THEY will keep dreaming, of course, but this eighth home defeat of the season was a body blow to Oxford United’s hopes of reaching the play-offs.

It was a night when they really didn’t play well, and gave away two poor goals.

The first was an own goal, and Stevenage’s winner, three minutes into the second half, from former Newport County goal machine Craig Reid, came when they tried to play offside, but failed.

Before that, it looked as though justice might be done at the Kassam Stadium as they got back into their League Two battle against their old Conference rivals by scoring in first-half injury time.

It was just because Stevenage had taken a blatant time-out on 30 minutes, stopping play for three minutes with a fictitious injury, only so their players could get refreshments and a pep talk from the boss.

The U’s were trailing at that stage, but in the third minute of stoppage time at the end of the half, Josh Payne went for a header he really had no right to make, inside Stevenage’s penalty area, and was clattered by Peter Winn.

West Yorkshire ref Mark Haywood pointed to the spot, and Tom Craddock buried the penalty low and hard to make it 1-1.

It has been a funny old week for centre half Harry Worley.

Three days after scoring his first goal for Oxford United, and only the second of his career, he turned the ball into his own net to give Stevenage a 19th-minute lead.

It was a quiet opening, with United doing most of the pressing, although Ryan Clarke needed to come quickly off his line for a smothering save when Paul McLaren shepherded the ball back as Craig Reid bore down on them both.

Former U’s centre back Luke Foster returned to the Stevenage side, as a defensive midfielder, while Steve MacLean and Tom Craddock replaced Alfie Potter and Simon Hackney for the home team.

McLaren picked up an early booking, and Josh Payne was involved in an altercation with John Mousinho which required both being spoken to by the referee.

United had not really had any defending to do when Stevenage went in front from virtually their first attack in the 19th minute.

Foster sent over a deep right-wing cross and Charles was completely unmarked in the six-yard box. He headed back across goal and although Clarke part-saved, the ball went into the goal off Worley as he tried to get back into position.

Just as they did at the Lamex Stadium, Stevenage took a time out after half an hour.

Peter Winn was the one who went down, getting the trainer on and allowing his teammates to go over towards the dug-out for some water and instructions from manager Graham Westley.

The Oxford fans knew exactly what was happening and made known their opinion of Westley, and his players.

Although technically illegal, such a blatant time out is surely against the spirit of the game, and officials need to find a way of stopping it.

When play resumed, Stevenage seemed the more settled, and Craig Reid headed wide from the edge of the area.

Craddock worked a good position for the U’s just before half-time, but when Jack Midson tried to touch it past his marker to find room for a cross, or a shot, the touch was too heavy and the ball ran out for a goal kick.

At the back, United still looked less than assured.

Reid was allowed far too much space to send in a chipped shot, which drifted just past the far post as well as Clarke.

And at the other end, playing free-kicks short all the time did not reap any reward.

It was a bitty first 45 minutes, but Oxford were relieved to go in at the break on level terms thanks to that spot kick, and Craddock’s 13th goal for the U’s.

But if the first half had ended well for the Yellows, the second began disastrously as they were caught cold again.

Less than three minutes after the restart, Reid beat United’s offside trap to run on and finish well, with a simple shot past Clarke.

There were one or two opportunities for the home side to hit back again, though nothing that clear cut.

A free-kick found its way to Jake Wright six yards out, but he was of balance and could only prod a shot goalwards, which was easy for keeper Chris Day.

Potter and Hackney joined the fray, and Potter managed a 20-yard drive, that Day saved low to his left.

But there wasn’t the fluency in United’s attacking play, as the visitors’ strong physical presence sometimes told, and there were too many misplaced passes.

At the final whistle, it was a very quiet Kassam Stadium. Most home fans knew it will now take something really special for United to extend their season again.