Oxford United 2, Port Vale 1 A BRILLIANT goal from Paul Powell put troubled Oxford United on their way to a second successive league win - but the main talking point for fans streaming out was Vale defender Dave Barnett's sending-off in the final minute.

Barnett was one of seven different players to find their way into fussy referee Robert Styles's notebook and when he brought down Nicky Banger in full flow, he was ordered off for a second bookable offence.

Yet that wasn't the end of the matter for Barnett. He then approached Dean Windass and struck him in the face, sending him crashing to the ground.

Players dived in to lead Barnett away. The referee confirmed afterwards that he would be reporting him to the Football Association.

Sadly, Styles, at 35 one of the youngest on the list, was never in control of a game which, with both sides desperate for points, was always going to be hard-fought.

He managed to incur the wrath not only of both managers, all the players but just about every fan in the ground and needed an escort off the pitch both at half-time and the final whistle.

Powell's goal was a jem. Collecting the ball near the right touchline just inside the Vale half, he raced 30 yards, then cut in and curled a 20-yard shot past goalkeeper Kevin Pilkington and in off the inside of the post.

With Derby boss Jim Smith watching him from the directors' box, United will be hoping the goal, and Powell's all-round excellent display, puts a few thousand on his fee if the Premiership club do make an offer for him.

Pilkington, making only his second appearance for Vale since joining on a free from Manchester United, had a nightmare start.

He dallied on the ball when Ian Bogie passed back in the sixth minute, Andy Thomson quickly nipped in to dispossess him and then the keeper brought Thomson down inside the area.

Windass clinically converted the penalty, firing hard into the bottom left corner for his eighth goal of the season.

Playing towards the Cuckoo Lane end in the first half, United played some lively football and might have been four up, with Phil Gilchrist missing one chance from ten yards and Windass heading Joey Beauchamp's cross over the bar shortly after.

The ref ignored a foul on Windass by Paul Beesley in midfield and it had dire consequences for United as Vale capitalised by pulling a goal back.

The ball was played out to Des Lyttle on the right and from his cross, Brian McGlinchey fired into the net from 15 yards for his first senior goal.

Malcolm Shotton went berserk at the official for having waved play on and went on to the field to remonstrate angrily with him. Gilchrist ran over to intervene, telling his own manager to cool it - something I've never seen in 20 years of covering football.

Brian Wilsterman's weak header back to Phil Whitehead in the 34th minute was almost punished by Lyttle, who chipped over the keeper but directed the effort wide, David Smith racing back to clear the danger.

Windass was unluckily booked for dissent, kicking the ball into the advertising hoardings and seeing it ricochet and nearly hit the referee's assistant!

Others found their way into the ref's notebook with ridiculous rapidity. What a contrast he was to the excellent John Kirkby, of Sheffield, at Birmingham last week.

United worked hard to preserve their lead in the second half and had only one real scare when Manor old boy Martin Foyle directed a glancing header just wide from another Lyttle cross.

At the other end, with home fans frequently tormenting Pilkington with chants of "dodgy keeper", the home side should have extended their lead.

Matt Murphy put Thomson through but he scooped his shot over from eight yards and then Windass looked to be brought down in the box by Beesley, and again the ref did nothing.

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