Bobby socks it to United

BOB Ford, whose £400,000 move from Oxford two months ago kept the club afloat, sunk his old teammates with his first goal for Sheffield United at Bramall Lane on Saturday.

And Oxford were left feeling especially unfortunate to fall to one of their former players as not only was it Ford's first goal for the Blades - it was also the first of his career with his head!

It ended new manager Malcolm Shotton's 100 per cent record at Oxford following the wins over Portsmouth and Nottingham Forest, and also stretched Sheffield United's unbeaten home record in Division 1 to 15 games.

But despite the defeat, Oxford could take plenty of heart from another hard-working performance and with a greater ruthlessness in front of goal they could easily have come away with a point.

Indeed there were only 48 seconds on the clock when 18-year-old Simon Weatherstone, making his full debut following Nigel Jemson's £100,000 move to Bury on Thursday, found himself in the clear.

But the teenager, who scored his first senior goal in the last minute at Forest seven days earlier, was unable to repeat the feat as Sheffield keeper Simon Tracey dived to his left to palm away his low shot from just inside the area.

Weatherstone then cleared from in front of his own goal when Graham Stuart should have done better from inside the six-yard box.

Roger Nilsen headed just wide of the Oxford goal before the lively Weatherstone went close again when he turned sharply to rifle a shot into the side netting.

Paul Powell, preferred on the left-hand side of midfield to Jamie Cook, was also making his presence felt, and after a powerful run he blasted a 20-yard drive just wide. Joey Beauchamp then put in O'Neill Donaldson with a great chance, but the on-loan striker failed to get real power behind his shot and Tracey dived low to his left to save.

Ford found himself in space for the first time on the half hour, but when he pulled the ball back for Gareth Taylor the ex-Bristol Rovers striker skied his shot over the bar.

Former Oxford hero Dean Saun-ders was the next to blaze a good chance wide for the Blades, and just when it looked like Oxford were going to reach half-time all square, their other old boy Ford broke the deadlock in the 43rd minute.

Earl Barrett, on loan from Everton, burst down the right before flighting over a perfect cross for Taylor to send a header crashing against the bar, and when the ball came back Ford was in the right place to stoop and head it into the bottom corner.

Oxford could easily have been level two minutes into the second half when Beauchamp broke down the right and crossed low to the near post where Weatherstone fired in a low shot which Tracey blocked with his legs.

There was a real let-off for Oxford then, though, when Saunders raced into the clear and fired in a shot which Whitehead blocked with his legs, and when the ball looped up to Taylor he headed against the bar for a second time before Les Robinson tidied up. Oxford had to reorganise on the hour when Brian Wilsterman, having one of his best games, was forced to come off on the hour after tweaking a hamstring.

The Blades brought Marcelo on at the same time and, within a minute, the Brazillian blasted a great chance wide after being put through by Ford.

Beauchamp was then left holding his head in anguish after volleying wide from 18 yards before Taylor incredibly hit the bar for a third time - this time with a shot from six yards after Whitehead had this time blocked Marcelo's low drive.

Saunders' curling shot brought another excellent save from Whitehead, who was by this stage keeping Oxford in the game.

Even then Oxford could have snatched a draw when Weather-stone headed a great opportunity inches wide of the post from Beauchamp's cross, but it wasn't to be.

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