Oxford United and Wycombe Wanderers were left with a point apiece this afternoon as they fought out a 0-0 draw at the Kassam Stadium
United remain unbeaten at home in the league and had the bulk of the play in the second half but could find no way past a Wycombe side who had shaded the first 45 minutes.
Wycombe certainly looked the more dangerous side in the opening half hour, their best spell of the game. There was an early save from Jack Stevens from Oxford old boy Jordan Obita and important interventions from Anthony Forde at the back post and Alex Gorrin with a block, before Stevens made a flying save after 24 minutes to deny Welsh international Sam Vokes.
However, United have never shirked a challenge and got back into the game after that spell, with Gavin Whyte leading the charge on his return from international duty and Mark Sykes full of running on the other side of Matty Taylor in a three-man attack.
The U's had been forced into a change when skipper Elliott Moore failed a late fitness test, but replacement Luke McNally stood up manfully to the physical challenge and went close to scoring when he headed a late corner over the bar at the end of a tough first half: the first league game where United had failed to lead at half time this season.
They restarted with a greater tempo and the outstanding Cameron Brannagan, seemingly determined to win it by willpower alone, forced keeper David Stockdale into an awkward-looking save from a dipping 25-yard drive and then a plunging dive to his left from similar range just after the hour.
Whyte and Sykes almost unpicked the lock with the best move of the match soon after but as with several moves at both ends, the final ball was cut out by a covering defender and you could feel the frustration growing even before a lengthy delay after sub Akinfenwa was felled by a flailing arm when challenging for a ball in the Oxford area and a suitable replacement shirt was sourced.
These games have often produced late drama, but this time the defences held firm despite eight attritional minutes of added time.
Not the prettiest of games, perhaps, but ten points from four home games so far is a decent enough return.
Att: 9,082
Away: 1505
Fifty/50 winning number: 75235 wins £647
Report by Chris Williams, pictures Steve Daniels and Steve Edmunds, Stats by OPTA