in their 3-1 win over Burton Albion. In Scotland Derek Townsley scored for Gretna in their 2-1 defeat at Peterhead.