Oxford United suffered a stoppage-time nightmare at Kenilworth Road tonight as Luton came back from the dead to beat them.

Chris Wilder's team looked to have three points in the bag when sub Matt Green put the visitors in front on 74 minutes.

But the U's couldn't defend corners at the death.

George Pilkington headed in, via a deflection, three minutes into stoppage time.

And three minutes later, goalkeeper Ryan Clarke was helpless as Keith Keane's corner went straight in.

Oxford were knocked off the top of the Blue Square Premier as Stevenage came back from a goal down at half-time to beat Mansfield 3-1 and go three points clear of them.

Matt Green scored with his first touch of the ball.

Two minutes after coming on as a 72nd minute substitute, he turned the ball into the net with a close-range left-foot shot after Simon Clist did wwell to head back Alfie Potter's right-wing cross.

It was great work from Potter just to win the ball before sending over the cross, because he had to shoulder-charge Freddie Murray, who is far bigger than him, to gain possession.

It was also a dream substitution by manager Wilder.

Luton sub Matt Barnes-Homer had an opportunity to equalise four minutes later, but fired over the bar from 15 yards.

This promotion clash was full of intensity and poassion, and though there weren't many goals, it lived up to expectations as a full-bloodied battle.

The atmosphere in the ground was again very special, echoing that of the meeting of the sides at the Kassam Stadim in September.

There had been a buzz of expectancy around Kenilworth Road for some time leading up to kick-off, and the Oxford supporters were in great voice.

And in a packed stadium that reeked of history, here Oxford United were, once again involved in a proper match.

Many U's fans were themselves remembering some of the epic battles their team had fought on this pitch - the Dean Saunders late winner, that amazing 7-4 Division 1 match and the Littlewoods Cup semi-final second leg among them.

As expected, Jack Midson replaced the suspended James Constable up front, with Chris Hargreaves coming into central midfield, and taking over the captain's armband. Jamie Cook was the one to drop out, not even getting a place on the bench.

Luton started brightly and in the eighth minute, Liam Hatch managed to get around Jake Wright to pull the ball back from near the bye-line, but Rhys Day was coolness epitomised to tidy up under pressure.

Hargreaves didn't take long to show his value to the side, tracking back to usher the ball out for a goal-kick when Hatch threatened to cause real problems.

It was United who carved the first real scoring chance. Sam deering released Alfie Potter through the middle, Potter chose to shoot early and keeper Mark Tyler saved with his leg.

From the corner that followed, Day's looping header was comfortably saved.

#Moments later, another swift Oxford raid almost ended in a goal too. Deering headed Potter's right-wing cross back across goal and Simon Clist's aerial volley deflected wide.

Deering produced a sublime piece of skill to put his marker on his backside with a quick dragback, and then Potter embarked on an excellent, direct run at goal, dribbling past four on his way before firing into the side-netting.

The Hatters had half a chance on 27 minutes when Tom Craddock beat Damian Batt on the left and crossed low into the box. It flicked off Day and only Anthony Tonkin's intervention, putting it out for a corner, ended the danger.

The first half was played at a very high tempo, and relentless. There may sometimes have been a lack of guile in the final third from both teams, but it was always intriguing.

Deering tried his luck with a 25-yarder, which Tyler got behind, and after a flowing move, Midson released Potter, but he just failed to reach the pass before a defender.

Just before half-time, Luton were unlucky not to score.

Craddock advanced a slammed a 20-yard shot past Clarke but saw the effort come back off the post.

Moments later, Craddock again sent in a fine curling strike, which Clarke parried above his head.

There wasn't much support, in terms of physical presence, for Midson up front, but he managed a decent header at goal when Batt's free-kick was flicked on by Day. Not enough to beat Tyler though.

Luton substitute Claude Gnakpa capitalised when Tonkin momentarily gave him some space, and blazed his shot narrowly over the bar.

The home side were having much more of the ball in the second half, buit Wright was defending well, and Clist mopped up a lot of second ball.

Chris Wilder sent on Matt Green for Deering with 18 minutes to go, and what an impact Green made.

In the closing minutews, Day made a brilliant last-ditch tackle to deny Barnes-Homer, and United's players threw themselves in the way of shots to preserve what looked like being another clean sheet.

But ex-U's winger Craig Nelthorpe won a corner as the game entered the midway point of the allocated five minutes of stoppage time, and it proved disastrous from then on for the U's.

Keane was sent off for a second yellow card, over-celebrating his winning goal.

Luton Tn: Tyler 7; Keane 8, Kovacs 6, Pilkington 6, Murray 6, Newton 5, Hall 6 (Nelthorpe 77), Nicholls 6 (Gnakpa 6, h-t), Jarvis 7, Hatch 6 (Barnes-Homer 6, 60), Craddock 7. Subs not used: Gore, Howells. Sent off: Keane. Booked: Kovacs.

Oxford Utd: Clarke 7; Batt 6, Day 8, Wright 8*, Tonkin 7; Potter 7 (Chapman 78), Bulman 7, Hargreaves 7, Clist 7, Deering 7 (M Green 72), Midson 7 (F Green 87). Subs not used: Turley, Creighton. Booked: Potter.