npower League Two

Oxford United did what they set out to do and defied the odds to earn a stunning win at top-of-the-league Chesterfield tonight.

In doing so, they stopped the rot of five successive defeats and gave hope again that they can be a force in League Two at the right end of the table.

It was a remarkable transformation in the second half for Chris Wilder’s team, who had to overcome the blow of losing key defender and captain Jake Wright just before the break.

The U’s trailed from the 14th minute, but Tom Craddock headed in an equaliser from Steve Maclean’s cross 13 minutes into the second half.

And then man-of-the-match Maclean sidefooted home a close-range winner with 20 minutes to go.

For both goals, Simon Heslop played a big part but it was Maclean who constantly caught the eye at the B2net Stadium, Chesterfield had won seven of their first eight home matches this season and after their win at Aldershot on Saturday, Oxford were 4-1 with the bookies to win this game.

But they deserved it for playing the more enterprising football in the second half.

The Spireites had most of the early play and went in front inside the first quarter of an hour.

Ben Futcher gave away a free-kick just outside the box, but the U’s wall stood up to and blocked the blast from Jack Lester.

However, the ball rebounded to midfielder Ian Morris and his low shot from 25 yards beat Ryan Clarke, going just inside his right post. It may have taken a deflection on the way.

Wilder played a 4-1-4-1 formation, with Maclean, who can hold the ball up so well, ploughing a lone furrough up front, and Paul Wotton in front of the back four.

Futcher kept his place at centre half, despite a couple of disappointing displays in his first two games, while leading scorer James Constable was again on the bench for starters.

Asa Hall was recalled to the midfield as Oxford’s manager made sure his team were not outnumbered in the centre of the park.

It didn’t take long for Maclean, the best of Wilder’s three loanees to date, to show his quality.

He dispossessed a defender and laid the ball back for Hall, who shot wide, and showed some great touches and flicks, despite often being left isolated.

Maclean also struck a great 25-yard free-kick that goalkeeper Tommy Lee saved, with some difficulty, away to his right.

Yet it was no surprise that most f the action came at the other end.

Chesterfield are the highest scorers in the league, and they spread play to good effect before invariably finding a killer pass.

Clarke did well to avoid giving away a penalty with one smothering save, after which Jack Lester shot wide.

And United’s keeper made a very good save from Morris’s shot, holding it as well as stopping it.

Craig Davies fired over from a great position and Mark Allott planted a shot-on-the-turn wide.

For all that, though, United passed the ball well at times, and Maclean’s workrate in chasing everything down, was outstanding.

The visitors suffered a big blow as Jake Wright had to hobble off, handing the captain’s armband to Wotton as he did so.

And as the first half came to an end, Hall went close, drilling a low 20-yard shot narrowly wide.

For the second half, Tom Craddock operated more centrally, just behind Maclean, and after a probing run by Damian Batt, the former Luton forward drove in a shot that Lee saved on his knees.

There were chants from the Oxford fans of “That’s Why We Got Rid of You” after Davies curled a shot a long way over the bar.

Heslop, played in by Maclean, forced a good save from Lee as the U’s began to create chances on the counter-attack.

And in the 58th minute, they got their reward.

Heslop showed good strength as well as determination, with a surging run through the middle before knocking the ball right, and Maclean crossed to the back post to where Craddock headed in.

The confidence began flowing back through the Oxford players veins and there was an extra spring in their step as they went forward.

And that showed as Heslop and Maclean combined beautifully for a second goal to silence the home crowd.

Both Futcher, and substitute Worley, proved immense, and Wotton too had probably his best game for the U’s.

Worley worked wonders to scramble the ball away from his goalline in the dying moments, with Clarke then punching clear under great pressure.

There was one late scare, though, as in stoppage time, Chesterfield's Simon struck the bar with a shot as he fell.

But they survived. For a second away win of the season.