Oxford United 1 Kettering Town 1

United ended up drawing a game they should have won after going ahead through Yemi Odubade 18 minutes from time. Oxford then sat back on their lead and invited Kettering to attack, which they did, although it took a controversial free kick with two minutes to go before they scored. Craig Westcarr's shot hit the post and Gareth Seddon was on hand to tap the ball home.

The first half was an entertaining, and fairly even affair, with the United supporters in good voice as they urged their team on. Oxford had a lot of possession, but apart from a Chris Carruthers free kick, straight at Lee Harper, and a Barry Quinn header cleared off the line, they rarely threatened. Kettering were similarly toothless up front, with both Iyesden Christie and Guy Branston heading over when they should have at least hit the target. Meanwhile, Ben Hinchliffe, making his home debut in goal, made a couple of important blocks, and did well to punch away a dangerous cross when the Us were caught on the break.

With Oxford attacking towards their fans in the East Stand for the second half, the atmosphere turned up a notch, and the players responded. Ten minutes after the break ROS Sam Deering played a superb cross-field ball to Jamie Guy on the right wing. Guy controlled the ball and reached the bye-line, and dinked a cross to the far post where Lewis Haldane was charging in, but he failed to direct his header at the goal. Quarter of an hour later, Deering again played Guy in, this time down the centre, and the striker charged into the penalty area. He delayed his shot and looked like he'd taken too long, but eventually managed to strike the ball. Harper saved, but the rebound went straight to Yemi Odubade, whose shot struck Harper on its way into the net. Unfortunately, United started sitting back and were getting deeper and deeper into their own half, culminating in the Poppies' late equaliser, which extended their unbeaten start to the season to eight games.[@news]2363[/@news][@opponent]kettering town[/@opponent]

Darren Patterson made just one change to the side that won at Northwich Victoria on Tuesday. The injured Eddie Hutchinson was replaced by Lewis Haldane, as the Us retained their 3-5-2 formation. At half time Carruthers, who had received a knock, was replaced by the influential Deering. Twenty minutes after the break James Constable went down with a groin injury, allowing Yemi to come on to score what should have been the winner.

Today's referee was Declan Ford, taking charge of an Oxford game for the first time. He was, possibly, better than others who have graced Minchery Farm this season, but the bar is set very low. He booked Adam Murray, apparently for the crime of taking a free kick. Today's attendance was 4,499, of whom 4,051 failed to enter the away enclosure.

United remain 17th in the table after this draw, while Kettering are eighth. Mansfield Town's 3-1 win over 12th-placed Eastbourne Borough takes the Stags to the top of the Conference for the first time, with Cambridge United going second after beating 13th-placed Wrexham 2-0. Crawley Town, who are Oxford's next visitors on 23 September, have gone third after winning 1-0 at 16th-placed Rushden & Diamonds with a goal in the third minute of added time. Salisbury City have dropped to fourth after drawing 0-0 at 19th-placed Altrincham, while Barrow are back in the play-off places thanks to their 3-0 win at third-bottom Lewes.

At the other end of the table, bottom-placed Northwich Victoria visit fifth-bottom Torquay United tomorrow. Phil Gilchrist's Woking are still second from bottom after losing 2-0 at seventh-placed York City. Fourth-bottom Grays Athletic host 14th-placed Kidderminster Harriers tomorrow. Eighteenth-placed Stevenage Borough had a Steve Morison hat-trick to thank for their 4-1 win over ninth-placed Burton Albion. There were two high-scoring away wins in mid-table, as Ebbsfleet United won 4-1 at Forest Green Rovers, and Weymouth lost 5-2 at home to Histon, who have gone up to sixth.