Marvin Morgan pounced on a mistake by Anthony Tonkin to bring Aldershot victory in a fiesty encounter at the Kassam Stadium.

The left back, returning to the team after illness, gave the ball straight to the Shots striker 22 yards out.

Morgan carried the ball a couple of yards to his left and then struck a magnificent left-footed drive which flew in off the left post.

Crowd trouble outside the stadium after the match marred the afternoon.

Aldershot had left back Jamie Vincent sent off just before half-time for his second bookable offence, bringing down Alfie Potter for a second time.

The U’s, who began in spritely fashion, moving the ball quickly and involving Alfie Potter and Tom Craddock whenever possible.

Vincent got his first yellow carded for bringing Potter down in full flow in only the eighth minute.

And the home side really should have gone in front fie minutes later when Craddock intercepted a poor clearance by Anthony Charles, passed to his right and, from a great position, James Constable screwed his shot wide from 14 yards.

Josh Payne tried his luck with a decent left-footed strike from 25 yards, which keeper Jamie Young got down to save to his left.

United were closing down well, not allowing their opponents any time on the ball.

However, it was Aldershot who almost stole the lead on 25 minutes when right back Ben Herd crossed deep to the far post and Marvin Morgan headed against the top of the crossbar.

Potter, waif-like, was darting here, there and everywhere. But the one thing missing for Oxford was the final ball, several of their crosses not finding their intended target.

Former Reading star Glen Little showed some classy flicks and touches, and when he cut in from the right and struck a powerful low shot, Clarke had to be at his very best to save.

Like last week’s contest against Port Vale, play switched rapidly from one end to the other, and moments later, Ben Purkiss delivered a superb centre from near the right bye-line, which Asa Hall met, timing his leap well, and headed against the bar.

James Constable, following up, was unable to get his shot on target after some good defending and closing down.

Then it was back to the other end, and Clarke showed bravery, as well as good reactions, to race out after Little skilfully flicked the ball to his right in the box, and Aldershot had a man over on the right. But Clarke’s smothering save did enough to keep the ball out.

Harry Worley and Morgan needed treatment for a clash of heads, and as tempers became raised among several players, the ref had little option but to show Vincent the red card when Potter ran across him and went down.

It could be argued that the left back couldn’t really do anything to get out of Potter’s way. Then again, had there been malicious intent, it could have been a straight red.

In any case, the Shots were down to ten men, and when Morgan came in late on Josh Morgan, who crashed to the ground, home fans were baying for another red card. But the ref felt, on this occasion, yellow was sufficient.

The visitors went close to taking the lead in first-half stoppage time as Anthony Straker, despite being surrounded by five Oxford players, managed to get his shot away, and drove into the side-netting.

Aldershot pushed Straker back to left back, leaving Morgan to plough more of a lone furrow on his own up front, as Little also had to drop deeper.

But Potter continued to wreak havoc down the right, with Purkiss in support.

It was important that United still concentrated hard at the back, and Worley certainly did that, while Leigh Franks produced one brilliantly-timed tackle on Morgan ten yards out.

But disaster struck for Oxford when Tonkin’s mistake was punished fully.

Simon Clist was sent on, possibly to try to get United to keep passing and use their extra-man advantage, but by now Aldershot had a real spring in their step.

Simon Heslop attempted a couple of hopeful long-range shots, which didn’t really trouble Young.

But a Payne volleyed drive from outside the area did, the keeper acrobatically turning it over his bar.

Oxford Utd: Clarke, Purkiss, Worley, Franks, Tonkin, Heslop, Payne, Hall, Potter, Constable, Craddock. Subs not used: .

Referee: Tony Bates (Staffordshire).

Att: 7,808(707 from Aldershot).