Only the woodwork, and some brilliant goalkeeping, denied Oxford United their first league win of the season in a frantic local derby at Adams Park.

Matt Green and James Constable both hit the bar in a full-bloodied contest.

Wycombe, the League Two title favourites, also had their chances, and Kevin Betsy chipped onto the top of the bar on the break.

It was a fine performance from the U's, who had the misfortune of losing Damian Batt to what looked a possible ankle ligaments injury on 11 minutes.

Sam Deering, disciplined by the club, was replaced on the bench by Ben Purkiss.

Eighteen-year-old keeper Nathan Silver made his first appearance in the squad because of Simon Eastwood's injury, and he too was named among the subs.

In fact, Purkiss was to get his first taste of action this season a lot sooner than he expected.

The game was 11 minutes old when Batt was badly hurt in a challenge in the middle of the pitch, and it was soon clear that Batt, in a lot of pain and holding his arm in the air to try to get attention as soon as possible, would not be able to continue.

Wycombe should have scored in the break that ensued from the challenge on Batt.

Kevin Betsy broke down the left and when he crossed to the far post, Matt Phillips only had the keeper to bneat but shot wide from ten yards.

Oxford, playing in their all-white strip had made the better start iun the first few minutes, Matt Green taking the ball away from goalkeeper Nikki Bull as he pounced on a short backpass, but his cutback was disappointing, and was easily cut out.

Wycombe too lost a man early on, with centre back Alan Bennett hobbling off with a hamstring injury.

Jake Wright had to show his speed a couple of times when Jon-Paul Pittman threatened the goal.

There were a couple of classy moments from Simon Heslop which might have brought United the breakthrough.

First his pass out of defence set James Constable free down the right for a quick break and when he released an early pass fro Green in the miuddle, it looked as though Green was pushed over by Leon Johnson before he could get to it.

The U's appealed strongly for a penalty, but the ref wasn't interetsed.

Heslop then tried his luck with an angled free-kick from 22 yards. He got the ball up and down, over the wall and then what would have been below the bar, but just wide of the left post.

Harry Worley was booked for a foul just outside the area at the other end, but that free-kick too came to nothing.

Ten minutes from half-time Constable was not far away from a flicked header from Heslop's free-kick that drfited a couple of yards past the far post.

United seemed to step up a gear at the start of the second half, and it seemed only a matter of time before a goal would come.

In the first 30 seconds, Green broke fgree from Jack Midson's pass and hios drive on the run beat Nikki Bull but smashed against the bar.

With the visitors in the ascendancy, Constable then produced a brilliant shot on the turn inside the box, only to be denied by an equally excellent blocking save from Bull.

The Oxford fans behind the goal were making terrific noise as their team pressed.

But on the break, they were almost caught out. Anthony Tonkin's pass back towards Wright was pounced on by Betsy who raced free. Then, as Ryan Clarke came quickly out of his goal, Betsy chipped the ball over him, but got too much on it, and the ball landed on the top of the goal.

Harry Worley's mistake then let in Jon-Paul Pittman for a shot from 12 yards, but he blazed over.

A great covering tackle by Tonkin rescued his team as Wanderers now enjoyed a purple spell.

For the second time in 15 minutes, United struck the woodwork.

This time, Constable got everything behind a drive from the edge of the area. It was heading for the top corner, but Bull fingertipped it onto the bar.

Bull pulled off another top-class save moments later, from Green, when Constable slipped a pass through to his pacy teammate.

And when Asa Hall's downward header at the far post flashed a yard wide, many Oxford supporters, and maybe some of the players, were probably wondering whether it was going to be their day.

And in the last few minutes, Midson headed narrowly wide.

The U's were very unfortunate not to win.

Oxford Utd: Clarke; Batt (Purkiss 12), Worley, Wright, Tonkin; Heslop, Bulman (Baker 65), Hall; Green (Potter 81), Constable, Midson.

Booked: Worley, Bulman.