Oxford conceded two goals at home in the league for the first time this season, but still managed to win the game thanks to a goal from substitute Lee Steele with just two minutes remaining. United dominated the first half, but had to wait until half an hour had gone before making their pressure count, when Paul Wanless met an excellent Matt Robinson free kick to head home after Mark Rawle and Steve Basham used the new offside interpretation to good effect. Robinson missed a great chance to extend the lead before Rawle shot home just four minutes after the Us had taken the lead. With Oxford cruising it all suddenly went horribly wrong as Steve Torpey netted twice before half time to bring the scores level. The second half was a lot tighter than the first and it looked like the game was heading for a draw before Steele popped up with the winner.

Ian Atkins made two changes from the side that lost at Orient on Saturday. As widely predicted Julian Alsop replaced the departed Richie Foran up front, but in a surprise move Rawle was brought in to start the game, joining Alsop and Steve Basham in a three-man front line. Dean Whitehead was dropped to the bench to make way for Rawle. Steele replaced a disappointing Basham twenty minutes into the second half to inject some liveliness into United’s attack, and with quarter of an hour remaining Whitehead came on to replace Scott McNiven and give Oxford a further threat. In the last minute, just after Steele’s goal, Matt Bound came on to shore up the defence in place of Rawle.

Referee M A Cooper had an excellent game, using advantage to good effect and making sensible decisions when things got a bit out of hand. He didn’t book any United players, and just one Scunthorpe player. The attendance was a paltry 5,118, but was still the best Division Three attendance on the night! We hope to receive a match report tomorrow, but as the game didn’t fit the standard 1-0 template we can’t guarantee it.

This victory keeps United in third place, but they are now level on points with second-placed Doncaster and just three points behind leaders Hull, although Oxford’s goal difference is relatively inferior to both clubs. Importantly there is now a six point gap between United and fourth placed Mansfield, although the Stags do now have a game in hand. Scunthorpe remain in 15th place.