Jamie Guy and Lewis Haldane got their own, and possibly Oxford United's, season up and running as the U's ended their Setanta jinx at last.

Guy fired his first goal of the season, and although Cambridge hit back with an equaliser at the start of the second half, Adam Murray and Haldane fired in second-half goals to earn Oxford a thrilling win that was thoroughly deserved, both on the balance of play and in the chances created.

Whether it is enough to keep Darren Patterson in his job, only United's chairman and directors know, but it staved off the imminent threat of Oxford dropping into the bottom four in the Blue Square Premier for the first time.

Like Guy, it was Haldane's first goal of the season, and almost worth the wait as he smashed home a 90th minute drive into the top corner to seal the home side's triumph.

Guy struck on four minutes - and it was a cracker, the kind which he was getting during his purple patch in pre-season before getting injured.

James Constable challenged strongly for a high bouncing ball, flicked it sideways to Guy, and the on-loan Colchester striker lashed a firm right-footed drive into the bottom left corner of the goal from 20 yards.

Cambridge equalised 11 minutes after the break through Dutch winger Felino Jardim, although Billy Turley could justificably claim that he had been fouled by Phil Bolland in trying to deal with a corner.

But United kept pressing hard, and they got their reward on 71 minutes.

Guy saw his shot from substitute Lewis Haldane's cross saved, and when Odubade returned the ball with a cross-shot, from the right, Murray turned it onto the bar, and then forced the rebound in.

Patterson had been able to call on both his fit-again front men, and indeed, with Luke Foster, Turley and Chris Carruthers all back, as well as Phil Trainer, this was very close to what he might have considered his first-choice team for the first time.

United fans had their hearts in their mouths when, in the first 15 seconds and straight from the kick-off, Joe Burnell was ordered to one side by referee Kinseley after a late tackle on Robbie Willmott.

At that stage Blue Square's offer of 6-1 on a third U's polayer to be sent off in successive Setanta games looked to be good odds, but the Essex official, after giving Burnell a very long lecture, produced a yellow card on this occasion.

With Altrincham scoring inside the first minute against Mansfield, Oxford were technically in the relegation zone as they waited for Willmott to receive treatment and leave the pitch.

Guy's celebration at scoring was as significant as his goal. He brushed off all attempts from hius teammates to congratulate him and raced 40 yards to slap hands in celebration with Patterson in the manager's technical area.

Buoyed by going ahead, the U's continued to attack with menace and were very unlucky not to add a second before the break.

Trainer nodded back a deep cross from Yemi Odubade into Burnell's path, and the United captain's left-footed strike flashed just past the far post.

The home team's 4-4-2 was looking much more efficient than the 4-3-3 they had tried against the league leaders on Saturday, and although Guy was twice caught drifting offside, they kept creating further chances.

Odubadse had a fierce angled drive saved, and Trainer struck the bar with a magnificent drive over keeper Danny Potter from 40 yards.

Then, when Guy darted forward through the inside left channel, he opted to go it alone and wasn't far away with a rocket of a left-foot drive which arrowed just past the far post . . . though Constable looked unhappy that he didn't get a pass.

Cambridge had not offered much as an attacking threat, but they really should have equalised in first-half stoppage time. Jardim's low cross went straight to centre forward Danny Crow four yards out, but he could only scoop his shot over the bar, for a terrible miss.

Lewis Haldane replaced Trainer five minutes into the second half but it didn't stop the momentum United had built up.

The ref made made use of the advantage rule in letting play carry on after a foul on a United player, and Guy was only denied a second goal by a great reaction save from Potter.

Turley mnade atop-class save by turning a 20-yard drive from Crow around his post.

But from the second of two corners in quick succession, Turley, stepping back, could only push the ball away a few yards as Bolland clattered him, and Jardim pounced on it, and shot low into the goal.

But Murray fired United back in front, and after a third goal almost came when the excellent Guy charged through, inside then out, and was unlucky to see his close-range shot just deflect wide, the coup de grace came from Haldane, to raise the roof.