Oxford United and Grays Athletic just can't beat each other. This afternoon the sides fought out their fourth draw in their fourth meeting, and their second 0-0 draw of the season. There may exist, somewhere, a record for the most goalless draws that a team has completed in a season, but whatever it is Oxford must surely be closing in on it, as today's blank scoreline was the Us' eighth of the season. And, despite numerous changes to the personnel, United never really came close to breaking the deadlock.[@news]2262[/@news][@opponent]grays athletic[/@opponent]

Oxford had the first opportunity to threaten Ross Flitney's goal, after just four minutes, but Justin Richards just failed to get on the end of Matt Green's teasing cross. Grays almost went ahead on 12 minutes, when Danny Kedwell burst through one-on-one against Billy Turley, but the goalie stood tall and Kedwell's indecision allowed the Oxford keeper to make a fine save. At the other end, Flitney clawed the ball away from Richards, and from the follow-up set piece Phil Trainer's corner hit the outside of the post. Green had a scoring opportunity right at the end of the half, but he delayed too long, and former United defender Jon Ashton managed to get in a well-timed tackle.

The second half was similar, with both sides looking to pass the ball through the congested midfield, and both sides cancelling each other out. Yemi Odubade led a swift Oxford break following a Grays corner, but his cross was blocked by Ashton. After 60 minutes Michael Standing, the other ex-U in the Grays ranks, decided it was time for the curse of the returning player to strike, but his 20-yard shot came back off the upright. That was the only real threat to Turley's goal in the second period, while United didn't produce much to show for all their huffing and puffing either,and the game petered out long before the additional three minutes.

Darren Patterson rang the changes, making six changes to the side that lost so abjectly at Exeter City last Sunday. Barry Quinn returned to the defence at Matt Day's expense, while new signing Michael Howard made his debut at left back, following Alex Jeannin's three-month loan to Kidderminster Harriers. Howard lacked some of Jeannin's attacking threat, but he looked a lot more solid when defending, and this allowed the left-sided midfielders to be more adventurous going forward. Adam Murray came into the midfield in place of Carl Pettefer, while Yemi started off on the left wing. Up front saw the return of Green, back on loan from Cardiff City following his recuperation from his broken shoulder, received while on his previous loan spell for United in the away defeat at Northwich Victoria. His partner was new signing Richards, on loan from Kidderminster until the end of the season. Considering they only met yesterday, and hadn't even trained together, all three new signings performed well. Providing the midfield can provide the forwards with the right service, then there shouldn't be too many more 0-0 draws this season.

Today's referee was Craig Pawson, whose previous game in charge of United was the 1-0 win at Farsley Celtic. He had a typical Conference ref's performance, with the appropriate level of inconsistency and inaccuracy, but nothing to get too aerated about. He showed yellow cards to Luke Foster and to Murray. Today's attendance, boosted by a campaign by Oxford fan Graham Cripps, and by the offer of free admission for under-16s, was 4,891, of whom exactly 100 were Gray.

The failure to win cost United another place, as they've sunk to 16th in the Conference, while Grays are now 12th. League leaders Aldershot remain top, despite losing 2-0 at York City. Stevenage Borough are five points behind after they were held to a goalless draw at fourth-bottom Farsley on Thursday. The Internet Geeks' team, Ebbsfleet United, have risen to fourth, behind Torquay United, after beating fifth-placed Burton Albion 2-1, while Cambridge United are sixth, after they beat fifth-bottom Altrincham 2-1.

Stafford Rangers remain bottom after they were beaten 5-1 at home by Salisbury City, and Droylsden are still second from bottom, despite beating Kidderminster 1-0. Northwich stay third-bottom after drawing 2-2 at home to Halifax. Rushden & Diamonds beat Weymouth 3-2, and Woking and Crawley shared a 1-1 draw.