Tamworth manager Gary Mills felt his team fully merited their victory at the Kassam Stadium, and paid tribute to the much-travelled Iyseden Christie, who hit the match winner.

There was nothing meek about The Lambs, and they complemented a strong physical presence with some decent football.

“We’ve come here, to a difficult place, and I think we've deserved it,” Mills said.

“We had a good shape about us and we were on the front foot.

“That’s four clean sheets in a row for us.

“Iyseden’s been passed off by a few football clubs, but he’s a good target man, and he’s given us something different.

“He’s gone for the far post with a chip, and although the keeper may have helped it in, there are only a few players who would have attempted something like that.”

Defeat effectively means United have squandered one of the games in hand they have over new leaders Stevenage.

Next Saturday, Oxford visit struggling Grays, while Stevenage are at home to Kettering. And third-placed York should not be ignored in the title race. The Minstermen, who travel to Cambridge next weekend, hammered Hayes & Yeading 4-1 and are now just four points behind Oxford.

In the meantime, there are delayed FA Trophy ties tomorrow night, with the U’s at home to Woking.

Wilder added: “It’s one disappointing result, but we’re in a position we’re OK with.

“Of course we would have liked to have gone top of the table, but in every department things weren’t right.

“I thought Christie dominated (Mark) Creighton, I thought my midfield were off their game, and I don’t think the front three really gave us anything after the first ten minutes.

“Tamworth have defended magnificently, and the keeper, when he had to come to the aid of their back four, made great saves.

“It didn’t go for us, but we didn't cave in and go down easily. We fought hard to get a goal at the end.

“We’ve got to dust ourselves down and go again.”

Wilder added that he understood people’s frustrations: “I imagine everybody is who cleared the pitch all week; everyone who’s not seen a game for a long time . . . is frustrated with my team’s performance, their inability to play, make good decisions and take chances when they arrived.”