Competition: Blue Square Premier
Weather at kick-off: cold, breezy
Goals:
Oxford: Green 18'
Cambridge: Boylan 16', 58'

A Lee Boylan brace and a string of top drawer saves from former Canvey team-mate Danny Potter sent Cambridge United up to second place in the table with this 2-1 win.

Jimmy Quinn made one change to the side that beat York City 2-0 on Saturday, recalling Dan Gleeson from suspension to replace the injured Stephen Reed. Mark Peters and Michael Morrison also returned from suspension but Quinn kept faith with the back three that kept the clean sheet on Saturday and the two defenders were named among the substitutes.

Oxford manager Darren Patterson made two changes to the side that drew 0-0 at Forest Green, calling up defender Matt Day in place of Jamie Clarke (ill) and striker Matt Green in place of Justin Richards (bench).

Wearing the white away kit and cheered on by a noisy away following, United made a bright start with former Oxford man Courtney Pitt looking particularly lively on the left and testing the defence with a second minute free kick and a run and cross soon afterwards.

The little wingback almost capped a fast flowing move with the opening goal in the seventh minute when Mark Beesley picked out the run of Lee Boylan who threaded the ball to Pitt as he burst into the area, but his low shot was narrowly wide of the far post.

With both sides weighing each other up and defending well, two minutes later Jamie Hand tried his luck from distance and saw the shot fly past the far post, and a few minutes later Mark Albrighton got forward but his cross was plucked from the air by Billy Turley.

But on 16 United took the lead with a well-taken goal as Rob Wolleaston delivered an inch-perfect cross to Lee Boylan and the little striker leapt high to loop a header home for his third goal in two games and his tenth of the season.

The away fans erupted into renewed song but the lead was short-lived as less than two minutes later Matt Green showed pace and skill to skip behind the United defence to the edge of the area, and with the outside of his boot flicked the ball beyond the stranded Danny Potter into the far corner.

United regrouped and forced two corners almost immediately, Paul Carden scuffing a shot wide at the second, and on 23 a quality delivery from Dan Gleeson towards Mark Beesley forced another U's corner, which was headed away by Barry Quinn.

United's back three stood firm with a series of defensive headers and four minutes later Lee McEvilly flicked the ball on for Boylan but he mis-hit the ball too close to Turley with Beesley roaring up in support. With a long chorus of 'Yellow and black army' ringing around the ground, another Gleeson cross was saved by Turley as the strikers closed in.

For Oxford, Eddie Anaclet went on a strong slalom run down the left in the 38th minute but was closed down and ran out of room before he could produce an end product, and there was a scare three minutes later when Danny Potter came off his line to try to collect an Oxford corner but was blocked and the ball rebounded around the area before McAllister eventually headed wide.

Barry Quinn brought down Pitt by the left by-line a minute before half-time and then hacked away Pitt's free kick, and the half ended with honours even.

Half-time summary from match commentator Mark Johnson:
"An entertaining, open half between two teams who want to win the game. United need the result more but Oxford are posing a real threat."

Second half:
Jimmy Quinn made a half-time change to bring on midfielder Ben Farrell for forward Mark Beesley, switching also to 4-4-2 with Gleeson and Hatswell in the full back roles, and there was an early pause in play as Oxford goalscorer Matt Green clattered into Hatswell. He left the former Oxford defender in a heap but escaped with a warning and a free kick as referee Mr Kinseley continued to allow the match to flow.

With Messrs Albrighton and Coulson standing firm in the centre of the defence, another good United move began with a ball out to Pitt from McEvilly and culminated in a cross from Wolleaston that was charged down and Boylan couldn't quite get on the loose ball.

The game went through an even spell as neither side could find a way through two well-drilled defences but United went ahead again 58. Lee McEvilly used his strength to run at and turn a defender on the left of the area then slid a fine ball into the centre for Lee Boylan to run onto and bury a left-footed strike for his second brace in two games.

There was a clash between McEvilly and Oxford goalkeeper Turley immediately after the goal and the U's striker was shown a yellow card for apparently winding up the Oxford goalkeeper as the 487 away fans bounced and sang.

Oxford almost repeated their feat of scoring two minutes after going behind when Anaclet scorched forward and crossed for McAllister but his volley was saved low down to Potter's left and smothered on the line.

