Four different Oxford United strikers found the target as they ripped Eastbourne apart at the Kassam Stadium.

And the shut-out Chris Wilder's men recorded gave them a new club record of six consecutive clean sheets.

After a somewhat messy opening, when they might easily have fallen behind, the league leaders got into their stride and knocked the ball around impressively.

Matt Green broke the deadlock on 25 minutes with a low shot from 12 yards after a fine overlapping run and cutback by Damian Batt.

Three minutes later James Constable made it 2-0 with a low drive past goalkeeper Michael Jordan after he ran on to Adam Murray's ball over the top.

And an excellent spell of attacking play was rounded off by Jamie Cook, who headed in a third just before half-time.

This was the easiest of the lot against some poor defending, as Constable kept the ball in play at the bye-line from Murray's clever reverse pass, and when he laid it off for Kevin Sandwith to deliver a left-wing cross, Cook was totally unmarked beyond the far post, and he simply headed over the keeper and in.

In the second half Wilder was able to take off both Constable and Green to save them for the more testing battle to come at Mansfield on Tuesday.

And the game died a little after the break, although both sides missed great chances before substitute Jack Midson glided past two defenders and hammered home right-footed to make it 4-0.

The play from both sides looked disjointed in the game's opening quarter of an hour, when Eastbourne had the two best chances.

Former U's midfielder Simon Weatherstone had a great opportunity in the first minute, finding the ball at his feet on the edge of the area, but he screwed his shot wide.

Then, when the home side were caught napping at the back, Andy Atkin crossed from the right and Simon Johnson managed to prod a shot goalwards at full stretch.

Goalkeeper Ryan Clarke made an easy save in the end, but it could easily have been a goal.

Clarke got down to save a shot from Jamie Taylor, who was brought in for Liam Enver-Marum as Sports opted for a more defensive 4-5-1 system.

There was then a sight that I can't ever remember seeing on a football pitch, when United won a corner.

As Cook went to swing the flag kick over from the right, there must have been 16 or 17 players in the space of about five yards surrounding Eastbourne keeper Michael Jordan.

One can only hope the basketball legend-namesake wasn't claustropobic because he had no room to breathe.

More likely is that the U's had watched Borough recently and felt he had a fear of crosses.

In any case, Cook's corner curled just past the far post.

United adopted a similar tactic at their next corner, from Adam Murray, on the other side and, predictably enough, the ref blew for a foul on the keeper.

Murray went close with a curling free-kick from out wide on the left, which Jordan tipped over.

Once Green had broken the deadlock, and the confidence flowed, it was then just a question of how many.

Eastbourne really weren't very good, but the U's had done what they had to in the first half, and with Midson notching his first goal for the club near the end, it emphasised the gulf between the sides.

Midson was booked for his celebrations, which seemed rather petty.

But United had become sloppy in the second half and Wilder was furious at the way they let their standards slip, ordering them straight bac into the dressing room at the final whistle where he then read the riot act. Oxford Utd: Clarke; Batt, Foster, Creighton, Sandwith; Bulman, Murray (Chapman 76), Clist; Green Potter 69), Constable (Midson 62), Cook. Subs not used: Turley, Perry.

Booked: None.

Referee: David Coote (Notts).

Att: 5,688 (66 from Eastbourne).