BRIAN Talbot hailed his Captain Fantastic after Chris Hargreaves capped a superb performance with a brilliant headed equaliser at Grimsby.

Oxford United's new skipper kept driving the team forward, Roy Keane-style, kept urging his teammates on, even when they fell behind, and then sent a rocket of a header into the top right corner from Chris Hackett's free-kick three minutes from time.

And it brought the U's a useful opening-day point in Talbot's first match in charge.

"I thought it was a fair result," said United's managed.

"Our goal was a superb one. The ball in from Hackett was tremendous, and it was a powerful header from Hargreaves, and a good one.

"I know one or two people at the club were surprised that I wanted to bring a midfield player in, but we needed a leader, someone who knew what this was all about.

"He's been excellent in the dressing room, excellent on the pitch and he showed his true worth today.

"He was first class, led by example and capped it with his goal.

"But I thought all the team worked hard. We've got to do better at holding the ball up, but that's being picky."

Talbot had said before the game that he would have settled for a point, because Blundell Park is a difficult place for any visiting side, but his team attacked well and they dominated the early part of the match.

"I've got to be happy - we've come away from home, I've got five new players in my team, I've got another new player (Robert Hughes) who came on - a lad who's non-contract - so all in all, I'm going back quite satisfied.

"We obviously wanted to win the game, but I said that, if we don't lose, I'd be happy with that.

"We started well and in the first half-an-hour we dominated the match, but that's when you need to score - when you're on top.

"Slowly but surely Grimsby got into the game, and for the last ten minutes of the first half, we were under the cosh, but we weathered the storm."