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Yemi celebrates his goal

Oxford United battled for over an hour with ten men to earn a precious win in their first away game in the Conference.

Yemi Odubade was their matchwinner with a superbly taken 57th-minute goal after coming on as a half-time sub.

Jim Smith's men had to play for more than three-quarters of the match with a man short after Barry Quinn was sent off in the 22nd minute for a professional foul.

The Irishman hauled back Paul Benson just outside the box as the Daggers striker broke clear of United's defence.

Phil Gilchrist was superb at the back as the visitors came under strong pressure in the first half, and Billy Turley pulled off two excellent saves.

But after Smith brought on the pacy Odubade, there was more of an attacking threat about Oxford.

And they were rewarded when Matt Day crossed from the right, Rob Duffy, trying a shot, skewed the ball to his right and Odubade fired in a first-time shot from 15 yards.

Dagenham started positively and forced a corner in the first minute.

A ball in from the left caused some alarm in United's defence, which couldn't get it away, and Cliff Akurang headed the loose ball just over the bar from nine yards.

United were struggling to get hold of the ball, the Daggers, as expected, trying to play quickly, and long to unsettle them. Goalkeeper Tony Roberts was reaching the edge of United's area with his clearances.

Matt Day's long throws were a useful attacking weapon for Oxford, but many of their early crosses were from too deep and too close to Roberts, who collected comfortably.

They say a week is a long while in football, and it certainly was for Oxford's players who, seven days earlier, were facing Manchester United's Ronaldo, Silvestre, Heinze, Solskjaer and Saha in front of a sell-out 11,500 crowd.

But they had a good support again at the tight little Victoria Road ground, and many of those fans were clearly enjoying being able to stand behind the goal and very close to the pitch.

Those fans were soon applauding Turley for tipping over Scott Griffith's angled volley from just underneath his crossbar.

But midway through the first half, Oxford were caught square at the back as Paul Benson ran through onto a fine pass from Dave Rainford.

Benson was a couple of yards clear and Quinn pulled him back to prevent the striker getting in a shot as he bore down on goal. Contact was just outside the area, although Benson's fall took him well into the box, but the ref correctly blew for a free-kick just outside.

He then called Quinn over and brandished the red card.

A man short, the visitors immediately adopted a 4-4-1 formation, leaving Duffy on his own up front.

Sam Sloma's free-kick struck United's wall and was safely cleared.

Moments later, good defending from Gavin Johnson prevented them falling behind, the left back diving in to deflect a Sam Saunders free-kick behind at the near post.

Sam Saunders should have scored in the 32nd minute as he broke clear of the Oxford defence. But Turley made his presence big and saved smartly.

Jim Smith made two half-time substitutions to shake up his side, who hadn't really lived with Dagenham's high tempo in the first half.

Odubade was sent on for Burgess, who had been disappointing, and Chris Hargreaves replaced Eddie Hutchinson, who was likewise struggling to make any real impact.

Odubade landed his teammates in trouble with a poor pass back to one of his defenders, which was immediately intercepted. The ball was played quickly through to Benson, but Gilchrist slid in with a perfectly-timed tackle.

Turley then had a scare when a deep cross from the right touchline by Danny Foster drifted over his head and hit the bar.

Odubade's goal gave Oxford a massive lift, and they put together some better moves, one ending with Eddie Anaclet cutting dangerously into the box before being crowded out.

At the other end, Akurang carved open Oxford's defence with a diagonal run from the right, but, with the goal beckoning in front of him, he delayed shooting with his left foot and a great chance was gone.

The impressive Rainford went close with an excellent right-footed drive which Turley did well to turn for a corner.

Odubade had a very good second half, and it was from his clever play on the left, and some mickey-taking by United's players, that they earned a free-kick 15 minutes from time which almost brought them a second goal.

Johnson's delivery was perfect and Duffy's header was going in until Roberts clawed it away to his left.

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