Oxford United eased their way to their best win since October 2006 by beating Altrincham 4-0 this afternoon.[@news]2250[/@news][@opponent]altrincham[/@opponent] The Us' first home game of 2008 succeeded in lifting, temporarily at least, the gloom surrounding the club, thanks in large part to the performances of the two new signings, Adam Murray and Craig McAllister. While Murray put in the graft and pulled the strings in midfield, McAllister held the ball up well up front, and brought other players into the game with some clever passing and link-up play.

It was McAllister who scored United's first goal, midway through the first half, following a rather pedestrian opening period, enlivened only by a speculative Phil Trainer shot that Stuart Coburn saved easily. The goal came from a long clearance by Billy Turley that was flicked on by Rob Duffy behind the Altrincham back line. McAllister ran onto the ball and slipped it past Coburn for a debut goal. This sparked the game into life, and after McAllister looked to have been bundled over in the penalty area after half an hour, he then headed the ball against the bar after a superb right-wing cross by Joel Ledgister. Duffy then forced Coburn into a good save, before his flick-on sent Yemi Odubade scampering into the area, where he was brought down by Coburn. Duffy inevitably scored from the resultant penalty, and Oxford looked to be coasting, with Turley virtually a spectator.

United have been two, and indeed three, goals up at half time before, and failed to win, but against part-timers Altrincham they rarely looked like conceding, and started the second half with the same quick tempo as they had ended the first. A first-time Ledgister shot forced Coburn into another save, and when Yemi burst into the area to be blatantly tripped the whole ground waited for the penalty to be awarded. The claims were waved away, however, and when the ball went out of play the referee laughably booked Yemi for simulation. Ten minutes into the second half a Matt Day long throw went over McAllister's head and bounced towards the unmarked Duffy. With his back to goal Duffy performed an exquisite overhead kick to place the ball in the corner and ease any nerves that United may have had. Duffy almost scored a hat trick when he got behind Coburn to get on the end of an Alex Jeannin cross, but his header went narrowly wide. There was a moment of controversy when a long-range drive from Day was pushed onto the post by Coburn and the ball crossed the line just before Phil Trainer reached it, but the goal was disallowed because Trainer was offside. With ten minutes to go Ledgister burst into the area and squared the ball for the unmarked Alex Fisher to complete the scoring with his first strike for the club and, for a change, everyone went home happy.

Darren Patterson made four changes to the side that lost so tamely at Crawley on New Year's Day. James Clarke was rested, and Day reverted to right back, while Barry Quinn served a one-game suspension, his place being taken by Michael Corcoran, with Luke Foster taking the captain's armband. In midfield, Murray made his debut in place of Eddie Hutchinson, with Yemi playing on the wing. His place up front was taken by McAllister, and Carl Pettefer made way for him. With quarter of an hour remaining, Pettefer came on for the tiring Yemi, and four minutes later Duffy went off to a standing ovation, to be replaced by Fisher. The final substitution came with seven minutes to go, when Clarke was put into right midfield, as Ledgister made way.

Today's referee was the unfortunate