Match Report | Oxford United

Goals from Phil Trainer and Matt Green made it a very happy Easter for United as they made it three wins on the bounce with a convincing win over high flying Stevenage.

United had just the one change to the team that won at Halifax, with Michael Blackwood coming in for Michael Howard at left back to allow the on-loan Morecambe man to go home after his wife went into labour in the morning. It didn't interrupt their flow in the opening fifteen minutes as they put pressure on the visitors defence and played some bright football as a weak sunshine threatened to break through the cold afternoon.

Stevenage were playing high up the park and leaving plenty of space in behind, and United had a couple of early half chances as Richards miskicked on eight and Green ended a flowing move with a soft header wide on fifteen. Another great move on nineteen ended with Trainer volleying Anaclet's cross wide via a far post deflection and with Stevenage not looking at all like a promotion chasing outfit it was only really a question of when the goal would come.

In the end it took 27 minutes and came via a combination of the two wide men. Anaclet has been outstanding in the two away wins United had enjoyed before this match and showed first determination to shield the ball wide on the right and then pace and power to trick his way past left back Laird and chip a fine ball over the away defence for the unmarked Trainer to power home a header. Credit for the cross but also credit to Trainer for a good run and the ability to generate the power for a header on a looping ball. His fifth of the season and reward for some fine displays since forcing his way back into the team.

With Murray playing like a quarterback and spraying passes all over the park and Hand a willing accomplice in midfield United were looking very solid, and a Hand shot from 25 yards on 40 stung the fingers of keeper Julian. At the other end Billy Turley had only had one routine save to make in the whole first half, from former U's trainee Jerome Anderson,

It should have been 2-0 right on the break as a long cross from Matt Day caught out everyone and found Trainer once again at the far post, only for the volley to crash away off the post with Julian nowhere to be seen.

The second half saw some over-elaboration from the otherwise impeccable Foster allow Anderson to nick the ball and force Hand into a great recovery tackle to rob top scorer Morison as he advanced towards Turley's goal, and midfielder Vincenti then rifled an effort wide on 52 as Peter Taylor's men raised their game for almost the only time in the game.

With Blackwood looking composed at left back, Foster and Quinn their usual rugged selves and birthday boy Matt Day enjoying another good game at right back The U's were defending well and it was very hard to spot which team was actually the one going for a place in the Football League

The thing is though, when you're at the top of the table things tend to go your way and on 68 minutes a huge stroke of luck brought Borough back into a game they had hardly been see in.Having just taken off Morison, with United replacing the industrious Richards for McAllister at the same time, both sides were readjusting as Stevenage took a throw on their left. The ball was cleared as far as John Martin, twenty yards out, and he hit a speculative effort which took a huge deflection to wrong foot Turley and take the ball right into the corner of the net.

It was the sort of thing which has blighted United's season throughout, and usually led to a change in the game and a crushing defeat. Except that this time they were having none of it.

Just three minutes later Anaclet took on his man and earned a throw. Day aimed at McAllister who flicked on for Green, back to goal on the edge of the six yard box.The Cardiff youngster had plenty to do but feinted to his left then turned right and thumped the ball high into the net past the despairing Julian's dive. Six for the season for Green, every one celebrated with the fans and dispelling any thoughts that he might struggle to play two games in three days.

The Yellows then confirmed another big improvement by closing the game out properly, to win a third game in a row for the first time all season.

There is still plenty of hard work to be done and no one should get carried away, but last time United played a play-off placed side was against Burton and we all know what happened there. This was almost unrecognisable from that performance and should give everyone genuine optimism for what lies ahead.