Yemi Odubade says he learned his super-cool spot-kick technique from master penalty-taker Rob Duffy after converting Oxford United's late winner against York on Saturday.

Many in the ground were expecting James Constable to step up and take the 85th-minute penalty which would inevitably decide the Blue Square Premier game, but Odubade grabbed the ball, having himself won the spot kick when he was tripped by Darren Kelly.

And then, instead of blasting it, he calmly rolled it into the bottom left corner of the goal.

Odubade revealed: "We said that whoever felt confident enough to take it should take it, and whoever should win the penalty could take it.

"Duffs taught me the technique because he was good at that. I made up my mind beforehand to roll it like that, even if he dived early or stood his ground.

"When the gaffer sent me on, he said the weather conditions would suit my game.

“Phil Trainer put in a really good ball when I won the penalty. I thought their keeper was going to come out, but he didn't."

The team's top scorer last season, Odubade is curr- ently having to make do with coming off the bench to make his mark, though his goal on Saturday will have enhanced his prospects of overtaking Jamie Guy and starting again alongside Constable in the U's attack.

"I'd be happy to start, but if I'm on the bench and get the chance to come on, that's OK too. It's a team game."

It wasn't just from the penalty spot that United were efficient. Their defence allowed York only one proper shot at goal.

Left back Chris Carruthers said: "It was important that we kept a clean sheet, and it's important that we keep getting clean sheets.

"We said at the start of the season that we wanted to make it hard for teams to come here and make it a bit of a fortress, and we've done that in recent weeks.

"It was very windy and wet, but the wet pitch made it easier for us to pass the ball about, which we did better in the second half.

"We kept our patience and it was good to nick a goal at the end. Yemi came on and did well.

"Yemi made the penalty, it was only right he took it. He could have been a bit more laid-back with it, I think!

"After that, it was just a question of keeping the ball in the corner and making sure we got the result."