Adam Murray scored with a brilliant 25-yard free-kick but Oxford United had to settle for a point in an action-packed Blue Square Premier game at the New Lawn.

James Constable tucked away two first-half penalties to put Chris Wilder's team in control, or so it seemed at the time.

But relegation-threatened Forest Green staged a spirited comeback to level before half-time.

And although Murray fired in an excellent angled free-kick for his fourth goal in United's last four away games, Rovers hit back again with their own goal from a free-kick to make it 3-3.

There was fantastic travelling support from Oxford, filling the whole of the side opposite the main stand, and the grandstand behind one goal.

Chris Wilder, already without several players through injury and suspension, decided not to gamble with right back Damian Batt, who had been struggling with a bruised foot, so Matt Day came in for his first game since the Trophy defeat by York in January.

United were the first to really threaten, from a free-kick that Murray touched to one side. Adam Chapman drove the ball past Forest Green's wall but it was half-bocked.

And when the ball looped high into the air, keeper Terry Burton totally misjudged it in the wind, and it ran loose to Murray with Burton well out of his goal, but he hurried his left-footed shot, and sliced it high and wide.

The home side then put together a good spell of pressure. Billy Turley did well to push aside a low drive from midfielder Darren Jones, who not long after then headed over from eight yards.

Chapman was booked for a high challenge on Alex Lawless, and he had to watch his step after that, getting in the way of a quickly-taken Rovers free-kick that could have landed him in big trouble.

The game burst into life with four goals in 12 minutes, but Oxford were left kicking themselves as they threw away a two-goal advantage.

They drew first blood on 21 minutes when Constable converted his first penalty after Lewis Haldane was brought down by Jerry Gill. That followed an excellent first-time pass from Murray, right into Haldane's path.

And five minutes later, Wilder's men looked to be in total charge as Murray and Chris Carruthers both did well before Craig Farrell got to a loose ball first inside the box and was tripped by centre half Mark Preece.

Once again, Constable slotted the ball to the left of goalkeeper Burton, giving him precious little chance.

But if the U's were full of confidence then, they were to have that rudely pegged back as Forest Green produced a stirring fightback.

On 28 minutes, captain Darren Jones fired in a 20-yard drive which beat Turley and saw the ball nestle in the bottom right corner.

Again Rovers pushed forward with menace, and out of nowhere Conor Platt got his head to a right-wing cross and directed the ball over Turley's head and against the underside of the crossbar, with the ball bouncing down and over the line.

Haldane and Carruthers both thought the ball had gone out of play before the cross came over, but the assistant referee let play go on.

There was barely time to gather one's thoughts, for both spectators and players, and the frantic action continued with only a fine block from Turley denying Jones a second goal.

Murray was again pulling the strings in midfield, and from his chipped-in left-wing cross, Chapman came in at the far post with a header which Burton blocked with a good reaction stop.

Haldane was booked after the half-time whistle for continuing his protests about Forest Green's equalising goal.

Gill, who clattered into one of the advertising hoardings just before half-time, was unable to come out for the second half, and was replaced by Adriano Rigoglioso.

A terrific run by Haldane had Rovers defending desperately in the opening minutes of the second half.

Forest Green boss Jim Harvey replaced his goalkeeper, Burton, with sub keeper Ryan Robinson because Burton was having problems with his kicking due to an injury.

And it was not long after Yemi Odubade had come on for the visitors, taking over from Eddie Hutchinson, who had done a good job, that Murray fired in his brilliant free-kick, after Jones had fouled Haldane just outside the area.

It was out wide on the left, 25 yards out and Murray knew exactly what he was doing, setting aim and then driving his shot, with pace, magnificently over Robinson and into the net.

But Platt did exactly the same, from a central position, on 70 minutes, after Kevin Sandwith's handball halted an attack.

Platt curled the free-kick around the wall, and left Turley rooted to his spot as it flew in, just inside his left post.

Turley made a super save with his feet from the lively Platt before the end, and then in the final minute, he made a vital stop with his leg from Preece's header at a corner.

Oxford Utd: Turley, Day, Willmott, Sandwith, Carruthers, Farrell, Chapman, Hutchinson (Odubade 60), Haldane, Murray, Constable. Subs not used: Burnell, Hinchliffe, Groves, Sampson. Booked: Chapman, Haldane, Hutchinson.

Referee: Andrew Sainsbury (Wiltshire).

Att: 2,027 (1104 sold by Oxford)