Darren Patterson changed both wingers in a double change on 63, sending on Yemi Odubade for Anaclet and Justin Richards for Blackwood to form a front four and go man-to-man with United's back line.

McEvilly was drawing attention from the Oxford players and on 65 Matt Day was booked for clattering into the big striker, and with Oxford pushing on McEvilly lifted a shot over the bar to the home fans amusement.

There were one or two niggly challenges flying in but Mr Kinseley let the game flow as much as possible, and United were increasing forced into defending as the home side pressed forward for the equaliser. On 77 Murray met Green's cross but his shot was charged down, and a minute later Hand's shot was blocked by Coulson on the six yard line and he blasted the follow-up shot high and wide from 20 yards.

Courtney Pitt was booked in the 78th minute for a tussle with Odubade as they chased after the ball, and United lived dangerously for the next few minutes. First the free kick was headed goalwards by Foster but denied by Potter's fantastic save and with the U's defence suddenly looking shaky he also tipped the resulting corner over the bar, then turned a second corner round the post, and at the third corner Potter didn't reach the ball but it was hacked off the line by Pitt.

Lee Boylan was booked in the 84th minute for leaving his foot in as he challenged for the ball, and with two minutes remaining the goalscorer was withdrawn to be replaced by West Ham loanee Jack Jeffery, taking his time to leave the pitch as he returned the applause of the away fans.

Oxford threatened again in the 90th minute when Day's dangerous cross was met by Richards who had stolen in behind the defence but again Potter leapt to United's rescue to tip his powerful header behind, and Albrighton cleared the corner.

In the five tense minutes of stoppage time Paul Carden and Rob Wolleaston showed maturity to win and keep possession in the middle, Lee McEvilly used his strength and guile to hold the ball up, teenager Josh Coulson stood up to a battering, and fellow teen Jack Jeffery threw himself into the action to win back possession, shield the ball and help United string a series of passes together.

McEvilly had a last-gasp shot clutched by Turley before the final whistle confirmed our first ever win at the Kassam Stadium and a first win at Oxford since 1978, and the three points lifted the U's into second place and closed the gap to leaders Aldershot to ten points.

Oxford United:
Billy Turley, Matt Day, Barry Quinn, Luke Foster, Michael Howard; Eddie Anaclet (Yemi Odubade 63'), Jamie Hand, Adam Murray, Michael Blackwood (Justin Richards 63'); Craig McAllister, Matt Green.
Subs not used: Phil Trainer, Eddie Hutchinson, Ryan Semple.

Booked: Day foul 65'

Cambridge United:
Danny Potter, Mark Albrighton (c), Josh Coulson, Wayne Hatswell; Dan Gleeson, Rob Wolleaston, Paul Carden, Courtney Pitt; Mark Beesley (Ben Farrell 46'), Lee Boylan (Jack Jeffery 88'), Lee McEvilly.
Subs not used: Mark Peters, Mark Convery, Michael Morrison.

Booked: McEvilly unsporting behaviour 58', Pitt foul 78', Boylan foul 84'

Referee: Mr Nick Kinseley

Att: 4,422 (away 487)

Mark Johnson's Match Summary:
"United's dream of automatic promotion is still alive thanks to a brace of goals from Lee Boylan and a string of superhuman saves from Danny Potter. Boylan's looping header put United ahead after 16 minutes and although Oxford hit back immediately with an equaliser the U's heads refused to drop. A change of formation in the break paid dividends when Boylan netted his second on the hour before the game turned into The Danny Potter Show. For five minutes the United goalkeeper kept Oxford at bay almost single-handedly to preserve the lead and send United into second place."

Mark's Man of the Match:
"Danny Potter - for those absolutely unbelievable saves to make sure United claimed a vital win. Honourable mentions to the fans who were the "twelfth man" and turned the Kassam into the Abbey Stadium, and on the pitch to Lee Boylan for his two goals, Lee McEvilly who ran himself into the ground, Josh Coulson who showed maturity beyond his years and was a colossus in defence, but it's almost wrong to select individuals after another good team performance."

Ref: Mr Kinseley - was excellent; tried to let the game flow whenever possible, and kept his cards in his pocket until the game got heated and then used them wisely. 8/10."

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