Comment

Oxford United ended one of the most momentous years in their history with mixed emotions.

Rob Duffy's 79th-minute equaliser on Saturday preserved their unbeaten home record, but their failure to win in front of their own fans, for the second successive game, allowed Dagenham & Redbridge to take over at the top of the Conference.

Long-time leaders Oxford have headed the table since September 1, but December proved a wretched month for Jim Smith s side.

Duffy s 15th goal of the season salvaged a point for the U s, but they were again unimpressive.

Crawley players felt that the Welsh sriker was offside when Andy Burgess flicked on Carl Pettefer s pass.

However, the assistant referee s flag stayed down and Duffy buried a low shot past keeper Ben Hamer from the left side of the box.

Yet afterwards Scott Hiley admitted he had played Duffy on.

Crawley had stunned Oxford by taking the lead deep into stoppage time at the end of the first half.

Burgess was caught in possession and from Ben Judge s pass, Tony Scully beat Phil Gilchrist and then rounded Billy Turley, who had come way out of his goal, before slotting home from a tight angle.

Crawley then missed a great chance to go 2-0 ahead in the 62nd minute and put the game out of United s reach.

The home side were caught on the break following a poor pass from Burgess and Scott Rendell had only Turley to beat when a right-wing cross landed at his feet.

Rendell got his effort on target, but Turley saved with a foot.

Oxford felt Yemi Odubade ha won a penalty when he skilfully flicked the ball over Hiley and the keeper and appeared to be clattered by Lee Blackburn. But the home fans penalty appeals were to no avail.

And soon after Steve Basham had come off the bench, he fired over from a good position at the end of a slick move.

Smith had made three changes to the team held at home by Woking on Boxing Day, the most significant seeing Odubade taking over from Basham in attack.

Gavin Johnson, another recalled by Smith, was involved in two good opportunities for the U s in the first half.

In the 16th minute he struck a 25-yard drive on the volley which Hamer saved above his head, and midway through the half an even better chance came his way.

Odubade got around the back of Hiley and pulled back a deep cross from the right.

Johnson probably had time to bring the ball down and shoot but instead went for the spectacular volley which flew well wide.

Burgess had United s best effort of the first half just before the interval when he was picked out by Pettefer s cross over the Crawley defence, but his halfvolley shot drifted past the far post.

Oxford s late equaliser had been coming.

Just before Duffy struck, they had twice gone close, Hamer making a good save from Duffy s downward header.

But it was a disappointing way to end 2006

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