Oxford United so nearly lost their unbeaten record this season, as they fortuitously drew 1-1 at Weymouth this afternoon. In a turgid game of few chances, the home side took the lead five minutes from time, when United’s Gavin Johnson tried to head the ball back to goalkeeper Billy Turley. However, Johnson caught the ball too well, and his header looped over Turley and into the net for what looked likely to be a match-winning goal for the Terras. But deep into stoppage time Chris Hargreaves scored an equaliser that the Us barely deserved, prodding the ball home from 20 yards after Weymouth keeper Arran Lee-Barrett flapped a Rob Duffy cross to Hargreaves’ feet.

Unsurprisingly, Jim Smith kept faith with the same starting line-up that performed so well against Northwich Victoria on Saturday, but this was a different game, played in difficult conditions against a side that didn’t allow United any time on the ball. Smith’s plans were further undone after less than quarter of an hour, when Steve Basham limped off with what appeared to be a hamstring injury, meaning Yemi Odubade was thrust into the fray, thereby reducing his usual impact as a late substitute. Smith made a further change ten minutes into the second half, when he replaced Carl Pettefer, who had struggled to get into the game, with Eddie Hutchinson. The final substitution came with quarter of an hour remaining, Matt Day coming on for Eddie Anaclet, who had run himself into the ground.

Today’s referee was a chap named R East (no Soccerbase link, so perhaps he doesn’t really exist). He did okay, relatively speaking, and he had as hard a time as the players in the difficult conditions. At least his errors were consistent in favouring neither side. The attendance was 5,244, which is almost certainly the biggest league attendance ever at the Wessex Stadium, and easily the best Conference gate of the day. Around 2,000 Oxford fans were in attendance. We have been promised a match report, so look out for it in due course.

Despite maintaining their unbeaten start to the season, and remaining above Weymouth on goal difference (obviously), United were knocked off the top of the Conference by Grays Athletic, who won 3-0 at Northwich, who have dropped to 20th. Grays goal difference is +10, while Oxford’s is +8 and Weymouth’s is +5. Also on 13 ponits, in fourth place with a goal difference of +4, is York City. The Minstermen won 1-0 at Rushden to leave the relegated club in 13th place. Dagenham & Redbridge are fifth, after they beat Cambridge United 2-0, leaving them second from bottom.

Crawley remain bottom, but they no longer have a negative points tally, their 1-1 draw at ninth-placed Exeter giving them a grand total of zero points, thus allowing them to start their season now, just one point adrift of Cambridge and Forest Green Rovers. Rovers, under the player-managership of Paul Wanless for the first time, picked up their first point of the season in a 3-3 draw at Stevenage, who are now 21st. United’s next opponents are St Albans, who visit Oxford on Friday. They are now tenth after beating 19th-placed Tamworth 1-0. In other results, 6th-placed Aldershot won 3-0 at 7th-placed Stafford Rangers; Gravesend rose to 8th place after beating Altrincham 3-1; Burton lost their third consecutive game, going down 1-0 at home to Southport; and Woking beat Kidderminster 3-0.

Brief news of ex-Us can’t fail to mention that Black Cat Dean Whitehead was instrumental in helping Sunderland to their first win of the season. Deano scored their first goal direct from a corner as the Mackems beat West Brom 2-0. Tom Winters, released recently by the Us, was on the scoresheet again for Brackley Town, scoring their opener as they beat Solihull Borough 3-1. Howard Forinton scored for Banbury United, but they lost 3-2 at home to Hitchin Town.