United's bright new era started with a win today as they outshone the Diamonds. A header from Barry Quinn and a cool finish from Phil Trainer sealed all three points despite the now customary grandstand finish.

With Quinn back in defence and Lewis Haldane up front United settled quickly and saw Haldane have the first effort of the match on seven minutes, firing wide from twenty yards with a speculative effort before two great chances inside five seconds saw Jamie Guy denied by a Dale Roberts save and Phil Trainer ping the rebound wide of the far post.

Three minutes later and another ideal chance came along. James Clarke hurled in a long throw, Haldane hooked it on and Trainer should have buried the ball from eight yards but saw Roberts somehow claw it away, before poking the rebound wide of the post. Having created the clearest chances despite playing into a very strong wind United agan tested Roberts on 25 as Haldane cut in from the right and curled a shot from the corner of the box which Roberts palmed away, only just beyond the lurking Trainer.

On 41 a quick free kick from  Joe Burnell got Haldane in behind the defence once again, only for a covering tackle to come in just as he pulled the trigger, but from the resultant corner United opened their account . Carruthers swung the ball in from the right and Quinn, on his return, leapt highest in a packed six yard box to thump his header into the roof of the net for his second of the season; fully deserved for his performance.

Rushden had been toothless up front, well marshalled by Quinn and Luke Foster, but  within seven minutes of the restart had brought on former Torquay front man Lee Phillips to form a three man attack with Daryl Clare and Leon Knight to try and find a way to get a sight of their former keeper Billy Turley's goal. It was a gamble which initially backfired, as within two minutes United were 2-0 up. Burnell, involved in everything, knocked a ball up for Yemi Odubade who beat a defender to get a decisive, deft, header into the path of Trainer, in splendid isoalation on the left wing. There were people in The Blackbird closer to Trainer than the nearest defender  and he sprinted clear, bided his time for Roberts to commit himself, then slotted the ball neatly into the far corner of the net to make it 2-0.

Smashing, great and super, but it wouldn't be Oxford United without a bit of drama and within a couple of minutes Rushden were back in the hunt as Clare took a near perfect free kick from 25 yards that arrowed into the corner of the net, shaving Turley's left hand post as it fizzed into the goal. You couldn't deny the quality, but the goal had two effects. First it offered the Diamonds a lifeline and secondly it raised the tension stakes by about 200%. Oh for a nice quiet home win to write about.

Rushden forced a flurry of corners, and then had the best possible chance to draw level as Knight ran unchecked through the defence. Turley hurtled out but Knight skipped round his lunge, taking the ball out to the right and making the angle tighter with every stride. When his shot did come in Carruthers performed heroics to somehow beat the ball away from the unguarded net. The crucial point of the match

The limping Quinn was replaced by Chris Willmott for the final quarter of the action and having survived the big scare United started to be braver on the ball and to start trying to retain the football. Guy nodded a Haldane right wing cross well wide on 71 minutes as they started to make inroads once more, before a moment of mystery to add to all the drama. Guy chased into the area with Gareth Jellyman, who pulled him back  but then carried on the chase into the area. Jellyman tackled Guy, fairly, but ref Coote raced across and waved a second yellow card at the defender, swiftly followed by a red. We presume it was for the original foul, having waved play on (?).

Now down to ten men, Haldane cut in from the right, sold a couple of dummies and curled a left footed shot against the bar, Rushden's ten men threw themselves forward there were moments of drama, farce, comedy and thriller, but crucially, no final act tragedy to ruin the day.

A good win, watched by a superb crowd who got behind their team and their club after a difficult week.

Let it shine...

Att:4,645

Away: 352

Report Chris Williams

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Hear the reaction of Darren Patterson, Jamie Guy and new chairman Kelvin Thomas in Yellow World