Swindon Tn 4, Oxford Utd 1

By JON MURRAY IT was like hell revisited for Oxford United's fans as they saw their team crash by the same scoreline as last season against enemies they have sworn to hate.

Three goals in a 14-minute spell near the end left United reeling and by the end of this Division 1 contest, it was hard to argue against the view of the few neutrals in the ground that Oxford looked a poor team, and one probably heading for relegation.

Early days it may be, but then this Swindon Town team are no great shakes in this division.

And yet United made them look powerful, pacy and effective and, the biggest indictment of all in a local derby, the U's played with nothing like the same passion as a Town team in some turmoil with uncertainty over whether their boss Steve McMahon was staying or going.

After this convincing win, McMahon decided to stay. But don't bet against him having second thoughts when Swindon come up against tougher opponents than Oxford.

Had it not been for Phil Whitehead, United would have been dead and buried long before half-time.

They held out, despite the brilliance of Town winger Mark Walters, and at 1-1 had chances to go in front. But they squandered them and were then made to pay as Iffy Onuora struck twice in quick succession. Walters was in devastating form all night, but United had plenty of warnings about the damage he could wreak as he made great inroads down the right.

From a low, right-wing cross by the former Aston Villa and Liverpool winger in the eighth minute, George Ndah nipped in, ahead of Phil Whelan, to stab the ball in at the near post.

Whitehead brilliantly saved a snap shot from Ndah and also arched back to push a 25-yard drive from Walters around his post for a corner as Swindon exerted strong pressure.

Yet Oxford came into the match more and after Dean Windass went close with a drilled 20-yard shot after a well-worked one-two with Joey Beauchamp, they equalised on 25 minutes.

A long throw by Paul Powell bounced twice inside the six-yard box and Nicky Banger flung himself forward to head into the net at the back post.

As the first half came to a close, it was Oxford who looked the more likely to score again. Windass hit a cracking 25-yard drive from a free-kick, but keeper Jimmy Glass kept it out.

Beauchamp, booed by home fans whenever he got the ball, then controlled a long punt forward by Les Robinson with a classy first touch, only to see his shot miraculously pushed up and over the bar for a corner by the flying Glass again.

Beauchamp's inswinging corners were causing Swindon considerabe problems and early in the second half, from another Beauchamp corner, Town had a let-off as the ball flew off the head of Scott Leitch against his own bar.

Yet there was a lucky escape at the other end, too, as Darren Bullock's far post header was parried by Whitehead and looked to be very close to crossing the line before being hacked to safety. Matt Murphy missed a great opportunity on 66 minutes when Paul Powell chipped the ball to him unmarked near the penalty spot. Murphy failed to control it on his chest and another chance was blown.

Two goals in three minutes by Onuora ended the contest. On 72 minutes, Ty Gooden left Robinson for dead and although Whitehead saved his drilled shot, Onuora ran it into an empty net.

Walters then showed all his tricks by jinking past Powell and Beauchamp near the bye-line before cutting the ball back to Onuora, who scored with a shot which came off his knee.

United sub Andy Thomson's catalogue of misses continued as he unbelievably headed over from four yards at a corner.

With the Oxford players' heads clearly down, their defence was sliced open again by a weighted pass from Gooden, allowing Ndah to run forward and side-foot a shot wide of Whitehead's despairing dive.

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