ONE terrible mix-up between Phil Whitehead and Phil Whelan cost Oxford United another three points as Malcolm Shotton's first return to Barnsley ended in deep disappointment yesterday.

But, once again, United's biggest problems came at the other end as they failed to score for the fourth league game running - 402 barren minutes without finding the net.

United had weathered considerable first-half pressure and looked to be going in at the interval all square when a simple ball played through the middle caused confusion between Whelan and his keeper.

Whelan seemed to have time to clear and that Whitehead should have done, but the only one to react quickly was John Hendrie who nipped in and knocked the ball into an empty net, despite a despairing tackle from Phil Gilchrist.

Coming just two minutes before the break, it was a dreadful moment to concede, especialy as United had again offered little going forward in the first half.

Dean Windass was playing very deep and the visitors relied on occasional breaks from defence and set plays to try to get a goal.

Yet in the second half, and no doubt spurred on by a few words from the manager at the interval, Shotton's men had a real go, and ended up unlucky not to equalise.

Paul Powell got in behind the home defence, who were appealing vainly for offside, after Windass flicked the ball over the back line when his free-kick came back off the wall. Powell stuck out a foot but deflected the dropping ball wide.

Matt Murphy then went close with a flicked header from a wickedly inswinging Joey Beauchamp free-kick which he should at least have got on target.

And finally, 11 minutes from time, Windass glanced a header from a Beauchamp free-kick against the woodwork from 12 yards out, with helan just unable to turn the ball in when it came back to him at the far post. The quality of the many free-kicks and corners from Beauchamp and Windass was much better than in recent games - but there's still no-one to stick the ball in the net.

And if United came back well to enjoy the lion's share of the first half, there's no denying that Barnsley had by far the better of the first.

They too were looking for their first league win of the season and after Hendrie had fired a dipping volley over and Gilchrist had made a remarkable challenge to stick out a foot to stop Ashley Ward's shot going in home, supporters were becoming frustrated and restless.

They vented their anger on Murphy who put himself about well up front and was unfortunate to be booked for a physical challenge when he went for a header.

But Murphy was lucky not to see red on 36 minutes when he retliated angrily after an over-the-top tackle from Chris Morgan who had also already been booked.

In the current climate many referees would have sent both men off. But Lichfield official John Brandwood consulted his linesman and then gave both players a stern lecture.

There were many more moments of tetchiness in the rest of the game and United had four more players, as well as Murphy, booked.

Exerting strong pressure on the Barnsley goal in the final 15 minutes, they were caught napping on the break by a pacy counter-attack which resulted in substitute Jan Aage Fjortoft applying a simple side-foot finish into a near open goal to put the Tykes two up. The Norwegian applied the sidefoot, yet Whitehead stuck out an arm to make an amazing save.

At least over the holiday weekend United had redicovered the art of defending and keeping the ball out of the net, giving away just one goal in two games. But how they still need a striker.

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