OXFORD United's players went from chumps to champs after bouncing back from a record defeat by rattling up their biggest win of the season against QPR at the Manor on Saturday.

And fans' favourite Kevin Francis was credited with playing his part in the 4-1 win . . . not on the pitch, but on the terraces after he strode into the home London Road end and joined in the singing to pump up the volume among Oxford supporters.

"In the dressing room before the game we said to the players "the supporters are right with you, go and give them something to sing about and that's exactly what we did," said United assistant manager Mark Harrison.

"I sent Kevin out there. As we came back from the warm-up I said get back out there and get in with the crowd and wind them up!"

The fans loved it and "Super Kev" proved an inspiration as the crowd showed no resentment at last week's 7-0 shocker at Sunderland, only encouragement and support for Malcolm Shotton's team.

Joey Beauchamp, Matt Murphy, Andy Thomson and Dean Windass hit the goals to lift the U's to 18th place in Division 1.

Harrison said: "It was a magnificent response from the players. They did everything we asked of them. The players got the flak last week so they should get only credit this time. "Having seven shoved up them last week it's magnificent to come back like that. And I thought the crowd were brilliant, from the moment we warmed up.

"We got goals, a good performance and the win and we've got to try and build on that and get another one against West Brom on Tuesday night to make it two on the bounce.

"Sunderland hasn't really been mentioned since last Monday, although it's been in the back of everybody's minds. The players knew they had to go and perform today and win and they've done that. Sunderland's history."

United seem unable to go through a match without getting injuries and both Phil Whelan (groin) and Windass (dead leg) were receiving treatment today.

United's management will be especially desperate to have Windass fit to face West Brom. he looked a class act against QPR, rounding off the scoring with a memorable goal.

"Dean's looking a quality player," Harrison conceded. "At the moment £450,000 looks a very good buy. If at the end of the season he's got 20-odd goals, it's a snip in this day and age. QPR had Sheron on the bench and he's £2.5m yet can't get in the team."

Windass said: "We all felt we were going to win. I was up for it from the word go, God knows what would have happened had my volley gone in right at the start, but I always felt I would score."

Windass's strike partner Thomson is starting to come good. But he had nothing but praise for the former Aberdeen striker.

"Dean holds the ball up, he's very strong and I don't think we've really had that this season with Kevin Francis out. He's scored goals, been strong and held the ball up and he's good for the team up front.

"I thought we played really well and fully deserved the victory. In the first 15 minutes I found it difficult for some reason, my touch wasn't there and suddenly it came and I started playing a bit better. "We passed it well and that was the key to the victory. We created chances, and we took them. We all wanted to make sure we could forget about the Sunderland game, put it out of our minds and concentrate on beating QPR because we knew they were low on confidence and as it proved, they were very low on confidence.

"I think Sunderland was a freak result. We caved in there in the second half but we showed today that we're not as bad as that result last week may suggest to people."

Thomson admitted the atmosphere in the dressing room at the manor was somewhat different to seven days earlier at the Stadium of Light.

"Just a little bit!" he laughed. "Funnily enough, again it was quiet in the dressing room - but that was because everyone was quite knackered.

"We were certainly a lot happier and once the tiredness got out of the legs, everyone was delighted with the result."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.