Oxford United blew a 2-0 lead to merely draw against Exeter City tonight, the second home game in a row that the side has thrown away two points.[@news]2174[/@news] [@opponent]exeter city[/@opponent] This was always going to be a difficult match against opponents that have often been a thorn in United's side, but United were undone by some comical defending and, yet again, an inability to finish teams off while holding the upper hand. Although both United's goals came from penalties, scored by Rob Duffy, it always looked on the cards that Exeter would get back in the game, as United sat back and tried to defend for long periods, and always looked nervous at the back. It would seem that the side is really missing Chris Willmott, who has the ability to play the ball and settle others when under pressure.

The game started off at a high tempo, with United passing the ball slickly and pressuring the Exeter players. It was from an excellent move that United took the lead, when Paul Shaw and Michael Standing had an interchange of passes that saw Standing surge into the penalty area, where former United defender Jon Richardson took Standing out. Duffy showed his usual placidity from the spot kick, easily beating Andy Marriott low to his left. After Billy Turley saved well from Adam Stansfield immediately after the kick off, United mounted further pressure, with Shaw and Rose both going close and Duffy hitting the bar. Exeter were threatening on the break, and Turley once again had to save from Stansfield, although Stansfield turned saviour when he blocked a goalbound effort from Steve Basham, of all people, although Eddie Anaclet would probably have cleared the ball.

United continued to press at the start of the second half, with Matt Day's header from a Danny Rose corner cleared off the line. Twenty minutes into the second period United doubled their lead. Marriott saved a shot from Yemi Odubade and Shaw's follow-up shot was pushed away by Andy Taylor, diving to his right. Another penalty, and Duffy put it in the same place as his first, Marriott not even bothering to dive for this one. It was at this point that things started to go wrong for the Yellows, as they sat deeper and deeper, while the defence lost its shape and, consequently, its confidence. Substitute keeper Chris Tardif denied Stansfield again with an excellent save, and then pushed a Lee Elam shot wide. With 12 minutes to go, Richard Logan headed home as the defence stood admiring Exeter's ball play, but they failed to learn and continued to allow the City players to pull them out of shape. In the fifth minute of the four minutes added time, Logan equalised as the defence, for the umpteenth time, failed to deal with a lumped-in cross.

Jim Smith made just one change to the side that had been held by Halifax on Saturday, replacing Carl Pettefer with Standing. Ten minutes after the break Standing was replaced by Yemi, as Smith altered the shape of the side to match Exeter's 4-3-3 formation. Simultaneously, Turley received a knock on his calf and had to be replaced by Tardif. With eight minutes left, and United defending desperately, Duffy was taken off to be replaced by Marvin Robinson. No one knows why.

The referee for tonight's game was Dave Phillips. Unfortunately, Mr Phillips seemed to relish the opportunity to display himself live on TV, and he often took centre stage, awarding a succession of bizarre decisions, interrupting the flow of the play, and generally displaying the standard to which we have sadly become accustomed. Four Oxford players were cautioned: Mickey Corcoran, Rose, Anaclet, and Robinson. The attendance of just 4,560 was United's lowest home gate of the season, and just 18 more than their lowest Conference attendance so far, against Kidderminster last season. Presumably the combination of the game being shown live on television, with the kids going back to school tomorrow, and St Giles Fair on in the city centre all took their toll, adding to the general dissatisfaction with United's poor start to the season and the general ennui with Conference football. Gates will continue to decline if the side continues to under-perform.

Despite dropping two points, United have risen three places to seventh; a feat matched by Exeter, who are now sixth. Torquay United remain top after two Tim Sills[@player]sills, tim[/@player] goals helped them to a 4-0 win over Salisbury City. Stevenage Borough won 3-0 at third-bottom Droylsden to stay second, while Cambridge United's 1-0 win over Grays Athletic keeps them in third place. Aldershot won 3-2 at Forest Green Rovers to move up to fourth place, while Burton Albion won 2-0 at Northwich Victoria to go fifth, leaving the Vics bottom of the heap, dropping below Stafford Rangers, who were without a game, on goal difference.

United's next match is up in Altrincham, who drew 2-2 at York City to leave themselves fourth from bottom, just one place below the Minstermen. Crawley drew 1-1 at Rushden & Diamonds, while Jefferson Louis[@player]louis, jefferson[/@player] scored for Weymouth in their 1-1 draw at Woking. Histon's recent good form continued with a 1-0 win at Ebbsfleet United, but Kidderminster Harriers were unable to capitalise on their 4-0 drubbing of Exeter on Saturday, being held to a 1-1 draw at Farsley Celtic.