Oxford United have something to build on after at last getting off the mark in the league.

Their 1-1 draw at home to Cambridge didn't please all their fans, but it brought them their first point after four successive losses and meant they avoided equalling their worst ever start to a season.

And it lifted them above rivals Swindon Town and off the bottom of the second division table, to provide recuperating boss Denis Smith with a welcome pick-me-up.

Smith missed the match because he was still in hospital recovering from a blood infection, but he was expected to be back at the Manor today.

His assistant Mickey Lewis, back in his old familiar role of caretaker boss, was disappointed that United failed to push on after Lee Jarman's first goal for the club gave them the lead.

"After a sequence of defeats it's nice not to lose," Lewis said. "The problem at the moment is the confidence, especially at home. We don't seem to believe in ourselves.

"We had a great start but after the goal, unbelievably, we just sat back. We wanted the wingbacks to push on but when we scored, everybody took a step back."

United retained possession better than in previous games and were unlucky with three other efforts on goal, Jarman and Manny Omoyinmi hitting the bar and Joey Beauchamp denied by a great save from Lionel Perez.

Welsh defender Jarman's goal was a superbly-struck drive from 25 yards United's second goal from a free-kick in a week.

"As I ran off I saw Joey laughing because we were meant to do a backheel before striking it," he said. "On Tuesday I said 'Joey, just hit it', but he said no, backheel. So today I said 'should I just hit it?' and he said no, backheel it, and he backheeled and we scored again.

"It's nice when the work you put in on the training ground comes off but we need a win to get our season off to a start. Maybe it was a strange situation for us to be in front and we went into our shell a bit when we could have carried it on and gone for another."

Strikers Steve Anthrobus and Omoyinmi are still looking to break their ducks but Jarman admitted that the five-man defence makes it hard for the forwards.

"It's worked a couple of times but I think it's hard for the front men because there's a big gap between midfield and the front men. When we've got a spare man at the back, there's not so many people going forward then. Perhaps we could push up a few more people."