United came back to win from a goal down for only the second time since Ian Atkins took the helm when they eventually beat Darlington 3-1 this afternoon. David McGurk had given the visitors a deserved half-time lead when he headed home after 23 minutes, but after half-time there was only one team in it as Oxford ran the Quakers ragged. Substitute Mark Rawle equalised seven minutes after the break after converting Dean Whitehead’s cross. Six minutes later Danny Mellanby received a second yellow card after a late challenge on Andy Woodman to totally hand United the initiative. It took until the 74th minute before the Us were able to take advantage of their numerical superiority when Whitehead scored direct from a free-kick, awarded after ROS Chris Hackett had been hacked down 25 yards out. Seven minutes from time Darlington were reduced to nine men when McGurk received a second yellow, again for a foul on Hackett, but Oxford didn’t make the game safe until a minute from time, when Paul Wanless headed home a Whitehead corner.

United started the game with the same line-up that took the field against Bristol Rovers last Saturday, but Ian Atkins made his first change after just half an hour, bringing on Hackett for Jon Ashton as the side switched from five at the back to a flat back four. Rawle entered the fray at half-time, replacing Steve Basham who had received a knock on the shin.

Referee Andre Marriner, who also took charge of United’s first game of the season at Lincoln, wouldn’t have endeared himself to Darlo’s meagre following. He didn’t book any of United’s players, but showed the away side a total of six yellows, including the four to McGurk and Mellanby. The attendance was 4,962, just six fewer than witnessed last season’s match at the KasStad and the smallest crowd to watch a game between the two sides in Oxford. A match report might hopefully appear here tomorrow, if anyone would care to pen one and send it in.

Oxford remain third after this game, behind Doncaster, who beat tenth placed Torquay 1-0, on goal difference, and two points behind leaders Hull, who were held 2-2 at home by fifth from bottom Macclesfield, who equalised in the 90th minute. Darlington have slipped to 91st in the league. Mansfield have gone fourth, two points behind United, after coming from behind to beat Boston 2-1 at Field Mill. Simon Weatherstone had put Boston ahead. Swansea dropped to fifth after being held 0-0 at home by Bristol Rovers, and Yeovil are sixth after losing 2-1 at Bury, while Lincoln have climbed to seventh after beating bottom club Carlisle 2-0.

Southend are third from bottom after losing 1-0 at home to seventh bottom Northampton while Kidderminster have climbed to fourth from bottom after drawing 2-2 at home to Cambridge. The biggest score of the day was acheived by Scunthorpe, who beat Huddersfield 6-2. Orient beat Rochdale 2-1 and Cheltenham and York drew 1-1. United’s opponents in the FA Cup on Saturday, Colchester United, won 1-0 at Wrexham last night. Elsewhere Derek Lilley was on target for Livingston in their 3-1 defeat at Hearts.