Alfie Potter grabbed a second half equaliser as Oxford United fought back to draw 1-1 at Burton Albion on Sunday.
The result was enough to keep the U's in a play off place on goal difference, and continued their good form on the road this season to make it five games unbeaten away from the Kassam Stadium. With Damian Batt starting a two-game suspension after picking up his tenth yellow card of the season, Andy Whing moved from the centre of midfield to right back with the recalled Asa Hall taking his place.
The host started much brighter than the U's at the Pirelli Stadium, and inside the first 10 minutes 'keeper Ryan Clarke was called into action while Whing twice cleared the ball in dangerous situations. And the Brewers took the lead on 13 minutes when when United failed to clear a corner properly and Andres Gurrieri cut the ball back to Adam Bolder who had the time and space to slot low past Clarke from 10 yards.
United failed to muster a shot on target until the latter stages of the first half, although they did come more into the game after the half hour mark. On 37 minutes Simon Heslop sent a looping effort towards Ross Atkins' goal. In-form striker Jon-Paul Pittman had a shot blocked on 42 minutes but otherwise there was little for the travelling support to shout about.
United boss Chris Wilder wasn't slow in changing things, bringing on new signing Oli Johnson at half time and switching formation to 4-4-2 with the wide men given licence to push on.
Soon after the restart Potter drove a shot across Atkins who made the save low down to his right. But Potter grabbed the equaliser on 59 minutes, beating two defenders on the right and getting the rub of the green as the ball broke kindly out of a challenge to him, before he calmly slotted it past Atkins to make it 1-1.
United now had the wind in their sails and Atkins produced a good save to deny Johnson as he broke through the middle, while James Constable shot across goal on the hour mark. The visitors had a good shout for a penalty for handball dismissed by the referee, and continued to press forward as the game reached its latter stages.
With 15 minutes left Peter Leven broke into the box and met a Constable cross with a header that went straight into Atkins' arms, and Potter then got beyond the last man but with the hard work done prodded the ball straight at the 'keeper. With two minutes remaining Leven arrowed a free kick narrowly wide of the post with Atkins beaten, but a winning goal proved elusive and made it four games since the U's last picked up three points.
After the game, U's assistant manager Mickey Lewis paid tribute to Alfie Potter for his strike, and boss Chris Wilder for his half time changes. "It was a terrific second half performance," he said. "It was also going to be a difficult game, Burton are one of the best team's in the league.
"They're good at home and they always start quickly, which they did today. Going into half time we got done on a short corner, good play from them not so good from us. We were 1-0 down so the manager's made a great change, bringing Oli on and playing Alfie against their central midfield player, which meant he could run off him. We possibly should have won the game in the end.
"If you'd seen it in the Premier League or the Spanish league, you'd be showing that goal for a long, long time. I thought it was an absolutely tremendous goal."
Next up for United is a visit from Barnet on Saturday.
