Ryan Clarke brilliantly saved a penalty ten minutes from time as Oxford United and Cheltenham drew for the second time this season.

For the U’s it was their first draw since the teams last met on September 28.

The spot kick came when Anthony Tonkin fouled Brian Smikle just a yard or so inside the area.

Wes Thomas, who had earlier hit his 14th goal of the season, struck the penalty hard and low, but Clarke guessed right and made a terrific stop, with Harry Worley then desperately clearing the danger.

It was a bad mistake from Jake Wright which led to Cheltenham taking the lead in the 26th minute.

Wright allowed Marlon Pack’s long ball forward to bounce over his head, and Wes Thomas was on it in a flash, and then calmly shipped keeper Ryan Clarke for a neat finish.

However, the U’s were on level terms inside seven minutes.

Damian Batt, who had had a fine game even before that point, delivered a good cross from the right and Tom Craddock got in behind the visitors’ defence and stooped to head in from five yards out.

United, who had been knocked out of the play-off positions by Bury’s win on Friday night, were unchanged following their fine win over Shrewsbury.

Cheltenham manager Mark Yates, in contrast, made two changes, bringing back experienced centre half Martin Riley and midfielder Brian Smikle.

In the sixth minute, Smikle had a goal ruled out for offside.

Craddock was played in moments later, but keeper Scott Brown, quickly off his line, saved with his legs.

It also needed some good goalkeeping at the other end from Clarke when he had to slide out to get the ball at the very edge of the penalty area, ahead of Thomas. His momentum carried him outside and he did well to make sure he didn’t handle the ball.

Oxford enjoyed a god spell midway through the first half, with some neat inter-passing, and clever play.

There was one slick nutmeg by Craddock, and good football in both boxes by right back Batt, who got round the back of Cheltenham’s defence and pulled back a low cross, and then at the other end he made a vital last-ditch tackle.

Constable, having scored with two great left-foot strikes on Tuesday night, pulled the trigger with his left again, from a tight angle, and Brown saved with an outstretched right hand to turn it for a corner.

MacLean was dropping deep to set up moves, and the passing was crisp.

Constable unleashed a 25-yard drive, which came back off the keeper’s chest. Craddock followed up, but he had been in an offside position.

Goals at each end followed in quick succession, and before half-time, United had the ball in the net again, but it was disallowed, the ref judging that the keeper had been fouled when, under pressure, he turned Paul McLaren’s corner into his own net.

In the second half, United did nearly all the pressing, but the ball just wouldn’t drop for them in the box.

Constable delivered a great ball across the area, but no-one gambled.

Batt also fired over a more than useful cross that Craddock, coming in from deep, reached from beyond the far post.

But he didn’t seem to believe he could connect with any conviction, and Brown made a smothering save on his goalline.

Chris Wilder sent on Simon Heslop for Asa Hall midway through the second half, and the home side continued to push forward, and create half-chances.

Craddock saw a shot saved and Worley put a difficult header wide.

Tonkin made a great goal-saving tackle, but a few minutes later, he conceded the penalty.

Oxford Utd: Clarke, Batt, Worley, Wright, Tonkin, Hall (Heslop 67), McLaren, Clist, MacLean, Constable, Craddock (Potter 79). Subs not used: Sangare, Midson, Deering, Eastwood, Payne.

Att: 7,738 (530 from Cheltenham.