Histon 3 Oxford United 4

Oxford hung on to three points today at Histon in a game that they should have won much more comfortably. Matt Green gave United the lead in the 16th minute, latching on to a Jack Midson through-ball and flicking the ball over goalkeeper Danny Naisbitt. The remainder of the half was a scrappy affair, littered with free kicks.

The second half had a barnstorming start, with Jamie Barker equalising within 30 seconds of the restart when he headed home a Gareth Gwillim long throw. Thirty seconds later United were in front again when Simon Clist smashed the ball home from long range. The game turned further in Oxford's favour when Naisbitt and Green clashed. The Histon keeper apparently punched Green in the stomach and was shown a red card. The ten men were made to pay seven minutes later when James Constable finished spectacularly for his first of the season. Four minutes later Constable scored his second, shooting home from a narrow angle after being set up by Green.

That should have been that, but with a three-goal and one-man advantage United switched off and allowed the home team back in the game. With nine minutes remaining Josh Simpson shot home from a corner, and with two minutes left a freekick from Gwillim was headed home by Matthew Langston to leave United nervously hanging on through the four minutes of added time. The referee's whistle heralded United's first points at Histon and continued the Us' unbeaten start.

Chris Wilder changed both personnel and formation for this challenge, bringing in Chris Carruthers for his first game of the season to play left wingback, with Adam Chapman on the opposite flank and Kevin Sandwith, Mark Creighton, and Luke Foster as a three-man back line. With Clist and Dannie Bulman forming a two-man central midfield there was no place for captain Adam Murry, leaving Constable to don the armband. Green and ex-Stute Midson were the wide men in a three-pronged attack. At half-time Chapman was replaced by Damien Batt, making his first appearance of the season, and in stoppage time Rhys Day came on for his Oxford debut at the expense of Carruthers.

Today's referee was Michael Naylor, who was the man in charge of United's last game of last season against Northwich Victoria. He showed yellow cards to Foster, Green, and Batt. The attendance was 1,433, of whom over half were supporting Oxford.

It's still early days, but the first league tables are traditionally produced after three games, and it shows Oxford in third place, with Histon eighth. Luton Town are top of the table, surviving a scare today when they went a goal down to visitors Gateshead, but two goals in a minute earned the Hatters the points and leave the Heed third from bottom. Altrincham are in second place after they won 2-1 at Hayes & Yeading. Hayes are fourth from bottom. Cambridge United are fourth after they won 4-2 at United's opponents on Tuesday, Chester City. Chester, playing their first game of the season after being granted a reprieve by the FA on Thursday, took a first-minute lead and were 2-0 up, but Cambridge had levelled by half-time. Chester are bottom of the table with -25 points. Mansfield Town are fifth following their 1-0 win at Salisbury City, who are sixth.

Simon Weatherstone was on target for Eastbourne Borough in their 1-1 draw with Rushden & Diamonds, and Jamie Cook scored for Crawley as they beat Wrexham 1-0. AFC Wimbledon managed to do what Oxford couldn't, by winning 2-1 at Kettering Town. York City beat second-bottom Forest Green Rovers 2-0, and Tamworth picked up their first win with a 2-1 win over Grays Athletic. There were goalless draws for Stevenage Borough at Barrow and for Kidderminster Harriers at Ebbsfleet United. [@news]2539[/@news] [@opponent]histon[/@opponent]