Tonight saw another mixed bag of results as far as Oxford's play-off challenge is concerned. On the minus side, Morecambe consolidated their position in third place, moving to within one point of United having now played the same number of games (albeit with a far inferior goal difference) after winning 2-0 at bottom club St Albans, who are nine points from safety. On the plus side, sixth-placed Exeter City lost 3-2 at Aldershot, having been reduced to ten men in the 25th minute. The Shots themselves had a player sent off ten minutes from time, but held on to move up to ninth, six points beneath fifth-placed Burton Albion. Gravesend & Northfleet are still seventh, but moved to within a point of Exeter after beating third-bottom Halifax 2-0.

Stevenage Borough's challenge continued to stutter as they were beaten 2-1 at home by 11th-placed Kidderminster Harriers, to leave Borough eighth, four points adrift of Gravesend. The win came at a cost to Kiddy, though, as they had an astonishing eight players booked, and will therefore face an FA fine. Weymouth, in 10th place, faced a second successive heavy defeat, going down 4-1 at 12th-placed Rushden & Diamonds, for whom Michael Rankine scored a hat trick, pretty much signalling an end to the Terras' hopes of promotion.

United's next opponents, Northwich Victoria, climbed to 15th after winning 1-0 at Tamworth, who are fourth from bottom. Grays Athletic, one place above the Lambs, drew 0-0 at Forest Green Rovers, who are 14th, but just four points above Tamworth.

In the Pontins Holidays Eastern Division, United's reserves travelled to Colchester United this afternoon and held the Championship side to a 0-0 draw. Andrew Gunn and Billy Beechers were the only players with any first-team experience, the remainder of the side comprised mainly of Darren Patterson's youth team, plus Josh Mulvany. Although Colchester probably had the better chances, United's youngsters matched their opponents for long periods, and the draw was a fair result. This was the second string's third game in a row without defeat, which considering their previous results isn't bad at all.